Field-Based Experience

In addition to completing the required coursework and passing the TExES examinations, each teacher candidate must complete either one semester of clinical teaching or two semesters of an internship. Below is a comparison of the two options:

Internship

Once a student is employed as teacher of record in his or her certification area, the intern must obtain a Statement of Eligibility for Internship from the ACE Department and have the employing school district complete its portion. This form must be completed and returned to the certification officer before any credit will be given to the student for the assignment.

Once the form has been completed and is received by the certification officer, a mentor teacher will be assigned to the student. The mentor will visit the student once a week in his or her classroom to discuss any needs or concerns the student may be having with his or her new assignment. The mentor teacher is strictly there as a support person and does not evaluate the student in an administrative role.

This component gives the participant on-the-job training as “teacher of record” in a school district. An ACE mentor is assigned to the intern to provide support on a weekly basis. The internship must be at least one school year long in length as stipulated in the Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 228.30c3 and be in the area of certification. The intern is placed on a probationary certificate at the beginning of the assignment.

The ACE Program must be notified as soon as the intern
is hired by a district to receive credit toward an internship.

Students may opt to enroll in an unpaid 12-week clinical teaching field-based experience rather than completing a one-year paid internship. Clinical teaching experiences must be coordinated with the ACE office; students must NOT seek to arrange clinical teaching experiences on their own. ACE students will apply for clinical teaching by filling out an application prior to the beginning of each semester.  Applications must be submitted two weeks prior to the first class day of each semester. The application provides the student an opportunity to specify three choices of placement in priority order. Every effort is made to place clinical teachers in schools that best meet their needs. Students are required to attend an orientation and monthly pre-service training. Clinical teachers will be supported by an assigned mentor teacher.