Pursuant to the Texas Education Code (TEC), §22.083, candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to employment as an educator; and (2) pursuant to the TEC, §22.0835, candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to clinical teaching. An individual who has been convicted of an offense may be ineligible for issuance of a certificate on completion of the EPP. Pursuant to the Texas Occupations Code (TOC), Chapter 53, and the Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 21, Subchapter B, the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) may suspend or revoke an existing valid certificate, deny an applicant a certificate, bar a person from being assessed or examined for a certificate, or take other disciplinary action because of a person's conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or certain other criminal history. A person who is enrolled or planning to enroll in a State Board for Educator Certification-approved educator preparation program or planning to take a certification examination may request a preliminary criminal history evaluation letter regarding the person's potential ineligibility for certification due to a conviction or deferred adjudication for a felony or misdemeanor offense. Additional information on this criminal background requirement can be found at TEA National Criminal History Checks FAQs.Candidates may request a Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation (PCHE) from TEA. The PCHE is an evaluation of eligibility for a Texas educator certificate based on the individual’s self-reported criminal history. The evaluation is voluntary and non-binding.Additionally, the fee for the evaluation is non-refundable. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in an inaccurate criminal history evaluation. TEA performs this evaluation under the authority of the TexasOperations Code §53.102 and the Texas Administrative Code 19 Ch. 227. If you have questions regarding the PCHE, please see Preliminary Criminal HistoryEvaluation-FAQs | Texas Education Agency.
Candidates may request a Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation (PCHE) from TEA. The PCHE is an evaluation of eligibility for a Texas educator certificate based on the individual’s self-reported criminal history. The evaluation is voluntary and non-binding.Additionally, the fee for the evaluation is non-refundable. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may result in an inaccurate criminal history evaluation. TEA performs this evaluation under the authority of the TexasOperations Code §53.102 and the Texas Administrative Code 19 Ch. 227. If you have questions regarding the PCHE, please see Preliminary Criminal HistoryEvaluation-FAQs | Texas Education Agency.
A student choosing to withdraw from Teach Us after starting classes is to provide written notice to the EPP. The notice is to indicate the expected last date of attendance and be signed and dated by the student.An applicant must provide written notice of cancellation within three days (excluding Saturday, Sunday, and federal and state holidays) of signing an enrollment agreement.If the candidate decides to enroll in another EPP at a later time, the receiving EPP will request a TEA Candidate Transfer Form from Teach Us. Teach Us must confirm whether the candidate was in good standing with the EPP.Candidates may be required to withdraw from Teach Us for the following reasons:
Candidates are expected to adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators throughout the program. In addition to the Code of Ethics, candidates are expected to demonstrate professional dispositions with all stakeholders throughout the program to be recommended for an initial certificate. The requirements for professional dispositions include:
If a candidate does not adhere to Texas’ Code of Conduct and/or Teach Us Texas’ Professional Disposition for Candidates (PDC), the progressive discipline process listed below will be enacted:
TEA staff has developed a complaint form and procedures to standardize the process for an individual making a complaint against an EPP. This complaint form will be available on the TEA website and must be in writing on the complaint form. The written complaint must clearly state the facts that are the subject of the complaint and must state the measures the complainant has taken to attempt resolution of the complaint with the EPP. Anonymous complaints may not be accepted or investigated. For further information on TEA responsibilities regarding a complaint, please refer to this site.
In this document, stakeholders may find relevant information regarding the current status of the supply and demand for educators in Texas.
Teach Us Texas (formerly EIT: Excellence in Teaching) is a State Accredited Alternative Certification Program, has received the following accreditation statuses for the past five years. For more information about accreditation statuses, please see the Accountability System for Educator Preparation.
