College of Education and Human Development

Administrative Officers

Dr. Emma Savage-Davis, Dean, College of Education and Human Development
Dr. Robin Robinson Kapavik, Associate Dean, College of Education and Human Development
Dr. Michael Moyer, Department Chair, Department of Counseling, Health and Kinesiology
Dr. Esther Garza, Department Chair, Department of Educator and Leadership Preparation
Dr. Rebekah Piper, Interim Department Chair, Department of Curriculum and Instruction

The College of Education & Human Development is committed to serving the needs of the region by preparing qualified professionals to assume positions of responsibility and leadership in a global society. Reflective of this mission, the College of Education & Human Development is dedicated to supporting and retaining quality faculty and staff who nurture and optimize student opportunities while simultaneously pursuing high academic, professional and personal standards that promote student achievement and life-long learning. The College of Education & Human Development serves an ethnically diverse population that comprises the university’s student base and seeks to work cooperatively with educators from the surrounding area, education service centers, community colleges, community and business leaders, and professional organizations in promoting excellence in education at all levels. Students are expected to uphold the Texas Educator’s Code of Ethics as well as the standards of professional organizations in their fields of study.

In addition to various master's degree programs, the College of Education & Human Development offers the:

• Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Early Childhood Education
• Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Interdisciplinary Studies
• Bachelor of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis
• Bachelor of Science in Child Development
• Bachelor of Science in Education
• Bachelor of Science in Human Services
• Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies
• Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology
• Bachelor of Science in Special Education 

Importance Notice: The following sections provide general information about programs in the College of Education & Human Development. Additional regulations for educator certification may take effect during the years of this catalog and may require changes that could not be foreseen at the time of printing. Changes that become effective in response to rulings by the State Board for Educator Certification, the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may apply to current and prospective students.  As the State Board for Educator Certification makes changes in the certification framework, degree plans may be subject to change.  Any changes made by the state in interpreting the rulings on educator certification programs in Texas may supersede the requirements of the existing degree plan, certification or deficiency plan, with or without notice in this catalog.

Educator Preparation Program

The Educator Preparation and Certification

The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at Texas A&M University-San Antonio is administered by the College of Education and Human Development. Teacher candidates may choose to work toward certification in the following certification areas:

• Elementary
  • Core Subjects (Grades EC-6)
  • Core Subjects (Grades EC-6) with Bilingual Education
• Middle Grades
  • Core Subjects (Grades 4-8)
  • Core Subjects (Grades 4-8) with Bilingual Education
• Secondary/All Levels Content Areas 
  • Chemistry (Grades 7-12)
  • English Language Arts and Reading (Grades 7-12)
  • History (Grades 7-12)
  • Languages Other Than English (LOTE) - Spanish (Grades EC-12)
  • Life Sciences (Grades 7-12)
  • Mathematics (Grades 7-12)
  • Physical Education (Grades 7-12)
  • Social Studies (Grades 7-12)
  • Spanish (Grades EC-12)
  • Special Education (Grades EC-12)

Degree Plans Leading to Certification

Students pursuing teacher certification should schedule an appointment with an academic advisor to develop their degree/certification plan. Students are encouraged to thoroughly explore degree plans and certification options before selecting a program and certificate to pursue as it is difficult to change to a different degree plan/program once certificate specific coursework has been completed. 

Changes and course substitutions to the degree plan must be approved by the Department Chair. Changes may also occur when the State Board for Education Certification or the Texas Education Agency mandates changes in the educator preparation program or certification areas.

Admission Requirements

Students interested in pursuing a teaching certificate must apply and be formally admitted to the Educator Preparation Program (EPP).  EPP admission applications are available in the fall for spring admission and in the spring for fall admission. Students must meet the admission criteria and will be monitored throughout the program to ensure that they maintain admission criteria. A student seeking initial certification is required to have a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 on all college work attempted (or in the last 60 hours). A $35 technology fee is assessed upon formal admission to a program leading to educator certification. 

Criteria for Admission

• Complete Core Requirements as indicated by Degree Works
• Achieve a “C” or better in all Core coursework
• Demonstrate an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher (or in the last 60 hours)
• Complete 12 hours in the major/area of certification (or 15 for math or science)
• Achieve a “C” or better in the following courses (if EC-6, EC-6 Bilingual, 4-8, 4-8 Bilingual):
  • MATH 1350
  • MATH 1351
  • HIST 2301
  • EDCI 1301

Note:  Bilingual applicants will be screened by the Bilingual faculty for required coursework.

