Job Title: Educator Certification Program Officer
FLSA Status: Exempt
Pay Grade: 104
Work Days: 226
Reports To: Director of Instructional Services or designee
Primary Purpose
The Educator Certification Program Officer oversees the administration, compliance, and continuous improvement of educator preparation and certification programs, serving as a primary liaison with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). The position ensures candidates meet all applicable state and program requirements for Texas educator certification while managing certification eligibility, examinations, clinical and program completion, certification recommendations, and required reporting. The position also leads the recruitment, training, coaching, and support of certification candidates; develops and evaluates high-quality certification programs and professional learning; and provides technical assistance to educational partners. Through regulatory expertise, program leadership, and stakeholder collaboration, the position ensures the integrity, effectiveness, and quality of educator preparation and certification services.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Education/Certification
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Master’s Degree
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Valid Texas Teacher Certificate
Special Knowledge/Skills
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Team oriented attitude and desire to work collaboratively with ESC staff and campus/district/charter school personnel.
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Strong organizational, communication, public relations, interpersonal, and collaboration skills.
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Strong project management skills.
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Knowledge of adult learning theory.
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Global perspective of educational issues.
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Knowledge of the Texas Administrative Code governing educator preparation programs.
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In-depth knowledge of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, the state assessment and accountability system, and state & national initiatives and standards.
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Knowledge/experience with learning management systems and online course development.
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Knowledge of successful practices and current trends in educational leadership.
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Strong understanding of and experience in instructional coaching.
Experience
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Minimum 3 years of successful teaching experience.
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Minimum 3 years of successful principal experience (preferred).
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Successful experience in coaching adults.
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Successful experience in training teachers.
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Successful experience serving as a certification officer (required).
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- This job description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. They are intended to be accurate reflections of those principal job elements essential for making fair hiring and pay decisions.
**This position may be partially or completely funded using grant and/or federal monies and is assigned programs to include activities designed to enhance the effective and coordinated use of funds.
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Administer and oversee educator certification programs to ensure compliance with Texas Education Code, Texas Administrative Code, SBEC rules, TEA requirements, and approved EPP policies and procedures.
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Manage the candidate certification lifecycle, including recruitment, admission, advising, progress monitoring, assessment, clinical experiences, program completion, certification eligibility, and certification recommendations.
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Maintain certification and program compliance, including ECOS administration, candidate records, ASEP reporting, data integrity, documentation, and quality assurance.
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Develop and implement high-quality certification programs, curriculum, coursework, training, and professional learning aligned with state standards, research-based practices, and regional educational needs.
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Provide coaching, professional development, technical assistance, and support to certification candidates, campuses, districts, charter schools, and other educational partners.
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Evaluate program effectiveness and use data to drive continuous improvement, including analysis of ASEP data, needs assessments, surveys, candidate outcomes, and regional, state, and national trends.
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Lead recruitment, outreach, marketing, and stakeholder engagement efforts to increase participation in certification programs and strengthen partnerships with educational organizations.
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Serve as a primary resource and liaison for candidates, ESC staff, faculty, supervisors, TEA, SBEC, and educational partners regarding certification requirements, program expectations, and regulatory changes.
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Collaborate and provide leadership in the development of regional initiatives, training, products, and services that support educator preparation, certification, leadership development, and the goals and objectives of the ESC.
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Participate in professional development and organizational initiatives and model effective use of technology, communication, collaboration, and professional practices in support of certification programs and ESC operations.
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Attend work daily in order to meet the goals and objectives of the ESC.
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Perform other duties as assigned.
Supervisory Duties
None
Equipment/Specialized Software Used
Computers, projection devices, control panels in meeting rooms, printers, productivity software, software specific to the job assignment, network resources, internet resources, and other hardware and software necessary to perform the functions of the job effectively and efficiently.
Working Conditions (Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors)
Mental: Public relations and people skills are always required, work with frequent interruptions, and maintain professional composure and confidentiality under stress.
Physical: Occasional prolonged and irregular hours, ability to move tables and chairs and load/unload boxes and materials. Prolonged use of a computer. Frequent region and state-wide travel.
Environmental: Open cubicles/workstations.
Evaluation
Annual performance evaluation will be performed in accordance with the adopted policies of the Education Service Center Region 11. Employment in this position is contingent upon performance, need, and funding.
Addendum
Certification Officer
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Serve as the EPP's primary subject-matter expert regarding Texas educator certification requirements.
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Interpret and apply applicable provisions of the Texas Education Code, Texas Administrative Code, SBEC rules, TEA guidance, and EPP policies.
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Conduct comprehensive audits of candidate records to determine eligibility for certification.
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Verify completion of applicable degree, coursework, GPA, admission, program, clinical experience, examination, internship, and other certification requirements.
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Develop, maintain, and monitor individualized certification plans for candidates.
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Identify deficiencies in candidate records and establish appropriate corrective actions and timelines.
