Elgin ISD's Delayed Teacher Certification Plan
Elgin ISD’s Plan to Address Certified Teachers
Elgin ISD has a total of 53 uncertified teachers and 26 uncertified classroom instructors currently assigned to teach foundation curriculum courses in the 2025-2026 school year (42 at the elementary level and 37 at the secondary level). As of January 30, Elgin ISD has hired an average of 28 uncertified teachers annually over the last three years.
Teachworthy and iTeach Alternative Certification programs, Indiana Wesleyan University, Texas State University, and Stephen F. Austin University have partnered with Elgin ISD as Educator Prep Programs (EPP) that will support the district’s efforts to reduce the percentage of uncertified teachers by the 2029-2030 school year. We are also seeking partnerships with Texas Teachers of Tomorrow and the Region 13 Educator Certification Program.
As of February 23, 2026, the Elgin ISD Board of Trustees approved submitting this plan to the commissioner of education for approval. The link to the district board of trustees’ meeting agenda, in which they approved the plan to delay teacher certification requirements, can be found here:
https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/Elgin?meeting=728040
After approval on February 23, 2026, the Elgin ISD Board approved plan can be found on the Elgin ISD Human Resources Certification Page.
Targeted Goal 1: Elgin ISD will close the uncertified teacher gap by ensuring program enrollment with an average of 20% of all uncertified teachers becoming certified each year.
Strategy 1.1: Elgin ISD will collaborate with approved Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) to provide a clear, quality path to standard certification for all uncertified staff.
Strategy 1.2: Through partnerships with our EPPs, Elgin ISD will be able to track and support candidates’ progress toward full standard certification.
Strategy 1.3: Teachers who are hired and uncertified will have an individualized plan to meet a mandatory certification timeline:
Year 1: Enroll in an approved EPP
Year 2: Obtain Intern Certificate aligned to teaching assignment
Year 3: Achieve Standard Certification aligned to teaching assignment
Strategy 1.4: Classroom Instructors, residents, and those with a School District Teaching Permit will have an individualized plan to meet a mandatory certification timeline within three years:
- Requirement 1: Participation and personal completion benchmarks will be set for each uncertified teacher candidate with a deployment for certification plan from PREP pathways (including Traditional Preservice, Alternative Certification Preservice, Residency, the existing Grow-Your-Own (GYO) program: Elevate Elgin, and the School District Teaching Permit (SDTP).
- Requirement 2: Candidates will have a personal certification plan based on the status of degree hours and/or certification criteria still to be completed.
- Requirement 3: Achieve Intern or Standard Certification aligned to job teaching assignment
Elgin ISD recognizes several challenges in the certification process that require personal goal setting and cohort collaboration internally to ensure Elgin ISD will have internal and external resource support for each uncertified teacher’s specific status. This includes:
Candidates who have completed a degree and certification but have not passed the content or PPR test.
- Teachers who are delayed in performance in a current program must ensure the timely completion of Educational Preparation Program (EPP) requirements within the district-defined schedule to comply and stay employed.
- Teachers who have a degree that is not in an EPP program will be asked to join a partnering EPP and complete a district-defined schedule to stay employed.
- Candidates who are part of the Elgin ISD GYO program who are not degreed will be degreed within three years.
- Candidates who are part of the Elgin ISD GYO will pursue the certification on the current track that was established by Elgin ISD and complies with the timeline of this waiver's expectations.
Targeted Goal 2: Elgin ISD will ensure teachers assigned to teach foundational curriculum in grades K-5 will earn their intern or standard certificate by March 26, 2027 (2026-2027 new hires) or March 24, 2028 (2027-2028 new hires).
Strategy 2.1: Certification Coordinator and Human Resources Directors will meet with the above uncertified teachers, grades K-5, at least 4 times during the
2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years, respectively, to develop and monitor the completion timeline and provide support.
Strategy 2.2: Campus Principals will partner with the Certification Coordinator and Human Resources Directors to meet with their uncertified teachers to ensure they are meeting certification program requirements and will provide memos if internal deadlines are not met.
Strategy 2.3: Any K-5 teacher hired who is uncertified during the 2026-2027 or 2027-2028 school year will receive written documentation outlining the requirements for completion of their certification by March 26, 2027, or March 24, 2028.
Strategy 2.4: All first and second-year teachers will receive a highly qualified mentor.
Strategy 2.5: The EPPs we have partnered with will work closely with our Certification Coordinator to enroll any teacher hired without prior admission to an Educator Prep Program.
Targeted Goal 3: Elgin ISD will ensure teachers assigned to teach foundational curriculum in grades 6-12 will earn their intern or standard certificate by March 24, 2028.
Strategy 3.1: Certification Coordinator and Human Resources Directors will meet with uncertified teachers, grades 6-12, at least 4 times during the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school year to develop a timeline of completion and provide support.
Strategy 3.2: Campus Principals will partner with the Certification Coordinator and Human Resources Directors to meet with their uncertified teachers to ensure they are meeting certification program requirements and will provide memos if internal deadlines are not met.
Strategy 3.3: Any 6-12 teacher hired who is uncertified during the 2026-2027 or 2027-2028 school year will receive written documentation outlining the requirements for completion of their certification by March 26, 2027 or March 24, 2028.
Strategy 3.4: All first and second-year teachers will receive a highly qualified mentor.
Strategy 3.5: The EPPs we have partnered with will work closely with our Certification Coordinator to enroll any teacher hired without prior admission to an Educator Prep Program.
Note: The District of Innovation (DOI) plan will be amended to align with these compliance targets. The ability to hire uncertified teachers for non-foundation areas will remain unchanged.
Background Information:
House Bill 2 (HB 2) passed during the 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, and was signed into law by Governor Abbott. Per TEC, §21.003, a person may not be employed as a teacher, teacher intern or teacher trainee, librarian, educational aide, administrator, educational diagnostician, or school counselor by a school district unless the person holds an appropriate certificate or permit issued as provided by Subchapter B, which includes any State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)-issued certificate (intern, probationary, standard, or enhanced standard) or emergency permit for the subject area and grade level. Information regarding the appropriate certificate for a given personnel assignment can be found in 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 231, Requirements for Public School Personnel Assignments.
Many districts have chosen to exempt themselves from this certification requirement and hire uncertified individuals through an approved DOI plan. HB 2’s new TEC, §21.0032, now limits districts’ ability to include exemptions from some certification requirements under TEC, §21.003, in their DOI plan. These limitations phase in over the next three academic years.
The Elgin ISD Innovation Plan allows the district to hire secondary (7-12) Math, Science, English, and Social Studies teachers, as well as EC-6 teachers who do not meet the requirements of TEC, §21.003.
Attachment 1: HB 2 Implementation: New Certification Requirements and Incentives for Uncertified Teachers
Attachment 2: HB 2 Implementation: New Teacher Certification Requirements Updat