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Education Preparation Program Policies

UTA EPP Exit Policy

UTA intends to graduate and certify only candidates who will be effective educators and instructional leaders. Evidence of potential effectiveness includes academic, dispositional, professional, and personal qualities. Educator candidates are carefully assessed throughout the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) for these qualities and skills through designated benchmarks and successful course completion. If a candidate has issues that arise regarding academics, dispositional, professional, and/or personal qualities that inhibit his/her fitness or effectiveness to teach, the candidate may be dismissed from the EPP. Candidates will be provided written notification of dismissal. The notification will include the reason(s) for dismissal with the official dismissal date.

Reasons an initial certification candidate may be removed from the EPP may include, but are not limited to the following: 
  • Candidate does not remain in good academic standing with the College of Education and/or UTA. 
  • Candidate violates Standard of Conduct/Educator Ethics/Professional Dispositions. 
  • Criminal background check precludes placement. 
  • Candidate failed to make continual progress/meet benchmark standards toward completion. 
  • Campus/District refuses to accept/retain candidate for field experience/clinical teaching/internship. 
  • Candidate did not successfully complete designated courses/field-based experiences in a sequenced, timely manner as prescribed by his/her degree plan. 
  • Candidate was discontinued from the program. 
  • Reasons detailed in the University Dismissal Policy.
Reasons an advanced certification candidate may be removed from the EPP may include, but are not limited to the following: 
  • Candidate does not remain in good academic standing with the College of Education and/or UTA. 
  • Candidate violates Standard of Conduct/Educator Ethics/Professional Dispositions.
  • Criminal background check precludes placement. 
  • Candidate failed to make continual progress/meet benchmark standards toward completion. 
  • Campus/District refuses to accept/retain candidate for practicum. 
  • Candidate did not successfully complete designated courses/field-based experiences in a sequenced, timely manner as prescribed by his/her course map. 
  • Candidate was discontinued from the program.  
  • Reasons detailed in the University Dismissal Policy. 

 

Please be aware the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) regularly updates certification requirements. This means that your coursework, exam scores, and even your Clinical Experience (Clinical Teaching) can expire. If you delay taking your exams and/or applying for standard certification, you may be required to repeat coursework and/or clinical experience.

 

Students will only be released to test and/or recommended for certification in the certification area that the candidate was prepared. If the candidate fails to become certified within five years of graduating or there is a significant change made by SBEC in certification standards or test requirements, UTA may require additional coursework or training before granting test approval.