Eligibility & Admission
To be eligible for Odessa Pathway to Teaching, applicants must:
- Have a bachelor’s degree
- Have a 2.5 or better GPA (overall or in the last 60 credit hours of your undergraduate degree) - Transcripts must be provided for evaluation
- Demonstrate content area proficiency via credit hours or subject area TXPACT exam
- English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 - 12 semester credit hours necessary
- Math 7-12 - 15 semester credit hours necessary
- Science 7-12 - 15 semester credit hours necessary
- Provide official copies of transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended
- Include 3 Professional References when completing the online application
- Meet all legal requirements to work in the United States
- Be able to pass a drug test and a criminal background check
- Applicants have the right to request a preliminary criminal history evaluation from TEA. (See Teacher Education Program Disclosures Below)
- Pass the TOEFL exam (if required) prior to admission with the minimum required scores of: Speaking 24, Listening 22, Reading 22, and Writing 21. In addition, TOEFL scores are valid for 2 years.
- Applicants may be eligible for admission on a contingency basis pending receipt of an official transcript showing degree conferred.
After meeting basic eligibility requirements, applicants will be required to participate in and pass several components of an in-person interview. For more details on the selection process, visit the How To Apply section.
As an Odessa Pathway to Teaching apprentice, you may pursue certification in one of the following five areas:
- Core Subjects EC-6 (English Language Arts and Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, Fine Arts) with Science of Teaching Reading
- Core Subjects 4-8 (English Language Arts and Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies) with Science of Teaching Reading
- English Language Arts and Reading 7-12
- Math 7-12
- Science 7-12
At this time, these are the only certification areas offered to OPT participants. While certifications like Special Education, Bilingual, and Spanish are in high demand, our program focuses on the subject areas most needed by our district and that can be supported by our high-quality coursework and coaching. If you are interested in certifications outside of the certifications listed above, you may take the TExES exam to add that certification once you’ve obtained a standard certificate in one of the approved areas through OPT.
Military service members or military veterans can provide transcripts and other service documentation for evaluation. Courses will be reviewed by OPT staff to determine alignment with OPT coursework. Coursework that aligns will be accepted in lieu of the OPT coursework.
Due to the expedited nature of our program timeline and the cohort model we implement, the only candidates eligible to transfer any previous program credits to Odessa Pathway to Teaching are candidates transferring from TNTP Academy, due to the similar requirements and schedule of that program. OPT will request candidates records from TNTP and accept credits that have already been completed.
Deciding on a Certification Area
Odessa Pathway to Teaching currently offers certification in 5 areas: Core Subjects EC - 6, Core Subjects 4 - 8, English Language Arts 7 -12, Math 7 - 12, and Science 7 - 12. The Texas CREWS (Texas Consumer Resource for Education and Workforce Statistics) website can provide you with information to help you make an informed decision when choosing your certification area. Use the link below to access the Texas CREWS website.
The Texas Workforce Commission will provide you with information regarding the effect of supply and demand forces on the educator workforce in Texas. This information is available to you on the Texas Workforce Commission website that can be found via the link below.
Teacher Education Program Disclosures
Odessa Pathway to Teaching expressly discloses the following:
HB1508, effective September 1, 2017, requires notice regarding the consequences of a criminal conviction on eligibility for an occupational license.
- The potential ineligibility of an individual who has been convicted of an offense for the issuance of an occupational license on completion of the educational program.
- The current guidelines issued by the applicable licensing authority (See Texas Occupations Code, Sec. 53.025). In particular, the licensing authority's guidelines must state the reasons a particular crime is considered to relate to a particular license and any other criterion that affects the decisions of the licensing authority.
- Any other state or local restriction or guideline used by the licensing authority to determine the eligibility of an individual who has been convicted of an occupational license issued by the licensing authority; and
- The right of an individual to request a criminal history evaluation letter (See Texas Occupations Code, Sec. 53.102
TEA Guidance (Click Link for More)