Additional criteria for admission to the Educator CAFE include:

• An interview with Education Preparation Program faculty
• A writing sample

Field-Based Experiences

The field-based experiences aspect of the program consists of one or two semesters of experiences in the field requiring students to record, document and reflect upon 50 clock hours per semester of their observations in a public school classroom setting.

Clinical Teaching Pathways

Clinical Teaching (one semester)

The traditional clinical teaching program is a non-paid, full-time, semester long commitment designed to be completed in sixteen (16) weeks. The school day must be at least 7 hours; however, Clinical Teachers should note that their day may be longer as they are expected to mirror the day of the cooperating teacher. This may include required hours before or after school assisting cooperating teachers and/or working with students. Clinical Teachers will follow the school district calendar. Clinical Teachers are expected to plan their academic programs so that all coursework has been completed prior to the clinical teaching semester; students will not be allowed to enroll in other courses during the clinical teaching semester. Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in clinical teaching; students who do not earn a “C” or better may be placed on a growth plan and allowed to repeat clinical teaching once. After a second unsuccessful clinical teaching attempt, students will be required to change to a non-certification degree plan. To register for clinical teaching, students must:

• Have been officially admitted to the Educator Preparation Program in the College of Education & Human Development.
• Have completed and submitted the clinical teaching application during the enrollment period. Application periods occur twice per academic year in September and February.
• Have passed the respective TExES content certification exam.
• Have an overall grade point average of at least 2.75 in transfer and Texas A&M-San Antonio coursework with no grade lower than a “C”.

Students participating in the Texas A&M University-San Antonio clinical teaching program are required to complete a criminal background check.  The criminal background check process is dependent on the district placement; each district has its own background check process.  In accordance with TEC 22.083, individuals interested in pursuing a career in education must undergo a criminal background check prior to clinical teaching. Students have the right to request a preliminary criminal history evaluation letter from the Texas Education Agency prior to admission into the EPP.  Students may visit the Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation page in the TEA website. 

Clinical teaching placements are selected at the discretion of the school district. Students are allowed to specify school districts of choice when applying for clinical teaching. In most instances, it is possible to obtain a placement in the first or second choice of district. Students may not complete clinical teaching on a campus where they have children, grandchildren, siblings, or other close relatives. Note:  When selecting their district(s) where they will complete clinical teaching, students should consider the size of the district and its geographical location.  Placements may vary within the requested district and driving distances should be considered.

Students’ level and area of certification will be considered when configuring clinical teaching placement(s).  For example, a student seeking to be certified in a Core Content 4-8 area of certification may be placed in 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, or 8^th grade classroom setting and may be assigned to teach English, Math, Science or History. Students in the Traditional Clinical Teaching pathway may observe but may not Clinical Teach in an AP, Pre-AP or dual placement lesson.   

Students are expected to communicate all placement requests and program related questions to the Educator Preparation Program faculty/staff. Students should not contact campuses, districts, or principals directly regarding placements. Students seeking all level certification (EC-12) may be equally placed between elementary and middle school/high school settings during the clinical teaching semester. Students must attend a mandatory orientation with EPP faculty prior to beginning the clinical teaching placement. Students may also be required to attend an orientation at the discretion of the host school district.

Attendance for Traditional Clinical Teaching

Clinical Teachers admitted to the clinical teaching program are expected to attend their placement each day. Clinical Teachers are required to follow their respective cooperating teacher’s schedule and shadow the cooperating teacher through all teaching responsibilities. Punctuality is imperative and fundamental in a teacher’s professionalism. Tardiness, absences and/or unannounced departures are unacceptable without prior notice to the cooperating teacher and/or field supervisor. It is the responsibility of the Clinical Teacher to inform the cooperating teacher, university teaching specialist, and the host school office as early as possible in case of an illness or absence. Clinical Teachers are required to complete a specific number of hours throughout the clinical teaching program and will be required to make up any absences. Excessive absences may result in a grade of Incomplete (I), therefore requiring students to finalize program requirements during the subsequent semester. Unexcused absences may result in removal from the placement and dismissal from the clinical teaching program. Clinical Teachers must complete an absence sheet for all absences - even partial day, (excluding testing and on campus seminar days). All Clinical Teachers are required to attend mandatory seminar meetings each month with the EPP staff. Seminars may be held in the evenings and/or on Saturdays as determined by the Educator Preparation Program.

