Developing Master Educators for Texas Classrooms

Grow Your Own Dual Credit Instructor

Program Description

As the demand to advance the future prosperity and education obtainment of Texas citizens grows, the need to develop qualified dual-credit teachers is more important than ever. Through the Grow Your Own Dual Credit Instructor program, your existing high school instructional staff can earn the required credentials to serve as the teacher of record at a post-secondary institution offering academic dual credit courses. This program also allows your teachers to serve as potential affiliate faculty members for ACU Online in our Classroom to Career preparatory programs.

To accomplish this goal, your staff will have the opportunity to earn a Master of Education in Instruction and Learning, with 18 hours dedicated to a specific academic area (e.g., Math, Computer Science, English, History) in as few as 20 months. Upon completion, they will earn their graduate degree with enough subject-level graduate courses to become eligible to teach as a teacher of record for academic credit under the guidelines established by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Program Benefits

For High School Educators: Earn a Master’s degree in as little as two years and become equipped to teach college-level courses that enhance post-secondary options for your students.

For School Administrators: Invest in your existing instructional staff to expand your district’s dual-credit offerings while advancing your district’s academic performance and reputation.

New Teacher Pathway

Program Description

The gap in the supply of new teachers to the profession is unprecedented, and teachers are exiting the profession at increasing rates. Whether you’ve just graduated with a bachelor’s degree or recently switched careers, the New Teacher Pathway is a collaborative program between ESC Region 13 and ACU Online that matches predetermined individuals with schools to become newly hired teachers.

Program Outcomes

Designed to guide aspiring teachers toward becoming credentialed educators, here is a quick view of how the pathway program operates from start to finish.

1. Sourcing – ACU works with school districts to identify the competencies and personalities needed in teachers and sources new teacher candidates from outside the profession who possess a bachelor’s degree and wish to pursue a teaching career.
2. Equipping, Pre-Hire – ACU works with the district to understand the fundamentals necessary for their teachers. The candidate prepares for potential hiring by participating in a bootcamp prior to interviewing with placement schools.
3. Hiring – ACU refers new teacher candidates to school districts within ESC Region 13, and candidates are eligible to be hired as paraprofessionals or classroom teachers with a two-year commitment given by the new employee.
4. Educating, Year One – Upon hire, new employees will be enrolled in the ACU Professional Certification, comprised of six credit hours from the ESC Region 13 alternative certification program and six credit hours of vocational formation from ACU. This certification must be completed by the new employee within their first year. Mentors and coaches from the district, ACU, and ESC13 will assist those enrolled.
5. Empowering, Year Two – After the teachers successfully complete their first year, ACU will deliver online integrated, work-based courses for career development. Second-year teachers will receive an additional 18 hours of academic credit and earn a Master of Education in Instruction and Learning.

Program Benefits

For New Educators: Have your educational journey funded by an ESC Region 13 ISD through our New Teacher Pathway and earn a Master of Education in Instruction and Learning at no cost to you.

For School Administrators: Obtain new teachers that fit your specific needs with a two-year commitment. Plus, be a part of the empowering movement to support the next wave of K-12 educators.

Program Description

ACU’s online Master of Education in Instruction and Learning program allows current educators to improve their craft by becoming master teachers capable. Advance your career by choosing one of two concentrations to combine data-driven decision-making skills with faith-based perspectives:

• Education Leadership – The concentration equips you with the skills to oversee instructors, communicate interpersonally, create and execute curriculum standards, and enhance student support systems.
• Learning with Emerging Technologies – This concentration focuses on course design and development, problem-solving techniques, emerging technology methods, the theory and structure of instructional design, adult motivation, and self-directed learning.

ACU’s online Master of Education in Instruction and Learning is delivered in a cohort model customized to the needs of your district.

Program Cost

ESC13 SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE

ACU is offering a dedicated scholarship to educators in the ESC Region 13 who participate in this program. You could receive up to a $2,000 scholarship, which reduces the tuition to $17,550 plus a $300 resource fee per part of term.

Introducing Locked-In Tuition.

Our Locked-In Tuition program guarantees you’ll pay the same price for your entire undergraduate degree.