The purpose of this Program is to provide quality nontraditional training to selected individuals throughout the state of Texas that will lead to an increase in the number of highly qualified and certified teachers serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing in the state of Texas.
The Program is one year in length (June – May). The focus of the course work, training and experiences within the curricula provide a non-traditional approach in teacher training and prepares participants to meet competency standards for certification through the Texas Examination of Educator Standards (TExES 181) for Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Participants will earn 27 hours of graduate credit through Texas Tech University College of Education.
The majority of the curriculum and training will be provided through an electronic means via Web-based instruction (such as Blackboard) and five Saturday online meetings during the year. Ongoing communication by the program coordinator with Regional Day Schools for the Deaf throughout the state will facilitate access to experiences with students who are deaf or hard of hearing for program participants. Although the coursework is all online there are face to face meetings with the ESC 17 staff mentors during the fall and spring semesters and at the beginning of the program in June in Lubbock for orientation and sign language boot camp. The cohort participants also visit Texas School for the Deaf in Austin as a group during the spring semester. Participants are reimbursed their travel expenses for these activities and districts are reimbursed the cost of substitute teachers.
Applicants who apply to this deaf education certification program must currently be certified in one or more areas of education, have three or more years of teaching experience and have functional computer and internet access. Applicants must also be able to commit to future work in the deaf education teaching field; taking and passing the TExES 181 certification exam upon completion of the program; and taking the Texas Assessment of Sign Communication (TASC) if applicable for job placement.
Participants who receive the scholarship will be responsible for the admission to Texas Tech University and the College of Education by completing TTU and COE Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program admission requirements and any financial responsibilities not covered by the scholarship.