Education Resources in Texas
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“The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live. ~Mortimer Adler |
Certification By Exam
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No Child Left Behind which refers to The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, a federal law passed under the George W. Bush administration. NCLB represents legislation that attempts to accomplish standards-based education reform.
The law reauthorized federal programs meant to hold primary and secondary schools measurably accountable to higher standards. It also provided more opportunities to parents for school choice and placed a greater emphasis on reading in schools. NCLB is written so that it requires 100% of students (including special education students and those from disadvantaged background) within a school to reach the same set of state standards in math and reading by the year 2014.
Texas Education Agency
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TEA is responsible for the oversight of public primary and secondary education in the state of Texas, involving both the over 1,000 individual school district in the state as well as charter schools.
No Child Left Behind
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NCLB supports standard based education reform, which is based on the belief that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills to be given to all students in certain grades, if those states are to receive federal funding for schools. The Act does not assert a national achievement standard; standards are set by each individual state.
State Board of Educator Certification
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UT-UCS follows both Texas Administrative Code Assignment Rules and Federal No Child Left Behind Highly Qualified requirements when hiring and placing teachers. UT-UCS teachers are expected to have Special Education certification in addition to content area certification. English as a Second Language certification is preferred. While UT-UCS does hire participants of Alternative Certification programs, teachers with standard certification and successful classroom experience are preferred.
Tuition and Fee Exemption for Educational Aides Seeking Teacher Certification
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Educational aides, substitute teachers and other school employees who within the past five years have been employed in a public school for at least one school year are eligible to receive an exemption from tuition and fees at Texas public colleges and universities if they enroll in a teacher certification program. The Texas Education Code Section authorizes an exemption from tuition and mandatory fees other than class and laboratory fees for certain applicants employed as educational aides, substitute teachers, bus drivers and other school employees. The purpose of the program is to encourage educational aides to complete full teacher certification by providing need-based exemptions from the payment of tuition and certain mandatory fees at Texas public institutions of higher education. To meet the initial requirements, individuals must meet the following criteria:
- 1) Have one school year of full-time educational aide experience in Texas within the past five years; OR Be employed as a substitute teacher with 180 full days of service within the past five years;
- 2) Meet certain economic criteria;
- 3) Enroll in a program leading to teacher certification at a Texas public institution of higher education; and
- 4) Be employed in some capacity by a school district in Texas (ex: educational aide, bus driver, substitute teacher, etc.).
US Department of Education
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The primary functions of the Department of Education are to formulate and administer federal funding programs involving education, collect data on US schools, and to enforce federal educational laws regarding privacy and civil rights.
