UHV education students earn 97 percent exam passing rate
The University of Houston-Victoria is reaching new heights after students studying to become teachers, principals or school counselors earned a 97 percent passing rate on state exams.
A group of 121 UHV students took the Texas Examination of Educator Standards in 15 different education certification programs from Sept. 1, 2015, to Aug. 31. The school received a 95 percent passing rate the two previous years before earning the 97 percent passing rate.
“Three years of such strong scores sends a clear message about the excellence of UHV’s education programs,” said Fred Litton, dean of the UHV School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development. “In addition to the feedback it gives us about our programs, it confirms to our current and future students that UHV has a program that will meet their needs.”
The numbers, which recently were released by the Texas Education Agency, reflect any UHV student – graduate and undergraduate – who took the test during 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 92 percent in almost all demographic categories. Of the 15 program areas that were tested, UHV students received 100 percent passing rates in 10 of them.
Litton said the university’s Texas Examination of Educator Standards Academy is an instrumental part of preparing students to successfully take their certification exams.
The TExES Academy is run by Andria Young, a UHV associate professor of education. It provides students with study materials for their certification tests. As part of the academy, students develop a study plan, complete reviews and take practice tests until they meet the minimum passing criteria to take the Texas Examination of Educator Standards.
“Our main focus is always on helping students become highly qualified professionals who are competent when dealing with professional standards,” Litton said. “That would not be possible without the excellent faculty and administrative support at UHV.”
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.
