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Educational Aide Program

If you are currently employed in a TEA approved school as an Educational Aide, you may complete your certification through the Educational Aide Program. The degree plan is revised to accommodate a daytime work schedule with evening and/or summer course offerings. However, the job placement must be approved by the Department advisor and the Office of Educator Certification and Academic Services and match the grade level and specialization/teaching field in which you are seeking teacher certification.

Elementary and middle-level education students may contact Becky Adams in Curriculum & Instruction at 903-886-5887 or Becky_Adams@tamu-commerce.edu.

Secondary students may contact Jency Holbert at 903-468-8186 or Jency_Holbert@tamu-commerce.edu.

Special Education students may contact Harvetta Robertson in SPED at 903-886-5648 or Harvetta_Robertson@tamu-commerce.edu.

In addition to applying to the Educational Aide Program, teacher candidates are required to apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program and meet all program requirements.

Educational Aide with Exemption

Effective fall 2011, the term Educational Aide with Exemption describes a student who has received the Educational Aide Exemption (Federal Educational Aide Funding). The student who has received federal educational aide funding prior to fall 2011 may opt to be exempt from student teaching while employed as an Educational Aide regardless of how long funding was received – one semester, two semesters etc. - regardless of when student teaching occurred in their program.  The Educational Aide Exemption Program does not have a timeline for when students must complete their degree program as long as they continue to meet the institutions requirements and guidelines. 

Substitution for Experience

Educational aides with two or more years of educational aide experience who are eligible for a Student Teaching/Internship may submit an application requesting one of the two semesters of ELED/SED 422 be waived. Please request an application from the Center for Educator Certification (copy included in handbook).  This request must be submitted with your application for the student teaching/internship. Additional course work may be required to meet program and graduation requirements.

Substitution for Early Field Experience Observation Hours

Educational aides may request a substitution of aide experience for the required early field experience observation hours.

The required application requesting the substitution of aide experience for early field experience (EFE) must be completed by the deadline of March 1 in the spring and October 1st in the fall. Educational aides submit a shortened version of the application and are not required to resubmit the criminal background check. The EFE application may be found on the Educator Certification and Academic Services Website under Education Aide, Early Field Experience, Important Information. Please note: EFE required in professional development must be documented by completing the required log sheet and submitting to the instructor of the class(es) requiring early field experience.   

For more information on educational aide exemption, click here.
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Based on the Texas Education Code ---- Educational Aide Exemption Program

Check here for the Educational Aide Handbook.

An Educational Aide must submit an application to the Teacher Education Program once the degree audit/plan has been revised and prior to enrolling in ELED 414 or 422 for EC-6 and 4-8, or any internship equivalent course for 8-12 or All Level. The application may be accessed at the following link:

This application must be submitted to Mitzi Hughes in Ed. North 202.

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