My experience with iteach Texas was extremely disappointing. The courses are advertised as self paced, but in reality you constantly have to send reminder emails just to get your work graded. There was a time I waited over a week for grading, and it was not during a holiday period. That is unacceptable when you are actively trying to complete certification requirements.
If you are working as an aide or already teaching while finishing certification, be aware that they do not answer the phone between 11.30 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Their office hours end at 4.00 p.m., which makes it very difficult to reach anyone if you are working a full school day. Most communication takes at least 24 hours for a response by email, which adds unnecessary delays to an already stressful process.
In terms of preparation, the content was not very useful. Real classroom experience was far more valuable. Even one day workshops and conferences provided more practical and applicable information. When it came to writing lesson plans and developing assessments, I found that experienced teachers and outside resources were far more helpful. The study materials provided for the content test and PPR were not helpful in my experience. I failed my first exam by a few points after relying on their materials. After switching to 240 Tutoring, which only cost about 40 dollars, I passed my remaining exams without issue.
I also had to retake a test I had already passed because a new version was released just days before I submitted for certification. I was initially approved, then unapproved, and required to pay 140 dollars to take the new exam, which had previously cost 110 dollars. Candidates are also required to pay an additional 500 dollars to access study materials, whether or not they are effective. For a program that serves future teachers, the cost feels excessive and not justified by the level of support provided.
Overall, the program felt more focused on collecting fees than supporting candidates. Considering the current teacher shortage and how little teachers are paid, I expected more professionalism and support. I would not recommend going through iteach Texas and would strongly encourage others to research alternative certification programs before committing.
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iteach is the nation's leading provider of alternative teacher certification. iteach focuses on providing the highest quality training to new teachers while maintaining the lowest cost.
