Undergraduate Teacher Candidate Handbook:Admission to the Educator Preparation Program

Admission to East Texas A&M University and admission to the teacher education program specifically are separate events in the academic journey of a student. Formal admission to the EPP is required per Texas Education Agency rules prior to completion of specific teacher preparation activities. For this reason, the Curriculum and Instruction Department requires EPP admission prior to certain coursework in teacher education (as noted on the degree plan in DegreeWorks).

Step 1 – Advising & Preparation

Students are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor early and regularly to ensure they will meet EPP admission requirements when it is appropriate in their degree plan. The following is a list of items an advisor checks when preparing applicants for their eventual admission to the EPP:

  • Most school districts require fingerprinting, which requires a social security number (SSN). Additionally, the fingerprinting process used by the Texas Education Agency to issue teacher certificates requires a SSN. Please talk to your advisor if you do not have a SSN to investigate solutions for eventual district placement in clinical experience and state certification.
  • A minimum of 45 semester credit hours of college coursework needs to be completed before moving on to the next step.
  • Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements need to be met.
  • The student needs to be working toward an overall GPA of 2.65 at this phase of the process. The minimum GPA of 2.65 will be required for program admission. This is not the same as institutional or transfer GPA. It is overall GPA (combination of all coursework at any institution of higher education).
  • The advisor will conduct a degree evaluation in myLeo (DegreeWorks) to verify courses and requirements still to be met throughout the student's program.
  • Advisors review core coursework for appropriate grades and completion (usually after earning around 54 credit hours).
  • Work to complete any course prerequisites for upcoming courses that require program admission.

Step 2 – Review of Admission Requirements

At this point, students should review the admission requirements below to avoid submitting an application that will be rejected for common reasons.

Requirements for admission include:

  • Minimum overall GPA of 2.65
  • Minimum of 12 semester credit hours completed in target certification content area
    for most certificate areas (e.g. Core Subjects EC-6, Early Childhood PK-3, etc.)
  • Minimum of 15 semester credit hours completed in target certification content area
    for all math and science students (includes middle level and secondary).
  • Must be TSI Complete (ask advisor for information on TSI completion, if needed)

Step 3 – Apply for EPP Admission

The program admission application for the EPP is completed through the software program TK20. This requires the purchase of Tk20 for $139.

  • Directions for the purchase of TK20 and the completion of the program application can be found on the Undergraduate Field-Based Program webpage.
    • Scroll down to the section of the webpage labeled “Admission to Field-Based Program” to access instructions for purchasing TK20 and completing the application.
  • There is a Texas Education Agency (TEA) assessment fee of $35 and an EPP admission application processing fee of $50. Both fees are due at the time of application.
  • Students will identify their chosen program on the application:
    • Level/Teaching Field – in this space provide the grade levels and content area(s) of the teacher certification you are seeking
    • Note if you are or are not an educational aide in a TEA accredited school
  • Within the application, complete a writing prompt. This will be scored for readiness and serves as a screening for program admission.

Step 4 – Admission Decision & Acceptance

Results of admission are recorded within TK20.

Accepted Students

  • If an applicant meets admission requirements and their written work meets screening criteria, an Acceptance Survey is sent to the applicant's Leomail and through TK20.
  • Upon receiving the acceptance survey, applicants MUST COMPLETE the survey to finalize formal admission to the program by the deadline provided by the Certification Office.
  • Failure to complete and submit the TK20 acceptance survey will result in the applicant not being admitted to the EPP and permission to register for applicable courses will be denied.

Denied Students

In the event an applicant does not gain admission by not yet meeting criteria and/or requires remediation, see below for next steps:

  • Applicants who do not meet the writing prompt rubric score requirements will meet one-on-one with the EPP coordinator to determine appropriate intervention or remediation. Students will be notified by department personnel.
  • Applicants who do not meet other admissions criteria (GPA, hours, etc.) will be notified by the Certification Office to determine next steps.

Applicants who do not meet admission criteria must reapply to the program after remediation of deficiencies is complete. The second application cycle must meet all admission requirements (written work, minimum GPA, application fee, etc.) for the applicant to be accepted into the program.

Step 5 – Maintaining Admission

It is the responsibility of the candidate to inform the appropriate contact individuals in the event of a status change that prevents a candidate from moving forward with the program. They must formally withdraw from the program. In that event, notify the following individuals:

  • Certification Office – [email protected]
  • C&I Department – [email protected]
  • Your Center Coordinator (if you are already in clinical experience)
    • See the “Program Key Contacts” section for Center Coordinator email addresses.
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