Why Choose ECP?

See how we will support you on your path to certification, read more about the benefits for choosing Region 13 ECP as your alternative certification program.

Paid Internships with Benefits

As our participants go through their first year of teaching, they are contracted and paid as teachers-of-record with their employing school district and receive full benefits and full-time salary per the hiring district’s salary schedule.

Competitive Fees and Scholarships

We offer affordable pricing that is competitive with other programs and provide flexible payment options. Teacher seeking certification in the critical needs areas receive a guaranteed $2000 scholarship that can be applied towards fees. 

Respected by Districts and Educators

When choosing a certification program, we feel it is important to look for a program that is well respected as being reputable with the school district in which you hope to teach. ECP is a part of an educational community and has developed long-standing collaborative relationships with administrators and teachers in districts across Texas. 

State-Accredited

All alternative certification programs are evaluated on how we support teachers through their internship year by a list of Texas Administrative Code requirements. ECP is an approved program by the Texas Education Agency.

When developing our curriculum we ensure that our participants are prepared to understand how to apply the knowledge and skills that are established by the State Board for Educator Certification. All of our programs are aligned with state TExES exams, the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System, as well as the state curriculum established for Texas public schools (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills-TEKS.) 

Texas Education Agency

Texas Education Agency

Learn more about approved alternative certification programs in Texas.

Experience and Credibility

The Region 13 Educator Certification Program has been certifying teachers since 1992 through alternative certification. ECP has evolved and grown throughout the years by adapting to the legislative requirements and continually revising the curriculum to meet the needs of our future teachers. As a part of a regional service center, ECP implements research-based trends and practices in the field of education and understands the connection between research and the application of that research in classrooms. As an Education Service Center, we collaborate with our schools and communities to promote quality instruction in order to maximize student performance. 

Service Centers

Service Centers

Learn more about the 20 service centers throughout Texas

Support Systems

ECP offers a multi-tiered support system which provides future teachers the guidance, coaching and mentoring to thrive during their first year in the classroom and beyond. 

Each participant in ECP will have a designated field supervisor whose purpose is to work one-on-one with teachers, providing guidance, training and other resources as needed. The field supervisor uses open, honest and transparent communication to create safe learning environments. Their approach is never evaluative in nature, but one of compassion and collaboration. During internship year the field supervisor will visit the participant’s classroom, observe lessons being taught and provide individual feedback and support.

ECP trains an on-campus mentor teacher that will help to support participants during their internship year. The mentor’s role is to provide guidance for campus and district initiatives, procedures and the day to day life of a first-year teacher. 

ECP classes are taught using a cohort model. This means that you will attend training with the same group of participants throughout your program. A cohort model allows for collaborative learning and encourages academic and professional success. The relationships formed in your cohort often last throughout your teaching career. 

Blended Instruction

Research shows that students prefer and benefit most from blended training and its ability to combine the luxury of personal scheduling with peer-to-peer interaction. About 2/3 of our classes are face-to-face and 1/3 of our classes are online. Our face-to-face classes give you the opportunity to learn and see effective teaching practices in action and then spend time applying the practices to your own instruction. Our online classes build on the foundational knowledge learned face to face and further prepare participants for the pedagogy exam.

National Recognition

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement featured Region 13 ECP in its booklet, Innovations in Education: Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification. ECP was one of six programs featured in this booklet and were recognized as a successful and innovative program. SRI International selected Region 13 ECP to be highlighted in their national study of seven alternative certification programs, funded by a Carnegie Corporation grant, Characteristics of Effective Alternative Teacher Certification Programs. According to the principal investigator and project director, “This study will have the attention of policy-makers across the nation who are looking for solutions to teacher shortages while meeting new federal requirements for teacher qualifications.” 

Our reviews speak for themselves!

I felt enormously prepared to teach elementary school after completing the Region 13 ECP program. I can honestly say that I had a solid first year of teaching first grade thanks to you. The night classes were no fluff, always relevant, and relatable. The expectations were made clear. I say to my colleagues all the time that the PDs I’ve attended pale in comparison to the depth and breadth of knowledge that you shared with us. 

-Christina Puentes

Thank you very much for a great year. I learned so much and you helped me have a wonderful year. How exciting for you to help teachers go out and make a difference in all these students lives. Thank you very much for everything you have done. I love my job and what I do, thank you for helping me make it happen.

-Michelle Langloss