The completion requirements for the Teacher’s Certification Program ensure that candidates have acquired the necessary skills, knowledge, and disposition to effectively facilitate learning in diverse classroom settings. This document provides a comprehensive overview of the essential components candidates must fulfill. Academic Coursework: All candidates must complete a minimum of 342 contact hours of coursework. Pre-service Field-based Observations: All candidates must complete 50 hours of field-based observations by the completion of EDUC 4811. Clinical Teaching: A clinical teaching assignment is one of two options for the required clinical experience, requiring a minimum of 490 hours, averaging at least 4 hours per day in the certification subject and grade level. This includes planning time but excludes lunch. If a candidate has documented parental leave, military leave, illness, or bereavement, the minimum requirement may be reduced to no less than 455 hours. Internship: An internship is the second of two options for the required clinical experience, requiring candidates to complete a minimum of one full school year as a teacher of record in a TEA-approved authentic classroom setting. Assessment & Testing: All candidates must pass the appropriate content Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) assessments of content area knowledge in addition to the professional knowledge and standards for educators evaluated by the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) EC-12 examination. For certain certifications, as determined by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), candidates must also pass the Science of Teaching Reading examination. Portfolio Development: Throughout the entirety of the program's coursework, candidates are required to develop a teacher candidate portfolio by compiling their performance-based assignments rendered by their course instructors. The teacher candidate portfolio is a source of reference for candidates to leverage while completing their internship and during their first few years of teaching after receipt of their Texas teacher standard certificate. Safety: All candidates must be cleared through a background check to ensure the safety of candidates. Final Review & Exit Interview: All candidates must participate in an exit interview with designated program staff to discuss their experiences, insights, and recommendations for program improvement. This requirement is for candidates who receive a recommendation for a Texas standard teacher certificate or if candidates opt to depart the program before completion. Certification: All candidates must pay any associated fees for certification as required by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).