School Districts: Partner with the ACP!
To ensure that all students have access to a well-prepared teacher, the University of Houston College of Education has developed the Alternative Certification Program for Aspiring Teachers. The ACP is rooted in the same research-based components of our award-winning traditional teacher education program with a shortened timeframe to get aspiring teachers into classrooms more quickly.
Want to learn more about partnering? If you鈥檙e a district administrator or school principal, please reach out!
- Associate Chair for Teacher Education Amber Thompson: amthompson10@uh.edu
- Teacher Education Director Shea Culpepper: smculpepper@uh.edu
- College of Education Dean Cathy Horn: coedean@uh.edu
School District Benefits
- Start the school year fully staffed with a larger pool of well-prepared teachers.
- Feel confident in the research-based preparation and experienced faculty.
- Help new teachers grow with on-site coaching and support from faculty.
- Ensure alignment with your district鈥檚 needs thanks to a collaborative partnership.
Timeline
- Fall 2024: District and reach partnership agreement.
- Spring 2025: District hires teacher candidates, and candidates enroll in the ACP. Candidates prepare for the TExES content and pedagogy exam and complete 30 hours of observations in schools.
- Summer 2025: Candidates attend the in-person ACP Summer Training.
- Fall 2025: Candidates begin working as the teacher of a record in the district.
- Fall 2025/Spring 2026: Candidates receive ongoing professional development from . District and officials collaborate to meet district needs.
- Summer 2026: Candidates become certified after passing the TExES PPR exam.
Why Choose the ACP?
| Component | For-Profit ACP* | ACP |
| Initial Training | Online asynchronous courses | In-person, intensive summer sessions led by faculty. Candidates practice teaching and receive real-time feedback. |
| Professional Development | Online asynchronous courses | Ongoing professional learning (in-person and asynchronous). |
| Coaching Support (Summative) | 5 performance assessments (observation and scoring) | 5-6 performance assessments (pre-conference, observation with self-scoring, and post-conference). |
| Coaching Support (Formative) | N/A | Weekly check-ins, plus 7 to 9 coaching visits with an observation and debrief, and walk-throughs. |
| Testing Support | Online practice tests and questions | Intentional test preparation, including support for additional certifications (e.g. ESL, Special Education). |
| District Partnership | N/A | Strong partnership with principals to align support. |
*Based on general program descriptions
Learn More
Hear from program participants and learn more about the ACP model in this .
Additional questions?
Email us at uhacp@central.uh.edu.
The ACP for Aspiring Teachers is supported by a grant from Houston Endowment.