ACT-Houston
Houston 832-200-0552
Dallas 214-267-2222Austin 1-877-286-0024
Alternative Certification for Teachers
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is ACT Houston an ACP?
A: Yes, ACT Houston is a private Alternative Certification Program (ACP), fully accredited by the Texas Education Agency State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). It was founded on March 3, 2003 in Houston under the guidance of ACT RGV (Rio Grande Valley) and operates on a clock-hour system. ACT Houston now serves three geographic areas of the state:
ACT Houston
ACT Houston-at Dallas &
ACT Houston-at Austin
The Program Directors are Dr. Debbie Dunlap (ACT Houston), Dr. Vicki Johnston (ACT Houston), and Dr. Bobette Dunn (ACT Houston-at Dallas & ACT Houston-at Austin) who worked together during their long careers in Fort Bend ISD -- more than 75 years total!
Dr. Dunlap was a teacher, middle and high school principal; Dr. Johnston was a teacher, counselor, and middle school principal. Dr. Dunn was a teacher and curriculum administrator. All three are passionate and enthusiastic about bringing new teachers into this profession. You will meet them personally, for they are in the office every day. They guide you through the certification process and make decisions in your best interest. Plus, all those who work with ACT in Houston, Dallas, and Austin have educational backgrounds as teachers and principals!
Q: What exactly is an ACP?
A: An Alternative Certification Program is an Educational Preparation Program (EPP) that provides an alternate route to earning a Standard Certificate. Alternative Certification began in Texas in 1986 as a creation of the Texas Legislature, to provide alternate routes for those seeking teacher certification in our state. Today there are about 150 alternative certification programs in Texas. Most states have followed Texas' lead and now offer alternative certification. In fact, the majority of new teachers in Texas obtain their certification through an alternative certification program. ACT Houston with its full programs in Houston, Dallas, and Austin is one of the state’s top providers of teachers.
Q: Are all ACPs alike?
A: No, no, no! There are a wide variety of programs: university-based, school district sponsored, distance learning, online, etc. ACT Houston encourages you to visit the SBEC website at www.sbec.state.tx.us and view the accredited programs in Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Then select the one that best fits your schedule and needs. ACT Houston also encourages you to schedule an appointment to meet with us and learn about the ACT Houston program – no charge for the appointment and no pressure to enroll. We are here to provide information and help you understand the certification process, before making a decision. Then when you select the ACT Houston program, you will find that we focus on building a relationship with you, providing you with the highest quality preparation, and personally working with you during your preparation for entering the classroom and throughout your teaching internship or practicum.
Note: Other programs may be named ACT and may seem similar to ACT Houston, but they are not part of ACT Houston and its Dallas & Austin locations: ACT Houston-at Dallas and ACT Houston-at Austin.
Q: What type of preparation does ACT Houston provide for learning how to teach?
A: The ACT Houston Preparation Program Institute provides research-based instruction that is designed to help you develop skills and learn strategies that are essential for making a smooth transition into teaching. Preparation Program Institutes are offered several times throughout year. These Institutes allow you to choose the schedule that works for you. Evening Institutes are about 7-8 weeks long with evening and weekend classes that are very interactive. Daytime Institutes are 2-3 weeks of full day instruction.
Institute sessions are grouped according to certification grade levels and are taught by master, certified teachers from local school districts. Class sizes are small, perhaps 8-18 students. Instruction time is dedicated to helping you learn what you need to know and be able to do in order to be effective with students.
The cost of the Institute includes all books and materials, as well as test preps for the TExES Content Exam. The ACT Houston location has several campuses in southwest, north, and southeast Houston. Dallas now conducts all Institutes at the main office near Love Field. Austin’s campus is in central Austin.
Q: I am eager to begin teaching! What are the things that I must complete in order to be hired?
A: First and foremost, you must be enrolled in a certification program in order to be hired. Other important requirements are:
1. Participation in our Preparation Program Institute to equip you with skills and strategies for making a successful transition into the teaching profession.
2. Passing the TExES exam for your approved content area. ACT Houston will provide you with excellent test preps.
3. A recent requirement as of January 2009 for those enrolled after January 1, 2009, is the completion of 30 hours of Field-Based Experience. This is your opportunity to observe teachers in their classrooms.
Q: Do I have to have a teaching job to start the Preparation Program Institute, especially the Fall one?
A: No. The Institute is designed to be a pre-service preparation program prior to your teaching internship or practicum. It introduces you to instructional strategies and equips you with the skills for successfully stepping into the classroom.
Q: Does ACT Houston place me in a school or help me get a teaching position?
A: ACT Houston does not place you in a school, unless you are a Clinical Teacher. For those seeking full-time teaching positions in order to start their two-semester internship, we provide guidance in determining a certification area for you that offers the best opportunity for being hired. The ACT Houston program does not limit where you can apply to teach. We work with all public school districts, charter schools, and accredited private schools in the Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Austin areas. We encourage you to apply to all schools and school districts in which you are interested. However, just as in all other professions, securing your first position can be quite challenging -- especially in today's economy. That is why we coach you in our Resume/Interview Workshops and, of course, prepare you for your TExES Content Exam which, in most cases, makes you “Highly Qualified”, according to No Child Left Behind.
Q: What if I do not secure a teaching position or am nervous about starting out as a full-time teacher?
A: The ACT Houston program understands the challenge of being hired as a beginning teacher. Although there may be a shortage of teachers in certain content areas, it is still very competitive to secure a position. In anticipation of this, the ACT Houston program was approved in February, 2010, to offer another route for teacher certification: Clinical Teaching. Clinical Teaching is the same as Student Teaching. Those interested in clinical teaching must complete the same pre-service requirements, plus additional field-based experience, in order to be selected for Clinical Teaching. Once selected, they are placed by the ACT Houston program into the classroom of a Cooperating Teacher for a 14-week practicum at no pay. During the practicum, the clinical teacher transitions into the role of teacher under the guidance of the Cooperating Teacher, while the ACT Houston program provides full support, including a Field Supervisor. All of this is done to ensure that the Clinical Teacher can be recommended for a Standard Certificate at the end of the 14-week Practicum. The fee for Clinical Teaching is similar to the Internship Fee, but must be paid prior to the start of the practicum.
Q: In a nutshell, what will I have to do to complete the ACT Houston program and become a certified teacher?
A: The ACT Houston accelerated approach basically requires 3 steps and 2 tests:
- Step 1 – Application/Admission (appointment)
- Step 2 – Preparation Program Institute (select evening/weekend or daytime sessions), 30 Hours of Field-based Experience, and success on the TExES Content Exam
- Step 3 – Two-semester Teaching Internship (full-salaried)
OR
14-week Clinical Teaching Practicum (no pay)
Tests are the TExES Content Exam for your approved certification area (usually taken as soon as possible) and the TExES Pedagogy & Professional Responsibility (PPR) Exam which is usually taken during your first semester of teaching. ACT Houston provides thorough test preps for both the TExES Content and PPR Exams, as well as any additional exams that may be required or recommended for your particular certification area.
Q: Is there any difference in the teacher certificate that I will receive from participating in the ACT Houston program in Houston, Dallas, or Austin, and what I would receive from a university College of Education program?
A: Absolutely no difference! All beginning teachers must have a Probationary Certificate for their first year of teaching, no matter how they are earning their certification. ACT Houston Interns all have Probationary Certificates for their two-semester internship. Clinical Teachers are not required to have a Probationary Certificate. At the end of the 2-semester internship or 14-week clinical teaching practicum, you should be eligible for a Standard Certificate. That is our goal at ACT Houston—to help you reach your goal of becoming a certified teacher!