You can become a Texas certified teacher through the Lone Star College Alternative Teacher Certification (ATC) Program with a bachelor's degree and a passion to make a difference in the lives of young people. Choose between two routes to certification: Internship or Clinical Teaching.

Students must complete a minimum of 300 hours of coursework, field experience, and training. All courses will fully prepare the student in the art of teaching for his or her content area, specific to the domains and competencies of Texas Education Agency. It will take between 3 - 4 semesters to complete the coursework and practicum to then finish with a standard certification. The coursework may be taken face-to-face, on-line or as hybrid classes at various locations throughout the system.

The ATC Program has partnerships with multiple school districts, 35 certification areas, flexible course schedules, and a choice between two routes to certification: internship or clinical teaching. The internship requires a student to complete a one-year internship with full salary and benefits, under the supervision of the ATC Program. In this route, the student must secure his or her own teaching position. Clinical teaching involves one semester of non-paid placement in a school district. Clinical teachers work with a mentor teacher at an area K-12 school and with an LSC-ATCP supervisor.

Districts Serviced

Apply Now in 4 Easy Steps:

1. Contact a Lone Star College (LSC) Alternative Teacher Certification Program (ATC) Program advisor or attend a monthly information session. Visit LoneStar.edu/Teach for the latest information session schedule
    
2. Submit program application with all supporting documents to ATCP@LoneStar.edu by scheduled deadline*:
   1. Transcripts from all attended colleges
   2. Resume with three professional references
   3. Full page essay
   4. Additional requirement may apply based on following criteria:
      • Career & Technical Education & Industrial certification degree holders must pass the Career and Technology Education Certification Exam
      • Applicants with a 2.5 GPA or lower who desire to teach in specialized subjects must pass the Texas Pre-Admission Content Test (TxPACT)
3. Schedule program Admissions Interview and Orientation
4. Register and pay for classes

Median Salary

$60,000

Houston's average teacher salary is around $60,000, and most teacher salaries are on the rise. From 2019 to 2020, Houston's average teacher salaries rose by 5.0%.

Program Downloads

• Alternative Teacher Certification Program Application (pdf)
• ATCP Overview (pdf)
• FAQ (pdf)
• 2020 Title II Report (pdf)
• Complaint Procedure (pdf)

Licensure

Employment in this field requires Texas licensure from the Texas Education Agency. If you are seeking initial teacher certification in Texas, you can contact an approved educator preparation program.

If you are seeking initial educational aide certification, you must obtain a recommendation from a Texas school district.

Background Check

Please be aware of the following provisions of Texas law regarding requirements for employment as a Texas teacher: 19 TAC Chapter 249; §249.3 (21) Good moral character - The [the] virtues of a person as evidenced, at a minimum, by his or her not having committed crimes relating directly to the duties and responsibilities of the education profession as described in §249.16(b) of this title (relating to Eligibility of Persons with Criminal Convictions for a Certificate under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 53) or acts involving moral turpitude.

For careers and median salaries, visit Career Star for more information.