Office of Educator Preparation and Accountability

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OEPA Educator Preparation Program

Welcome to OEPA

The Office of Educator Preparation and Accountability is dedicated to managing and overseeing all aspects of admissions to the educator preparation program, certification exams, and teacher certification processes. Our role is crucial in shaping the future of education by ensuring that aspiring teachers are well-prepared and fully certified to lead in the classroom.

Our primary goal is to support your success and development, fostering your growth into effective, certified teachers who are ready to make a meaningful impact in the world of education.

Educator Preparation Program

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) offers a rigorous, university-based teacher certification curriculum developed to produce exemplary teacher leaders for the Rio Grande Valley, the nation and beyond.

In coordination with undergraduate academic programs, field experiences and clinical teaching leading to teacher certification are planned and delivered through the Office of Educator Preparation and Accountability. The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) have approved the content and procedures of these curricula. Students pursuing degrees with teacher certification are encouraged to initiate and maintain contact with the Office of Educator Preparation and Accountability to stay informed about certification changes, updates, and requirements.

Calendar

Table containing Teacher Orientation Schedule with Semester, Campus, Date of Orientation and Location.
Semester	Campus	Date of Orientation	Location
Spring 2027	Brownsville	Wednesday, November 18, 2026	Salon Cassia
Spring 2027	Edinburg	Thursday, November 19, 2026	Student Union

Review our approval process to find out about deadlines and requirements.

TExES Test Approval Process

Accommodations Notice

Email SAS-approved accommodation documentation to OEPA@utrgv.edu at least 2 weeks before your Representative Practice Exam to ensure accommodations are applied.

Table containing September 2026 TExES Representative Exam Schedule with Exam Date, Registration Date and Link.
Date of Representative Exam	Registration Opens	Registration Closes	Link to Register
Friday September 18, 2026	Monday September 07, 2026	Sunday September 13, 2026	Register for September 18, 2026
Friday September 25, 2026	Monday September 14, 2026	Sunday September 20, 2026	Register for September 25, 2026
Saturday September 26, 2026	Tuesday September 15, 2026	Monday September 21, 2026	Register for September 26, 2026

Table containing October 2026 TExES Representative Exam Schedule with Exam Date, Registration Date and Link.
Date of Representative Exam	Registration Opens	Registration Closes	Link to Register
Friday October 02, 2026	Monday September 21, 2026	Sunday September 27, 2026	Register for October 02, 2026
Friday October 09, 2026	Monday September 28, 2026	Sunday October 04, 2026	Register for October 09, 2026
Friday October 16, 2026	Monday October 05, 2026	Sunday October 11, 2026	Register for October 16, 2026
Friday October 23, 2026	Monday October 12, 2026	Sunday October 18, 2026	Register for October 23, 2026
Saturday October 24, 2026	Tuesday October 13, 2026	Monday October 19, 2026	Register for October 24, 2026

Table containing November 2026 TExES Representative Exam Schedule with Exam Date, Registration Date and Link.
Date of Representative Exam	Registration Opens	Registration Closes	Link to Register
Friday November 06, 2026	Monday October 26, 2026	Sunday November 01, 2026	Register for November 06, 2026
Friday November 13, 2026	Monday November 02, 2026	Sunday November 08, 2026	Register for November 13, 2026
Friday November 20, 2026	Monday November 09, 2026	Sunday November 15, 2026	Register for November 20, 2026
Saturday November 21, 2026	Tuesday November 10, 2026	Monday November 16, 2026	Register for November 21, 2026

Visit the Office of Field Experiences to review the Clinical Teaching program deadlines and requirements.

Additional Resources

The applicant can submit a Preliminary Criminal Background Evaluation.

Pursuant to the Texas Education Code (TEC), §22.083, candidates must undergo criminal history background check prior to employment as an educator. Pursuant to the TEC, §22.0835, candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to clinical teaching.

As required by Texas HB1508, applicants need to be aware of the following.

To receive certification in Texas, you must pass a criminal history background check.
If you have been convicted of an offense that is considered not appropriate for an educator, you could be ineligible to earn this certification from the state of Texas.
You have a right to request a preliminary criminal history evaluation letter from the Texas Education Agency prior to admission into this program. The Texas Education Agency currently charges a $50 fee for this criminal history evaluation.

In accordance with 19 TAC 228.35 (a)(5), and in alignment with organizational transfer credit policies, UTRGV’s College of Education and P-16 Integration may accept military service, training, or education toward the fulfillment of program requirements. 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 an internship, clinical teaching, or practicum requirement and must be provided by an approved Educator Preparation Program or accredited institution of higher education within the past five years.

19 TAC §228.35 (a)(5)(B), Candidates who are not military service members or military veterans to substitute prior or ongoing service, training, or education, provided that the experience, education, or training is not also counted as a part of the internship, clinical teaching, or practicum requirements, was provided by an approved EPP or an accredited institution of higher education within the past five years, and is directly related to the certificate being sought.

Transfer Credit Policies

The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at the UTRGV is grateful for the investment and sacrifice of our military service members and veterans.

The program and curricula have been designed to effectively prepare candidates to be successful on certification examinations and in the profession. A review of military service, training, or education can be requested by contacting the Director of Educator Preparation and Accountability.

