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Becoming an Educational Aide in Texas

You must first be employed by a school district before being eligible to apply for an Educational Aide certificate. Contact your employing school district for application instructions. If you have not been advised to do so by your employing school district, you may not apply. Your application will not be processed. For high school students, please see the section below titled Educational Aide I Certification for High School Students. 

Applying for an Educational Aide certificate

Once you have been advised to do so by your employing school district, you will need to set up your online TEAL and ECOS accounts. Once logged into ECOS, you would select the Applications tab and then Educational Aide Certificate and follow the prompts to apply and pay the fee. For step-by-step instructions, please view the Applying for Educational Aide Certificate document. 

After applying for the Educational Aide certificate 

Your employing school district will need to recommend your ECOS application to be issued by TEA. As part of that recommendation, they will enter if you are eligible to be an Educational Aide I, II or III. For any questions regarding your recommendation for certification, please contact your employing school district. 

Current Educational Aides needing to reapply 

As of January 1, 2018, Educational Aide certificates cannot be renewed.  An individual who holds a Standard 5-year Educational Aide certificate will no longer be able to renew and must reapply for the new 2-year, non-renewable Educational Aide certificate. Every two years, you will need to apply for a new Educational Aide certificate. 

Educational Aide I requirements

  • must be a high school graduate or hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate 
  • have experience working with students or parents as approved by the employing superintendent 
    • Experience may be work in church related schools, day camps, youth groups, private schools, licensed day-care centers, or similar experience;
      or 
  • be a high school student 18 years of age or older; and
  • have a final grade of 70 or better in two or more education and training courses specified in Chapter 127, Subchapter G, Education and Training, for three or more credits verified in writing by the superintendent of the district where the credits were earned. The education and training courses must include:
    • Human Growth and Development, as described in §127.311; or
    • Child Development, as described in §127.317; or
    • Child Guidance, as described in §127.318; or
    • Practicum in Early Learning, as described in §127.320; or
    • Human Growth and Development, as described in §127.323; or
    • Communication and Technology in Education, as described in §127.324; or
    • Instructional Practices, as described in §127.325; or
    • Practicum in Education and Training, as described in §127.326

Educational Aide I Certification for High School Students

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)-issued Educational Aide I certificate is utilized for purposes of awarding industry-based certification (IBC) to qualifying high school students. The rules specific to issuance of the Educational Aide Certificate can be found in Chapter 230. Professional Educator Preparation and Certification, Subchapter E. Educational Aide Certificate.  Applicants for an educational aide certificate are subject to the provisions in §230.11(b)(1)-(4) of this title (relating to General Requirements). The completion of the criminal history review, which includes the fingerprinting process is a general certification requirement for all SBEC-issued certificates (e.g., educational aide, intern, probationary, one-year certificate, standard certificate, and emergency permit).

While the current Educational Aide application was not designed to meet the needs of the Educational Aide I certificate for high school students, school districts may utilize the application for such purpose.  Students will select the appropriate district in the drop-down list for the employing school district when completing the application.  While the district may not actually be employing the students, they must still make the selection for the application to process.  TEA understands the dual use of the educational aide application.

Educational Aide II requirements

  • must be a high school graduate or hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate 
  • have satisfied one of the following requirements 
    • have two creditable years of experience as an Educational Aide I; or 
    • have a minimum of 15 semester hours of college credit with some emphasis on child growth and development or related subject areas; or 
    • have demonstrated proficiency in a specialized skill area as determined by the local school district; and 
  • have experience working with students or parents as approved by the employing superintendent 

Education Aide III requirements

  • must be a high school graduate or hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate; 
  • have satisfied one of the following requirements: 
    • have three creditable years of experience as either an Educational Aide I or II; or 
    • have 30 semester hours of college credit with some emphasis on child growth and development or related subject areas; and 
  • have experience working with students or parents as approved by the employing superintendent 
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