| Frequently Asked Questions
PROGRAM OVERVIEW What are the benefits of becoming a Fellow? TEACHING IN TEXAS When will I begin earning a salary? Will I be teaching with other program participants
at my school? CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS What exams will I be required to take? What happens if I don’t pass the TExES content
exam? Will I receive my teaching certificate? ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS What kind of background do I need? What college coursework do I need? If I graduate in May of 2008, am I eligible to apply? Are certified teachers eligible for the program? What if I received my degree in another country? What if my GPA does done meet the requirement, should I still apply? APPLICATION PROCESS What is the application deadline? Do I need to be a resident of Texas to apply? TRAINING RESOURCES When does the program actually begin? What is the summer training Institute? Am I allowed to work during summer training? Do I receive support during the school year? PROGRAM OVERVIEW
What are the benefits of becoming a Fellow?
Texas Teaching Fellows has 5 key advantages:
How long is this commitment?We hope that Fellows will make a lifetime commitment to public education; as a program, we set goals for the long-term retention of our Fellows in the classroom. Fellows are eligible to receive their certification after one year of programmatic activities. TTF will track progress toward fulfilling certification requirements throughout the year to ensure you meet all necessary requirements to earn your Texas Standard Teaching Certificate. All Fellows are required to participate in the certification program. TEACHING IN TEXASWhen will I begin earning a salary?
As a new teacher, Fellows begin earning a salary and benefits from their employment district upon hire. However, due to district payroll cycles, Fellows often do not receive the first paycheck until the end of August or even mid to late September. Therefore, planning for the financial transition into the classroom is a critical part of the application process.
For more information regarding salary and/or benefits, please visit the websites of our Partner districts. How much will I be paid?Salary Student Loan Repayment Homeowner Assistance
Where will I teach?
Candidates choose which TTF site (Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, or El Paso) to apply. You will then have the opportunity to preference any of TTF's partner districts within that site after a Fellow has enrolled and taken the TExES exam. TTF will make district referrals based on the staffing needs of each district and candidates' district and subject area preferences. Candidates will then apply to the district to which they are referred once they have passed the TExES. Texas Teaching Fellows seeks to place quality teachers where they are needed the most, including high need schools and subject areas and often in low income communities. School districts across Texas are increasingly faced with diverse student populations with a wide-range of needs, both academically and socially. Candidates must be aware that their students may be on different skill levels and that many may come from low-income communities and/or have a range of behavioral issues. Candidates must be prepared to teach where they are needed most. Our partner districts currently include:
For more information regarding our Partner districts please visit the websites of our Partner districts.
Will I be teaching with other program participants at my school?
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTSWhat exams will I be required to take?
All candidates will need to submit verification that they have passed the appropriate TExES content exam in order to be eligible for interviews with partner school districts and ultimately to enter a classroom in fall, 2008. Please visit the Subject Eligibility and Required Exams for specific test requirements.
Failure to register for and pass the exam will delay or prevent your ability to interview for teaching positions. The TTF program office will remind you of the appropriate TExES content exam for which you will need to register. Candidates register for the exam at www.texes.ets.org. Candidates are responsible for all testing fees.
All Fellows must also take and pass the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities Exam (PPR) by February of the first year of teaching in order to be eligible for certification. Bilingual education Fellows must take and pass an additional exam-- The Texas Oral Proficiency Test (TOPT)--by February of their first of teaching in order to be eligible for certification. Special Education Fellows may be required to take additional content area exams based on their teaching placement.
Please remember, many of these tests are challenging- especially the secondary math and science. Successful passage of these exams will require in-depth preparation. TTF candidates should NOT approach these exams without studying sufficiently. What happens if I don’t pass the TExES content exam?Overall, TTF has experienced a very strong passage rate: in 2007, 85% of TTF enrollees passed the required exam within two test administrations.
We encourage applicants to apply early in order to allow multiple testing opportunities. Unfortunately, if you do not pass the required TExES examination, you will not be eligible for a teaching placement through the Texas Teaching Fellows program. TTF encourages applicants to apply early in order to have multiple testing opportunities. Will I receive my teaching certificate?The TTF program is designed for candidates to be eligible for certification upon satisfactory completion of their first year of teaching and upon fulfilling all TTF program requirements. These requirements include:
Fellows will be issued a Probationary Certificate at the beginning of their first year in the classroom. Upon successful completion of the requirements as outlined above, Fellows will be recommended for a Standard Teaching Certificate. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTSWhat kind of background do I need?
Texas Teaching Fellows is an accelerated alternative certification program designed for individuals with no previous education coursework. It is a highly selective program that is looking for professionals of all backgrounds with strong content-area knowledge who demonstrate leadership and achievement and who are committed to impacting the lives of students.
We are recruiting candidates interested in teaching math, science, bilingual education, and special education. We are looking for a limited number of participants for English/Language Arts and generalist teachers for grades 4-8.
Applicants must have a bachelor's degree (conferred by June 2008).
Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. Applicants may not have a felony record.
Please see our section on Eligibility for additional information.
What college coursework do I need?Subject eligibility is based on coursework and experience. A candidate must have significant coursework in a content area in order to teach a given subject. Please refer to our Subject Eligibility page for more information.
If I graduate in May of 2008, am I eligible to apply?Yes, as long as your degree is conferred before June 2008. If you meet all eligibility and program requirements, you will be conditionally accepted until you officially receive your degree.
Are certified teachers eligible for the program?
Certified teachers are not eligible to apply to Texas Teaching Fellows. This program is designed specifically for people without teaching credentials.