Enhanced Yearlong Teacher Residency (one academic year)

The Enhanced Year-Long Teacher Residency program uses observations, model teaching, and professional development to give teacher candidates the opportunity to exercise and refine the skills learned from their university course work. Teacher Residents will also have an opportunity to develop their own unique teaching style and practice the methods and strategies that are effective in helping students learn.  Students interested in the Year-Long Residency program must:

• Have been officially admitted to the Educator Preparation Program in the College of Education & Human Development
• Complete an application which are available in February for fall registration
• Maintain an overall GPA of 2.75 or better (or in the last 60 hours)
• Interview with school district(s) for the selection process
• Complete a background check according to school district requirements 

Teacher Residents must attend a mandatory orientation with EPP faculty prior to beginning the Enhanced Yearlong Teacher Residency experiences, as well as attend regularly scheduled meetings with their university supervisor. Students may also be required to attend an orientation at the discretion of the host school district.

Field placements are selected at the discretion of the school district and the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) faculty through a mutually agreed upon process. Students are allowed to specify preferred school districts when applying for Enhanced Yearlong Teacher Residency; however, final selection will occur after an interview process. Teacher Residents may not complete year-long residency requirements on a campus where they have children, grandchildren, siblings or other close relatives. Note: When selecting district(s) where they will prefer to complete Enhanced Yearlong Teacher Residency, students should consider the size of the district and its geographical location. Placements may vary within the requested district and driving distances should be considered.

Students’ level and area of certification will be considered when the school district and EPP configure Enhanced Yearlong Teacher Residency placements. For example, a Teacher Resident seeking to be certified in Core Subjects 4-8 area of certification may be placed in 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grade classroom setting and may be assigned to teach English, Math, Science or History.  Students in the Yearlong Residency pathway may be placed in AP or Pre-AP classroom setting; however, a dual-credit classroom will not be considered. 

Students are expected to communicate all program related questions to the Educator Preparation Program faculty/staff. Students should not contact campuses, districts, or principals directly regarding placements.

Military/Veteran Consideration and Related Experience

In accordance with Texas Administrative Code (TAC), the Educator CAFE will evaluate and may accept prior service, training, or education from military or non-military experiences toward the fulfillment of program prerequisite admission requirements. Military and non-military service, training, or education must be directly related to the certificate being sought and may not take the place of certification examinations. Service, training, or education may not count as part of the internship, clinical teaching, or practicum requirements and must have been provided by an approved Educator Preparation Program or accredited institution of higher education within the past five years. The Director of the Educator CAFE will determine whether military service, training, or education is relevant and could be applied as a substitution.

Educator Certification in Texas

The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) is governed by Texas Administrative Code rules and monitored for quality by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The EPP is responsible for implementing current rules and best practices in the preparation of highly effective teacher candidates.  The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) oversees all aspects of the preparation, certification, and standards of conduct of the EPP and all Texas educators.

The Initial Standard Certificate

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) establishes rules that specify the curriculum requirements for educator preparation programs as well as the assessment and evaluation of candidates for certification and program improvement.  Requirements for initial standard teacher certification entail that teacher candidates successfully complete program requirements and a passing score on all Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) certification exams associated with the area of certification being sought. Students should consult the EPP faculty for information regarding specific exam requirements.

Commitment to Excellence

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) approves content areas and grade levels for certification available in Texas. Standards describing the knowledge and skills that a beginning teacher must demonstrate prior to certification have been developed for each certificate. It is important to be aware that rules, procedures and requirements for initial teacher certification may change during the course of a candidate’s program due to changes at the state level, accountability requirements, or program enhancement purposes. The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at Texas A&M University-San Antonio collaborates with community stakeholders through the Education Advisory Committee. The committee meets twice a year to review program results, goals, and improvement activities.

Certification Exams (Texas Examinations of Educator Standards – TExES)

As of September 1, 2015, candidates for teacher certification will be limited to five (5) total attempts on any certification exam. This is a Texas Education Agency requirement.

Students will be granted permission to take an actual TExES exam once they have successfully completed the required practice exams with a minimum score of 80%. Practice exam scores are valid for 90 days. If an exam has multiple sections, then each section must be passed with an 80% or higher within a testing session.

Students must submit the TExES Exam Approval Form to the certification officer in order to have the TExES exams opened for registration. Students must register for the TExES exam within 30 days of it being opened. Only one TExES exam will be opened for a candidate at a time with the exception of the bilingual exams. Please note that TEA rule requires a minimum of 30 days between each attempt on any TExES exam.

Students are required to take and pass the content TExES exams prior to Clinical Teaching or Enhanced Yearlong Teacher Residency.

