Internship or Clinical Teaching

Internship Option

Intern teachers are employed as a teacher, with full salary and benefits. Intern teachers are responsible for securing their own teaching position for the school year with an accredited Texas public or private school.

You may apply for teaching positions when you have passed your content-area TExES test(s), even if you are still completing coursework. Falcon Fast Track staff will provide hiring support during your job search, including providing a Statement of Teaching Internship Eligibility, and connecting you with potential employers as we are notified of vacancies.

During the teaching internship, an intern is certified with an Intern or Probationary Certificate, and is enrolled for Teaching Internship. Throughout the intern year, an on-site mentor teacher and a Fast Track field supervisor provide coaching and support.

Clinical Teaching Option

Clinical teachers (sometimes called student teachers) are not employed as a teacher, and do not typically receive a salary and benefits. Clinical teachers are placed in a classroom where they work alongside an experienced mentor teacher for one semester. (A year-long residency is also available in some cases.)

During clinical teaching, a clinical teacher is not certified. Throughout the clinical teaching semester, the on-site mentor teacher (co-teacher) and a Fast Track field supervisor provide coaching and support.

Fast Track students who are considering clinical teaching instead of an internship, should discuss their options with the Fast Track team as early in their program as possible.

Intern or Probationary Teaching Certification

To be eligible for the Internship Option, a candidate must be eligible for an Intern Certification or a Probationary Certification. These certifications qualify you to teach one year while enrolled in an approved alternative teacher certification program.

To qualify to be recommended for an intern teaching certificate, you must:

• Pass the appropriate content-area TExES test (including Science of Teaching Reading exam, if applicable)
• Be hired as a teacher by a Texas school district; and
• Clear a state and national criminal background check.

To qualify to be recommended for a probationary teaching certificate, you must:

• Pass the appropriate content-area TExES test (including Science of Teaching Reading exam, if applicable)
• Pass the pedagogy and professional responsibilities TExES test;
• Be hired as a teacher by a Texas school district; and
• Clear a state and national criminal background check.
• Be recommended to TEA by the UTPB Certification Officer.