Welcome to the PISD Alternative Certification Program Home Page
PISD will be offering an Alternative Certification Program for individuals seeking teaching certification in the areas of Spanish Elementary Bilingual and Vietnamese Elementary Bilingual education. Program course-work will commence in March, 2012, and applications for admission will be due on or before January 15, 2012. Those interested in applying for admission to the PISD ACP are required to attend one of the Orientation sessions listed below:
- Aug. 17, 2011
- Sept. 14, 2011
- Oct. 11, 2011
- Nov. 9, 2011
PISD ACP at a Glance
CERTIFICATION AREAS
- Spanish Bilingual EC - 6
- Vietnamese Bilingual EC - 6
TIMELINE
- Information sessions provided in Fall each year (attendance required)
- Application Window: November 15 - January 15
- Evening and weekend classes, March - May
- Successful participants who are hired conditionally by a PISD principal for a bilingual elementary teaching position in May continue course work on a full-time basis in summer (the PISD ACP does not guarantee employment in PISD, but candidates who attain an offer in May and proceed to move successfully through the intensive summer program will be officially hired in late July - the PISD ACP does NOT prepare educators for employment outside of PISD)
- Successful participants begin working as a teacher of record in PISD in August
- After-school and weekend classes, September - February
- Participants sit for the TExES EC-12 Pedogogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) test as well as the TExES Bilingual Supplemental test in March and/or April
- Successful participants who complete all program requirements, testing requirements, and campus requirements, shall obtain a standard teaching certificate in Elementary Bilingual Education in the state of Texas
ADMISSION CRITERIA (for specific information, see HANDBOOK)
- Hold a conferred Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning (http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/) or comparable degree from a non-US university with a minimum grade point average of a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, or at least a 2.5 on the last 60 semester credit hours (with specific content area hour requirements)
- A minimum score on the THEA of 230 in reading, 230 in mathematics, and 220 in writing
- A minimum score of 240 on the TExES Generalist, EC - 6, test #191
- A minimum score of 240 on the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Test (BTLPT) if applying in the area of Spanish bilingual, OR, a minimum score of Intermediate High on both the Oral Proficiency Interview (OLI) and the Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) in Vietnamese if applying in the area of Vietnamese bilingual
- A minimum score of 26 on the speaking section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL IBT) if Bachelor’s degree was earned in a language other than English
- Complete a minimum of 6 hours of classroom observation in PISD, and complete, sign, and submit the PISD ACP Pre-Admission Classroom Observation Form for each observation conducted
- Interview
COST
- Application fee: $50
- Tuition/program fee: $2,000 (for information on Installment Plan, see HANDBOOK)
SUPPORT for PARTICIPANTS
- Ongoing support provided by program director and program coordinator through the duration of the program (March - May)
- Ongoing support of a paid campus mentor teacher throughout the teaching internship portion of the program (August - May)
- Alignment of all professional development and training sessions with the PISD Framework of Instruction, Curriculum Bundles, and District Calendar
PISD ACP Handbook (Rev. November 1, 2011)
For additional information, please contact Barbara Kennedy, Coordinator of ELL Teacher Support
512-594-0157