ACT-Houston
Houston 832-200-0552
Dallas 214-267-2222Austin 1-877-286-0024
Alternative Certification for Teachers
30 Hrs. Field-Based Experience Info
for Houston area Schools & Districts
Alief ISD
Alief ISD will allow individuals who need to fulfill university or ACP requirements to observe teachers as they interact with students in the classroom. Individuals approved to observe can watch the classroom teacher as s/he works with individual students or groups of students; they cannot teach nor can they interact with students.
Alief ISD procedures require these individuals to get approval in the Human Resources (HR) department before contacting campus administrators to schedule the observation(s).
Individuals seeking to observe in an Alief school must come to the HR office (located in the Alief Administration Building, 4250 Cook Road, Houston, TX 77072) and bring these items:
• a copy of the class syllabus, acceptance letter, etc. to document that the observations are required by the university or ACP, and
• a valid government-issued picture ID
An HR staff member will review the required documents and if appropriate will give the individual a letter to take to the administrative office of the campus where she/he wants to observe. The Alief campus administrator will determine if the individual can observe and other guidelines for the observation.
Observations in Alief ISD can occur between September 14, 2009 and May 14, 2010. Please note that observation periods can be restricted further due to special events or circumstances.
Important Information:
Individuals approved to observe can watch the classroom teacher as she/he works with individual students or groups of students; they cannot teach nor can they interact with students
• The observation period is not the time to look for a job; do not contact principals to schedule interviews, etc
• Avoid disturbing the learning process and/or campus procedures
• Demonstrate professional behavior
• Wear professional attire
Alvin ISD
Alternative Certification Program Candidates Interested in Completing Observation Hours in Alvin ISD are required to:
1. Submit *Letter of Acceptance* from ACP program to Human Resources (HR)
2. Complete Background Check Form
3. Receive additional instructions from HR
4. HR will e-mail candidate once approved
5. Contact schools to schedule observations
Anahuac ISD
Procedures for Student Teacher Observations
1. The student teacher applicant (“applicant”) should complete a criminal history background check form. This form can be obtained at the Administration building or on line at www.anahuac.isd.esc4.net. The applicant should return the form to the Superintendent’s Secretary.
2. The Superintendent’s Secretary will then run the criminal history background check through the Safe Schools system clearing house. Once the applicant has been cleared, the Superintendent’s Secretary will advise all Campus Principals via email of the applicant’s name and phone number.
3. The Superintendent’s Secretary will also contact the applicant and advise him or her that his or her name has been cleared. The applicant will be instructed to contact the Campus Principal/s on the campus he or she wishes to observe to set up an observation time.
Banff School
Besides letter of acceptance, we require fingerprinting.
Bay City ISD
Contact campus principal to set up observations. And then fill out an application. District contact person is LaWanda Hines…979-245-5766 and lhines@bcblackcats.net to obtain criminal history form. Ms. Hines will contact candidate once approved. Once approved, contact campus principal to set up observations.
Channelview ISD
Each candidate is to contact Kay Kerr at Kay.Kerr@channelview.isd.esc4.net or 281-452-8016 and she will begin the process for background checks and will assist candidate with school observations.
Clear Creek ISD
In order to place in an appropriate classroom or setting in CCISD, they require the following for each placement request:
Read through the CCISD Guidelines for Participation
Download and complete the Field Experience Form
Provide copy of Letter of Acceptance or participation in a university, college, or ACP program and approved certification area.
Send ALL the required documents to CCISD via:
Mail: 2415 E. Main, League City, TX 77573
Fax: 281-284-9910
Email: smchenry@ccisd.net
CCISD will process your request and notify you via email of your placement for Fall 2009 Observation. Please allow 2 weeks for processing this request.
Time Frame: September 8 - December 4, 2009.
Conroe ISD
Contact the principal of the school directly. The principal makes the assignment. Schools can be found on their website.
Crosby ISD
Candidate needs to contact the principal of the appropriate school and get permission to observe at that particular campus. If the candidate is given permission by the administration and the candidate has not been fingerprinted, candidate will need to be fingerprinted before going on to campus to start observation hours.
Cy-Fair ISD
Candidate needs to come to the HR office and provide a copy of ACT Houston Acceptance letter. Candidate will be required to come to the HR office. Candidate will receive a pass with name on it and a list of schools/contact numbers and will be able to call the school of his/her choice and schedule observation hours directly with the campus contact person.
Deer Park ISD
In Deer Park, the Department of Instruction takes care of placement for observation hours as well as placement for student teachers and interns. My name is Dr. Shelly Childers, Coordinator of ESL/SS and my number is 832-668-7109. My secretary is Barbara Taylor at 832-668-7106. When the student contacts my office, we will find out their certification and area of interest and match them with a school. We will give them the contact information for the school and they will set up their observations with the Assistant Principal at the building. For intern or student teacher placment, the program will need to contact me with certification levels and time lines and I will make the appropriate placement. Please let me know if you need any additional information.
Dickinson ISD
Candidates should contact Carla Gerdes at 281-229-6076 or cgerdes@dickinsonisd.org and provide a copy of their letter stating that they need the observations (hopefully there are guidelines as to what they need to do for the observations). Ms. Gerdes will forward that info to the campus and then the ACP student contacts the campus rep. At that point it is between the two of them to schedule.
