Secondary Teacher Certification
Begin your rewarding career as a secondary teacher! This program is now accepting applicants for the 25-26 school year. Please see the schedule for admission waves and program dates.
Become A Certified Secondary Teacher
Becoming a secondary teacher means you are preparing to guide students through some of the most critical stages in their development as young adults. In addition to building relationships with students, you are teaching content you are passionate about and you enjoy making learning engaging for your students. As a member of the Secondary Certification Program, you will be inspired and challenged by working alongside other educators who also want to provide the most inspiring learning experiences for all students.
Our Secondary Certification Program is appropriately rigorous in preparing you for the reality of teaching. Our dedicated staff trains and supports participants seeking Secondary (grades 6-12) certification. Our 17-month certification process includes:
- TExES test preparation
- research-based instructional practices
- curriculum and instruction aligned to the Texas Teacher Standards
The Secondary Certification Program is for participants in Austin and surrounding areas, employed by schools within the Region 13 service area and those from schools within a 100-mile radius of Austin. This program prepares you for the reality of teaching, and participants develop reflective habits to refine their practice beyond their first year of teaching. It is our honor to be a part of the beginning of a teacher’s career and walk beside you on your certification journey.
Secondary Certification Options
Middle Level
The middle level certification area will allow a participant to teach various subject areas in grades 4-8. Subject areas include math, science, social studies, and English language arts and reading.
Secondary Level
The secondary level certification area will allow a participant to teach various subject areas in grades 7-12, including math, science, social studies, and English language arts and reading.
All Level
The all level certification area will allow a participant to teach various subject areas in Early Childhood (EC) through grade 12. Subject areas include art, physical education, dance, music, theatre, and languages other than English (LOTE).
Certification Options
View all the certification options available through ECP
Program Requirements
Bachelor's Degree
Candidates must have a degree earned from and conferred by an accredited institution of higher education.
Min 2.5 Grade Point Average
Minimum 2.5 GPA on all coursework or 2.75 in the last 60 semester hours of completed coursework.
Official College Transcripts
Request your official transcripts be sent to the ECP office.
Content Area Proficiency
Candidates must meet the content area proficiency requirements specific to their program.
Application
Complete our online application with all required documents.
Requirements
View your content area's specific certification requirements
Curriculum
Our certification program curriculum is aligned with Texas Education Agency standards and educational best practices. All curriculum is taught by certified staff and content area experts.
Training
About 2/3 of our classes are face-to-face and 1/3 of our classes are online. Participants employed by schools within the Region 13 service area, as well as those from schools within a 100-mile radius of Austin, attend classes at the Education Service Center Region 13 in Austin.
Participants will be required to attend training that will continue to build on instruction learned during pre-service training.
- delivering engaging instruction
- integrating content specific strategies into lesson design
- developing and using student assessments
- understanding student diversity and instructional differentiation
- preparing for formal classroom observations
- preparing for TExES PPR exam
- preparing for TExES content exams
- implementing Marzano’s high yield strategies
- developing and using a variety of questioning strategies
- integrating the core principles from The Fundamental Five
Technology
- incorporating the effective use of current technology in instruction
- evaluating students’ technologically produced products and projects
- utilizing technology applications in problem-solving situations and project-based learning activities
- using developmentally appropriate instructional practices, activities, and materials to integrate the Technology Applications TEKS into the curriculum
- managing technology platforms to increase communication with student families on academic and behavior progress
What’s Next?
Info Sessions
Find out more about our programs by attending one of our info sessions.
Apply
Complete our online application and take the first step in becoming a fully certified teacher.