Texas Art Teacher Certification and Job Requirements

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) is the organization that develops the standards for all educators in Texas. The standards set encompass all of the ideas surrounding the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), which are the required school curriculum in Texas. The certification for teachers in Texas certifies that all teachers are highly educated and able to carry out these standards in the classroom.

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As a new art teacher in Texas, you will learn about research regarding how children learn and develop as it pertains to art. Integration with other core classes is beginning to bring art into the light. As you seek to become an art teacher and you will discover how art can be a key component to a well-rounded education for all your students; here’s the steps to get you started:

	Enroll in a Teacher Preparation Program
	Take Competency Exams
	Apply for State Certification
	Continue Your Education

Step 1. Enroll in a Teacher Preparation Program

The very first step on your way to becoming an art teacher in Texas will be an educational training program that will prepare you to teach in the classroom. Recently schools have been looking for highly qualified educators and are evaluated based on their performance. In order to prepare you for your new career, you have several options to choose from.

Here are some pathways you may consider:

Alternative Certification Educational Program

There is a nontraditional route for students who already hold a degree. If you have a bachelor’s degree or higher and you have other outside experiences in art, including mentoring or supervising, you may qualify for an Alternative Certification Program.

This option allows you to teach for one school year on a probationary certificate. You receive full-time pay as well as teacher benefits. When you have completed the program you are ready for a Standard Certification. These programs offer mentoring while you are completing your internship.

University Initial Certification

This pathway is the one that is most common. It includes a baccalaureate or master’s program and a student teaching component towards the end. The coursework involved in your program will vary depending on which level of school you plan on teaching.

For instance for a degree in secondary art education your program will look similar to the following:

120 semester hours including:

• 6 hours student teaching
• 60 hours core curriculum
• 3 hours reading
• 12 hours of pedagogy inc.:
  • Professional Issues for Teachers
  • Teaching and Learning Processes
  • Teaching Diverse Populations
  • Instructional Strategies
  • Classroom Management

Step 2. Take Competency Exams

When you first choose your educational path, you might need to take a basic skills test for pre-admission. You can discuss this with your counselor when you sign up for your degree program to see if there are any necessary test prerequisites. The teaching programs typically require the following:

Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT)

Note: New policy changes that went into effect in 2013 stated the if you hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited school, or if you will receive your bachelor’s degree before going into a classroom position, you are able to take a content test for purposes of admission into the following types of EPPs: alternative certification programs, university alternative certification or university post bachelor’s degree programs. You won’t be able to be in a class as the teacher of record under until you graduate with your bachelor’s degree.

Generalists Tests (Core Subject after 2015)

This test is required for all teachers and will evaluate your basic skills in reading, writing, and English. Each test question can include selected response or constructed questions or a combination of both.

Art Test

This test will prove your skills in your core subject area. As an art teacher, you will be required to take one or both of the following depending on your subject and/or grade level:

• Fine Arts 805
• Art EC-12 178

Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12

This test will evaluate whether or not you, as a beginning teacher, understand your profession and the role you play in the classroom as an educator. You will be tested on subjects that cover the classroom environment as well as your professional roles and responsibilities as a teacher. You will also be tested on how well you understand the process of promoting student learning.

Important things to know about the tests:

• You may complete your registration for TExES tests either online or on the phone.
• Call 1-800-205-2626 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Central time- Monday–Friday (not open on holidays).
• Use your exact legal name on your identification when you register. They must match exactly otherwise you won’t be admitted when you go to the testing center.
• Be sure to print out and bring your admission ticket with you on the day of the test.
• Print your admission ticket from the ETS website.
• Basic test fee is $120.00 per test.

Step 3. Apply for State Certification

The initial certification you will receive is the Standard Certification in Texas once you have met the educational requirement and passed your exams. The certificate will expire at varying times depending on when you received it. All standard certificates in Texas expire on the same date.

To apply for your Standard certification you will need to create an online account through the Educator Certification Online System (ECOS). You will need to follow the prompts and be prepared to fill in all of your personal information including social security number and driver’s license number.

Fingerprinting

You will need to submit your fingerprints using a Texas Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) approved vendor: MorphoTrust.

• Pay $39.50 for your criminal background check. You will be able to make this payment through the ECOS.
• Once you have made your payment of $39.50, you will receive a FAST Fingerprint Pass. You can then schedule an appointment to get your fingerprints taken. You must have this pass with you and your ID.
• There is an additional $9.95 fee for the scan when you are done. They will charge you at the MorphoTrust location.
• The TEA will have your prints in 5-7 days.

Step 4. Continue Your Education

In order to renew your certificate, you will have to complete at least 150 units of continuing professional education before you can renew. Your school will oftentimes offer professional development seminars on weekends and after school hours that will apply towards these units. You may also find online educational courses that apply. Check with your school district office as well. They will usually have a list of approved vendors that offer courses and many times pay for the fees so that your cost is either offset or free.

If you want to earn credits from a formal institution so that it goes toward a higher degree, you may consider pursuing a graduate degree. Often times doing so will increase your future opportunities for advancement both in earnings over your lifetime as well as other additional benefits.

Texas Art Teacher Salaries

According to the National Education Association, the average starting salary for teachers in Texas (as of the 2012-2013 school year) is $38,091, somewhat higher than the national average of $36,141.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide data on art teacher salaries as a separate unit, but tracks salaries for elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers as larger categories. The department reports the following annual mean wages and employment numbers as of May 2013:

However, teacher salaries can vary significantly by location. A sample of the median salaries and employment figures as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for some major cities appears below (note that not all areas track all categories):

The statewide minimum salary schedule for the 2014-2015 school year is below:

Information on postsecondary art, music, and drama teacher salaries in various areas of the state can be found in the following table provided by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Featured Programs:

Sponsored School(s)

Liberty University

Featured Program: Whether you’re working toward your associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, your credentials from Liberty University can help equip you to reach new professional heights and shape a better world by championing what matters to you.

Request Info

Grand Canyon University

Featured Program: Prepare for a career of learning, leading and serving by earning one of the online teaching degrees from Grand Canyon University’s College of Education.

Request Info

Arizona State University - Online

Featured Program: ASU Online offers various degrees in these subject areas: administration and instruction; early childhood education; education studies; special education; language teaching and teacher certification.

Request Info

Rasmussen University

Featured Program: Early Childhood Education (ECE) Certificate and Diploma as well as Bachelor’s and Associate’s degrees

Request Info

Campbellsville University

Featured Program: Our online education degrees are industry-driven and teach you how to incorporate Christian servant leadership in the classroom and school.

Request Info

University of West Alabama

Featured Program: Choose from more than 40 certification and non-certification education programs that can enhance your career as an educator inside or outside the classroom.

Request Info

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