Certified teachers are encouraged to visit the State Board for Educator Certification website for details on how to become certified in Texas, or individual district’s websites for more information about employment.
What if I received my degree in another country?
All foreign transcripts will need to be evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation agency to determine if they are equivalent. In order to have your degree evaluated you will need to contact a transcript evaluating firm to have your transcripts evaluated. SBEC lists agencies here.
What if my GPA does not meet the requirement, should I still apply? Applicants must have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher. Please know that we consider each application individually and include a section within the application that allows you to explain any circumstances that may have caused your GPA to be lower than the 2.75 requirement. If you have graduate work, we will also take that GPA into consideration as well. APPLICATION PROCESSHow do I apply?TTF does not accept written applications. To apply, logon our applicant portal and create and account. The application process includes the completion of the online application and the submission of a professional resume and your application questions. Responses to the application questions should address these three short answer questions in 200 - 400 words each.
Responses to these application questions provide us with information not captured elsewhere in the application. We use these responses to evaluate your writing and critical thinking skills, and more importantly, to gain a sense of your commitment to teaching students in our public schools. Do not send generic cover letters. You will be notified of the status of your application within two weeks. If you are selected to interview you will be invited to attend an Interview Event. The Interview Event includes a teaching sample, a group discussion, a writing sample, and an individual interview.
Is there an application fee?
There is no charge to apply for the Texas Teaching Fellows program. The cost of tuition and fees are explained in our Program Costs section.
What is the application deadline?
There are three application deadlines that align with the TExES registration deadlines. Due to the highly-selective nature of this program, we strongly encourage candidates to apply early. Applicants who apply early have the opportunity to interview early and take the TExES early. Regular Application Deadline & Interview CycleTexas Teaching Fellows is no longer accepting applications for the 2008 Cohort. We will begin accepting appplications for the 2009 Cohort in November 2008. If you are interested in learning more and applying for the 2009 Cohort, please Join our Mailing List.
TExES Exam:
Do I need to be a resident of Texas to apply?
No. You do not need to be a resident of Texas to apply, but you will be required to live and teach in the city in Texas that your cohort is in to complete the program. What happens after I apply?All complete applications go through an initial review process. Notification of program status is sent within two weeks. Outstanding candidates are invited to participate in a Texas Teaching Fellows Interview Event, which includes a sample teaching lesson, a group discussion of relevant issues in education, a writing sample, and a one-on-one interview. Transcript review for content eligibility will occur during the Interview Event; therefore, it is critical that you immediately gather transcripts from all institutes of higher education you have attended (unofficial or official) and bring them to the Interview Event. Within two weeks after the Interview Event, you will receive notification from the TTF program office regarding your status. If you are accepted, TTF will provide your assigned subject area and the appropriate TExES content exam for which you must immediately register. Can I defer acceptance into the program? No. Once accepted, you may not defer acceptance into the Texas Teaching
Fellows. TRAINING & RESOURCES
When does the program actually begin?
You will need to register and begin preparing for the assigned TExES exam as soon as you receive notification of acceptance into TTF.
The Institute is slated to begin the first weeks of June 2008 and will conclude mid-July 2008, coinciding with the summer school schedule. Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be scheduled to celebrate the kick-off of the Institute as well as its conclusion.
Prior to Institute, Fellows will be provided an Independent Study Guide with activities to complete before arriving at Institute. These activities will include classroom observations, so Fellows should be prepared to take time to visit schools in the spring. More information will be provided during the enrollment process.
What is the summer training Institute?The summer training Institute takes place over a 6-week period and includes a student teaching component and curriculum sessions. During the student teaching component Fellows are paired with veteran teachers and receive hands-on training and coaching on effective teaching strategies. During the afternoon Fellows attend curriculum sessions that are designed specifically for those with no previous education experience and for teaching in critical shortage content areas. 98% of 2007 Fellows felt that the Institute prepared them to be successful in their first year of teaching.
Am I allowed to work during summer training?
Some Fellows have taken a part-time job during the Institute (weekends or nights) to ease the financial transition. While the Institute is an intense time commitment, a flexible part-time job is feasible. Please keep in mind however, that attendance at the Institute is mandatory and Fellows will not be permitted to miss sessions for work. For more information on the financial transition, visit the Making the Financial Transition section.
Will I be paid over the summer?
Fellows receive six-week training over the course of the summer. However, Fellows must attend the training full time, and thus are not able to work full time. Fellows may receive stipends from partner districts for the summer training Institute. This depends on the district and will be communicated during the enrollment process. Interested candidates should begin preparing NOW to make the financial transition to become an educator and attend the summer training Institute. To learn more, visit the section on Making the Financial Transition.
Do I receive support during the school year?
TTF is committed to the Fellow’s success as a first year teacher and as they work to close the achievement gap. During the first year in the classroom, Fellows participate in the Content Seminar series “Teaching for Results”. This series is a comprehensive professional development program led by veteran teachers where Fellows are given additional tools for effective teaching and raising student achievement. Completion of this series makes them eligible to receive their Standard Certificate in as little as one year. 90% of Fellows felt that the Content Seminar series helped them become a more effective teacher, and 97% of Fellows felt that the seminar instructors helped them become more effective teachers. A Field Advisor will visit each Fellow in their classrooms. The Field Advisor provides the Fellow and the TTF staff with feedback on their classroom performance. The Field Advisor will observe each Fellow 1-2 times per year and provide written feedback as well as being available for phone or in-person post-observation discussions/feedback. |
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