UHV students get high marks on Texas educator certification exam
For the second straight year, the University of Houston-Victoria recorded a 95 percent pass rate for students studying to become teachers, principals or other educators.
The 95 percent pass rate is the cumulative percentage of students who passed the Texas Examination of Educator Standards in 17 different education certification programs from Sept. 1, 2014, to Aug. 31. A total of 134 UHV students passed the exam during that time period and are now certified to teach in Texas.
“The high pass rates achieved two years in a row externally validates our academic programs, our outstanding faculty and staff, and the job they do every day,” said Fred Litton, dean of the UHV School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development. “A 95 percent pass rate is a major accomplishment, and to achieve that rate two consecutive years is exceptional.”
The numbers, which recently were released by the Texas Education Agency, reflect any UHV student – graduate and undergraduate – who took the test in that time period. Future teachers, principals, school counselors, superintendents and educational diagnosticians are required to take the state exam to become certified educators.
The state also breaks down pass rates by gender and race. UHV achieved pass rates above 93 percent in almost all demographic categories.
“I was very pleased with the test scores across the board,” Litton said. “This rate did not happen by accident. It takes careful planning and execution. It also helps that our courses are aligned well with the state standards.”
Litton said the university’s Texas Examination of Educator Standards Academy was a significant help in preparing students for their certification exams.
Run by Andria Young, a UHV associate professor of education, the TExES Academy provides students with materials for studying and directions on what they need to do to complete their certification tests. Students complete reviews, develop a study plan and take practice tests until they meet the minimum passing criteria. Only then can they proceed to take the Texas Examination of Educator Standards.
“Dr. Young does an excellent job with the TExES Academy, which directly impacts our pass rates,” Litton said. “We’re happy that our product is strong and so are the school districts where our graduates go to work.”
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