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Maintain documentation supporting all certification eligibility and recommendation decisions.
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Monitor changes in state certification requirements and communicate their impact to EPP leadership, staff, faculty, and candidates.
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Ensure certification processes remain aligned with current state requirements.
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Review and process applications for admission to the EPP in accordance with applicable state and program requirements.
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Evaluate transcripts, prior coursework, degrees, examinations, and other documentation used to establish candidate eligibility.
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Advise candidates regarding certification pathways, required coursework, testing, clinical experiences, internships, and certification requirements.
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Monitor candidate progress from admission through program completion and certification.
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Maintain accurate candidate status records and identify candidates who are at risk of failing to meet certification or program deadlines.
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Communicate requirements, deficiencies, deadlines, and next steps clearly and professionally.
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Provide individualized guidance regarding certification options and applicable state requirements.
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Coordinate with EPP faculty, supervisors, campus personnel, and program staff to resolve candidate certification issues.
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Manage the EPP's process for approving candidates for required Texas educator certification examinations.
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Verify candidate eligibility and readiness in accordance with EPP and state requirements.
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Monitor examination attempts, results, retesting requirements, and applicable limitations.
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Maintain accurate records of candidate assessment activity.
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Advise candidates regarding required examinations and applicable preparation or remediation requirements.
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Coordinate with appropriate EPP personnel regarding candidate readiness, remediation, and assessment concerns.
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Monitor changes to Texas certification examinations and communicate changes to stakeholders.
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Ensure examination-related decisions and records are appropriately documented.
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Conduct the final certification audit for candidates completing the EPP.
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Verify that candidates have satisfied all applicable state and EPP requirements before certification recommendation.
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Process official recommendations for Texas educator certification through applicable TEA systems.
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Monitor candidate certification applications and resolve issues that prevent or delay certification.
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Assist candidates with certification application and issuance processes.
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Maintain accurate records of certification recommendations and certification status.
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Ensure recommendations are supported by complete and auditable documentation.
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Coordinate with TEA when clarification or resolution of certification issues is required.
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Monitor EPP operations for compliance with applicable SBEC and TEA requirements.
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Develop and maintain internal certification compliance procedures and quality-control processes.
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Conduct periodic audits of candidate records and certification processes.
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Identify compliance risks and recommend corrective actions.
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Maintain documentation necessary to demonstrate EPP compliance during TEA reviews, audits, accreditation activities, or other monitoring processes.
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Support EPP leadership in preparing for TEA reviews and accountability activities.
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Ensure changes in state law, rule, policy, or TEA guidance are incorporated into applicable EPP procedures.
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Serve as a resource to EPP leadership regarding certification-related compliance risks and requirements.
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Maintain accurate candidate, completer, certification, assessment, and program records.
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Coordinate or support required EPP submissions to TEA and the Accountability System for Educator Preparation (ASEP).
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Monitor reporting deadlines and ensure required information is submitted accurately and timely.
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Reconcile candidate records across applicable institutional and state systems.
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Identify and correct data discrepancies.
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Maintain documentation supporting reported data.
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Assist EPP leadership in analyzing certification and program data to identify trends, areas of concern, and opportunities for improvement.
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Protect the confidentiality and security of candidate information in accordance with applicable law and institutional requirements.
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Coordinate with appropriate EPP personnel to verify candidate completion of required field-based experiences, clinical teaching, internships, or other applicable program requirements.
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Verify documentation of required candidate experiences before certification recommendation.
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Monitor candidate completion records and resolve discrepancies.
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Ensure certification records accurately reflect program completion.
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Collaborate with field-experience personnel when candidate requirements are incomplete or inconsistent.
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Serve as a primary point of contact for certification-related questions from candidates, EPP personnel, district partners, and other stakeholders.
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Communicate complex state certification requirements in clear, accessible language.
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Develop certification guidance, procedures, timelines, FAQs, and other candidate resources.
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Conduct information sessions or training related to certification requirements.
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Establish effective working relationships with TEA staff and other certification professionals.
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Escalate complex or unresolved certification matters to appropriate EPP leadership or TEA personnel.
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Represent the EPP professionally in certification-related meetings, trainings, and professional learning opportunities.
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Analyze candidate certification data to identify recurring barriers, processing delays, and compliance concerns.
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Recommend improvements to certification workflows, systems, communication, and candidate support.
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Establish and monitor key performance indicators related to certification processing and candidate completion.
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Participate in EPP continuous-improvement activities.
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Use data and stakeholder feedback to improve the candidate certification experience.
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Contribute to the development and implementation of EPP policies and procedures.
Benefits at ESC Region 11
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$645 monthly contribution for Medical Insurance
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Competitive Pay and Growth Opportunities
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Retirement Account Matching Program
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HSA, FSA, Dental, Vision, Life, Cancer Insurance Offered
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10 Local Sick Paid Days provided Annually (Per School Year)
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5 State Personal Paid Leave Days provided Annually (Per School Year)
