Certifications schedule for deletion in fall 2011:

• Generalist EC-4  (replaced with Generalist EC-6)
• Bilingual Education Supplemental EC-4 & 4-8  (replaced with Bilingual Education Supplemental)
• Bilingual Generalist EC-4 (replaced with Bilingual Generalist EC-6)
• ESL / Generalist EC-4 (replaced with ESL / Generalist EC-6)
• Spanish 6-12 (replaced with LOTE - Spanish)
• French 6-12 (replaced with LOTE - French)
• German 6-12 (replaced with LOTE - German)

Individuals applying for any of these certificates must have all certification requirements meet by August 31, 2011.  Application and recommendation for these certificates must be submitted to TEA no later than October 30, 2011.  If the individual fails to meet these deadlines they will have to meet all the requirements for the new certificate.  If you already hold a standard certificate in one of these areas, this will have no affect on your certificate. 

The Certification Department offers study sessions for the TExES exams.  Subject areas offered include math, science, social studies, English language arts & reading, generalist, bilingual, and pedagogy & professional responsibilities.  You must be an employee of Fort Worth ISD to attend these sessions.  Log onto the AVATAR website and look for the HRS TExES Study Sessions.  The study sessions are free and are taught by certified educators.  Registration is required and seating for the sessions is limited so please register early. 

Certification Exams
Every person seeking educator certification in Texas is required to pass comprehensive examinations to ensure that each educator has the prerequisite content and professional knowledge necessary for an entry-level position in Texas public schools. These examinations are called TExES exams. To find out more information about TExES exams and to register, go to www.texes.ets.org. 

No Child Left Behind
NCLB requires school districts to have a plan for all teachers in core academic subject areas to become “highly qualified” by the end of the 2006-2007 school year. Teachers hired after the first day of instruction of the 2002-2003 school year who teach core academic subjects in a Title 1, Part A program must be “highly qualified” when hired.

“Highly Qualified” means that the teacher:

• Has obtained full State certification as a teacher or has passed the State teacher licensing examination and holds a license to teach in the State;
• Holds a bachelor’s degree at a minimum;
• Has demonstrated subject area competence in each of the core academic subjects in which the teacher teaches.

USDE rule 34 DFR 200.55(c) defines the core academic subjects as English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts (fine arts), history and geography.

To find out more information about NCLB, go to www.tea.state.tx.us/nclb.