Fort Bend ISD
If you would like to fulfill your University or ACP observation hours requirement in Fort Bend ISD, please read the following instructions.
1. Go to the Fort Bend ISD website: www.fortbendisd.com
2. Click on Employment/HR
3. Scroll down under "Additional Information"
4. Click on Observation Hours Procedures
5. Follow the directions
As a courtesy to busy FBISD teachers, please schedule your observation from September 14 - November 30, 2009; January 11 - April 30, 2010.
Friendswood ISD
Classroom observations are limited to college students at a Junior or Senior level and to interns enrolled in a post baccalaureate alternative certification program. To schedule classroom observations, the student or intern should contact Jan Scogin at 281-482-1267.
Galena Park ISD
Candidates need to complete the Criminal History Form from ACT Houston - contact Vicki Johnston at vjohnston@acthouston.com or Diane Moody at dmoody@acthouston.com. Form will be sent to you via email. Submit the completed form to Human Resources. After the background check comes back with no serious offenses, candidates will be allowed to observe classes. Contact Mr. Henry Espinosa at hespinosa@galenaparkisd.com who will schedule the visits with the building principals.
Goose Creek ISD
Call Susan Moore-Fontenot 281-420-4800 for information regarding procedures, background check information and to receive badge.
Houston ISD
Contact Dr. Johnston at act houston vjohnston@acthouston.com or Diane Moody at dmoody@acthouston.com to obtain a Criminal Background form to be emailed to candidate. She will send it via email. Complete this form, scan social security card, valid driver’s license, and Letter of Acceptance from act thouston and email all at the same time to Theresa Yerena at tyerena@houstonisd.org. You will be contacted when approval has been granted.
Huffman ISD
To observe the classroom, they would contact the principal at the campus they prefer and discuss any available opportunities with that principal directly.
Humble ISD
Select school from district website. Contact the school principal directly and present ACT Houston Letter of Acceptance, If permission given present drivers license at front office for scanning to receive a visitor pass.
Katy ISD
Contact Andrea Tamborello at AndreaJTamborello@KATYISD.ORG who will set up a time to meet with candidate. Bring a copy of ACT Houston Acceptance Letter and driver’s license for running a background check. You will be placed on a list of approved observers, given some guidelines to which campus you are able to observe and other HR information as needed per individual. The approved list will be sent out to campuses and only those approved will be allowed to observe.
Lamar CISD
The Human Resource Department will determine campus assignments for observations. Send email with your full name, complete address, date of birth, number of observation hours needed, certification area, and choice of one level only - Elementary, Middle School, Junior High, or High School. Request should be sent to jadamson@lcisd.org. Please allow at least 2 weeks for approval and campus information. Principals will determine campus availability of observation visits.
Pearland ISD
If you would like to complete your observation hours with Pearland ISD, please read the following instructions. It is recommended that you print and follow these instructions carefully.
- We will schedule observation hours from September 2, 2009 - March 12, 2010 in the following certification areas only:
- Special Education EC-12
- Fine Arts (all areas) EC-12
- Bilingual Education EC-4; 4-8
- English as a Second Language (ESL) EC-4; 408
- Generalist 4-8
- Math 4-8; 8-12
- Science 4-8; 8-12
- Foreign Languages (Spanish and French) 6-12
- All other areas by written request only and with limited availability
- Please complete our Online Application. You will select other, then observer. Please include your campus preferences. If you have difficulty applying online please contact the Human Resources office at 281-485-3203
- Please complete the Observation Request Form. Click Submit at the bottom of the form to send the data by email to Kim Alvarez.
- Please fax a copy of your university or program letter to Kim Alvarez at 281-412-1540.
- After all of your information has been received and verified, it will be forwarded to the campus principal for acceptance. Do not contact the campus principal or teachers.
- Once accepted, we will send you an email listing your campus contacts. Please make all arrangements with the teachers directly. Please allow 7-10 business days for processing. It is your responsibility to then contact and schedule your observation days / times.
Sheldon ISD
Candidate needs to contact Darlene Randall at drandall@sheldonisd.com or 281-727-2077 to schedule an appointment to complete the background check process. Candidate will be contacted by Mrs. Randall after background clearance and given a list of campuses they can visit. Observations will begin in the first week of October for each school year and end on the second Friday of May in the following year. There will be no campus visits during the weeks of TAKS testing. For the 2009-10 year, TAKS tests will be given on:
March 1 – 5
April 27 – May 30
Spring ISD
Candidates to contact HR office and they will contact principals to see if they can accommodate candidate. They will contact candidate and give them the names of the schools they can visit. Do not contact principals.
Spring Branch ISD
Candidates need to Luisa Jaramillo at 713-251-2377 to obtain information regarding criminal history and district observation procedures. Once criminal history has been approved, Human Resources will contact candidate about observations. Observations are on a limited basis and determined by school principals.
Splendora ISD
Contact Kevin Weldon at kweldon@splendoraisd.org or his secretary, Tammy Butts at (281) 689-3128 for procedures.
Tomball ISD
Contact Maricarmen De La Cerda at 281-357-3100 (ext 201) or by email at MaricarmenDelacerda@tomballisd.net who works as a receptionist on the front desk. Maricarmen will send a form to complete and TISD in turn will run their criminal records. Once approved, they will be notified along with our principals and they will need to then contact the campus where they would like to do the observations.