Any coursework credit considerations must include the following parameters, which have been developed in accordance with Texas Administrative Code (19 TAC 228.35 and 19 TAC 234) and under the discretion of the EPP:

Training or education must have been received within the last five years;
Training or education must be directly tied to the grade level/content area of the certification being sought;
There must be strong evidence that any credit considerations would be a replacement for the instruction/content and that candidate performance on certification examinations or professional experiences would not be negatively impacted;
Certification exams may not be waived or credited;
Field-based experiences (30-hours) cannot be waived or credited unless the candidate has experiences as a long-term substitute as outlined in 19 TAC 228.35(e)(1)(C);
A full day clinical teaching assignment up to 5 full days fewer (or up to 10 half days fewer for half-day assignments) than the minimum requirement if due to military leave may be permitted based on 19 TAC 228.35(e)(2)(A)(iv); and
An internship of up to 30 school days fewer than the minimum if due to military leave may be permitted based on 19 TAC 228.35(e)(2)(B)(i).

Additional considerations can be made for our military service members and military veterans on a case-by-case basis. Final determination will be communicated to the candidate by the Director of Educator Preparation and Accountability.

Educator Occupational Outlook

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has identified the following areas as critical teacher shortage areas for the 2026 to 2027:

Declared Areas – All levels unless noted

Bilingual/English as a Second Language
Career and Technical Education (Secondary Only)
Computer Science / Technology Applications
English Language Arts and Reading (Secondary Only)
Special Education

More information on critical shortage areas can be found at Texas Education Agency’s Critical Shortage.

UTRGV currently offers educator certification programs in the following state-designated shortage areas:

Bilingual/English as a Second Language (ESL)
English Language Arts and Reading (Secondary Only)
Special Education

These shortages create increased employment opportunities for certified educators, particularly in rural, urban, and high-need school districts. By offering certification pathways in these high-need fields, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Educator Preparation Program supports state and regional workforce demands and contributes to addressing educator shortages throughout Texas.

Table containing the Texas Labor Analysis Occupation Demand Detail Report with SOC Code, SOC Title, Current Employment (2025), Education, Entry Level Wage (as of 2025) and Experienced Level Wage (as of 2025).
SOC Code	SOC Title	Current Employment (2025)	Education	Entry Level Wage (as of 2025)	Experienced Level Wage (as of 2025)
11-9031	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare	5,480	Bachelor's Degree	$37,907	$63,615
11-9039	Education Administrators, All Other	4,450	Bachelor's Degree	$48,493	$106,716
21-1012	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors	31,730	Master's Degree	$45,248	$82,286
25-2012	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	3,820	Bachelor's Degree	$47,935	$67,346
25-2021	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	116,260	Bachelor's Degree	$51,238	$67,224
25-2022	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	80,160	Bachelor's Degree	$55,392	$69,019
25-2031	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	111,660	Bachelor's Degree	$54,774	$71,224
25-2051	Special Education Teachers, Preschool	2,010	Bachelor's Degree	$48,736	$78,676
25-2052	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	56,760	Bachelor's Degree	$54,314	$67,802
25-2057	Special Education Teachers, Middle School	12,580	Bachelor's Degree	$54,358	$70,094
25-2058	Special Education Teachers, Secondary School	10,200	Bachelor's Degree	$55,584	$71,886
25-2059	Special Education Teachers, All Other	880	Bachelor's Degree	$45,645	$72,763
25-3099	Teachers and Instructors, All Other	5,800	Bachelor's Degree	$32,467	$68,771

Source: Demand - Texas Labor Analysis
Section: Demand
Report Type: Occupational Detail
Region: Texas
Category: Education and Training

Table containing the Texas Labor Analysis Occupation Demand Detail Report with SOC Code, SOC Title, Employment Base year 2024, Employment - Projected Year 2034, Change in Employment 2023 to 2024, and Percentage Change.
SOC Code	SOC Title	Employment - Base year 2024	Employment - Projected year 2034	Change in employment 2034 to 2024	Percentage Change
11-9031	Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare	8,777	9,493	716	8.16
11-9039	Education Administrators, All Other	4,195	4,995	800	19.07
21-1012	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors	35,115	39,892	4,777	13.6
25-2012	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	8,500	9,487	987	11.61
25-2021	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	124,483	138,710	14,227	11.43
25-2022	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	75,598	84,254	8,656	11.45
25-2031	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	114,776	128,220	13,444	11.71
25-2051	Special Education Teachers, Preschool	1,686	1,892	206	12.22
25-2052	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School	40,808	45,545	4,737	11.61
25-2057	Special Education Teachers, Middle School	12,881	14,368	1,487	11.54
25-2058	Special Education Teachers, Secondary School	10,494	11,672	1,178	11.23
25-2059	Special Education Teachers, All Other	3,443	3,847	404	11.73
25-3099	Teachers and Instructors, All Other	10,816	12,251	1,435	13.27

Source: Demand - Texas Labor Analysis
Section: Demand
Report Type: Occupational Detail
Region: Texas
Category: Education and Training

Educator Preparation Program Performance

A $35 Texas Education Agency (TEA) technology fee is assessed at admission to a program leading to educator certification.

Code of Ethics

Teacher Certification Program (TCP) fee

A $45 fee is assessed to all students pursuing a degree leading to initial teacher certification every semester to offset teacher certification costs.

Office of Educator Preparation and Accountability