Test Preparation

Prior to entering the clinical teaching semester residency year, students should have previously participated in test preparation activities intended to facilitate their preparation for the TExES content and PPR exams. Additionally, students are required to pass the required TExES exam(s) for the content area(s). 

Teacher Certification Requirements

In order to be recommended for initial certification, all teacher candidates are required to earn a passing score on all Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) exams required of their certification area, complete all coursework and required field-based experiences, complete Clinical Teaching or Enhanced Yearlong Teacher Residency, and be awarded a Bachelor’s degree. For additional information on certification requirements, visit the teacher certification website.

Upon Completion of the Educator Preparation Program, students will have successfully:

1. Completed all course work with a minimum 2.75 GPA with no grade lower than a “C” in education and content area courses
2. Successfully taken and passed the required TExES exam(s) for the content area(s).
3. Successfully completed Field-Based Experiences
4. Successfully complete Clinical Teaching or Enhanced Yearlong Teacher Residency
5. Been awarded a Bachelor’s degree

Fitness to Teach

The College of Education and Human Development will not recommend students for certification who do not meet qualifying criteria. Admission to the program does not guarantee fitness to remain in the program. Only those students who meet program standards will be allowed to continue in the program. Students pursuing an initial teacher’s certification must meet fitness to teach standards that are assessed by faculty and program staff throughout the program. These standards include demonstration of emotional and mental fitness in their interaction with others as well as conformance with the code of professional educator ethics of the state of Texas. Students who fail to demonstrate fitness or conformance to appropriate codes may be asked to enter into a remediation plan in order to remain in the program. If a remediation plan is developed, students must demonstrate satisfactory remediation prior to being allowed to proceed toward graduation. In rare cases, a student’s ability to practice may exceed remediation and removal from the program is possible.

Periodically in each candidate’s preparation, there will be checkpoints at which faculty, field supervisors, and cooperating teachers will assess professional dispositions. Candidates who are identified as having significant concerns will be required to correct the areas of concern and may be placed on a growth plan. All A&M-SA students placed in schools are expected to adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators.

Note: Students exhibiting a pattern of concerns will be referred to the Director of the Educator CAFE. Failure to remediate areas of concern may result in a recommendation for the student to be dropped from the Educator Preparation Program. Students dropped from the Educator Preparation Program will be required to shift to a non-certification degree program in order to graduate. Students who are required to change to a non-certification degree plan will not be allowed to change back to a certificate degree plan.

Non-Certification Degree Plans

The College of Education & Human Development offers five additional undergraduate degree options. 

Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Early Childhood Education or Interdisciplinary Studies (BAAS): The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) is a terminal degree for students who would like to pursue areas of study that involve working with local and state community agencies. 

Bachelor of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA): The Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Bachelor of Science in Child Development: The Bachelor of Science in Child Development is designed for students who would like to work with young children and families in classroom or community-based settings that do not require teacher certification.

Bachelor of Science in Human Services: The Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services is designed for students interested in a broad field that prepares graduates in various careers serving multiple populations.

Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (Exercise Science & Pre-Physical Therapy concentrations): The Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology (Exercise Science/Pre-Physical Therapy) is designed for students wishing to pursue health-, exercise-, physical therapy- or movement-related careers outside of the public school setting. 

Students should contact their Academic Advisor for more information.

Minors and Degree Program Requirements

The minors offered by the College of Education and Human Development are:

• Child Development,
• Health, Kinesiology, and
• Special Education. 

Consult with your academic advisor to determine the optimum number of lower-division and upper-division courses within the chosen minor.

English as a Second Language Supplemental (9 credit hours)

Coursework supporting the ESL supplemental teacher certification may be completed by teacher candidates participating in an Educator Preparation Program. The courses listed here will provide the necessary coursework addressing the TExES ESL Supplemental examination (#154). Already part of the Bilingual EC-6 Core Subjects and Bilingual 4-8 Core Subjects certification degree plans, one of the recommended courses for the supplemental teacher certification is part of the required degree plan credit hours for these respective certifications:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
EDBL 3321	Methods for Teaching ESL	3
Students may complete coursework leading to the ESL Supplemental Teacher Certification by adding the following 6 hours of coursework to their existing degree plan:
EDBL 3315	Second Language Acquisition and Literacy for English Learners	3
EDBL 3311	Foundations of Bilingual Education	3
Total Credits		9

Students will need to seek their ESL endorsement after they have acquired their initial certification.