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Relay Teacher Programs Application Essay Question:
On the Essay page of the initial application, you will answer Relay's essay questions:
- What are your beliefs about what it means to be a culturally responsive educator?
- What are your beliefs about what it means to be an inclusive educator?
- How do your identities and experiences inform what you believe about being a culturally responsive and inclusive educator?
Please respond to each of the questions below. Ensure that each response does not exceed 500 words so that the entire response is no more than 1500 words.
Evaluative Rubric
As part of your admissions requirements to the certification program, this essay is scored using a rubric. The rubric evaluates the following 3 items:
- Mission Fit
- Discuss what is means to be an inclusive and culturally responsive educator and tie it back to Relay’s mission and the greater impact.
- Discuss Relay’s model, how it will make you an effective teacher, and how it will impact students.
- Communication of Thought:
- How well the central idea is developed
- How well the central idea is developed
- Level of sentence-level errors, use of punctuation/grammar
Please make sure to include all elements in your essay so you meet the minimum cut score for admission into our certification/licensure program.
Tips for the Application Essay
When writing your application, we recommend:
- Read the questions thoroughly
- Ensure your answers are clearly and thoughtfully worded
- Show your passion and make it personal
- State your answer and connect all details to support your reason
- Read it aloud to catch opportunities for revisions
- Utilize spelling and grammar programs, a writing center, and/or a friend to edit.
Preliminary Criminal Background Check (Texas)
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The Texas Education Agency (TEA) conducts a national criminal history check on all applicants for certification. Applicants for certification who have a conviction or deferred adjudication for a felony or misdemeanor offense may be ineligible for the issuance of a certificate on completion of an educator preparation program. For further information please review the National Criminal History Checks – FAQs on the TEA website. Applicants and enrolled students who have questions about potential ineligibility for certification have the right to request a Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation from the Texas Education Agency for a non-refundable fee. For more information please review the Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation FAQs on the TEA website.
Certification Status (Texas)
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As part of our application process, we ask that you provide information about your certification status. We use this information to advise applicants regarding the next steps for enrolling in Relay’s certification program if not already certified. Applicants who have previously been enrolled in another Texas educator preparation program (EPP) must submit a TEA Candidate Form in order to transfer out of the previous EPP and enroll in Relay’s EPP.
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Keep in mind that for most Relay programs in Texas, you are not required to already hold a teaching certificate to enroll.
Essay Submission/ Resubmission (Texas)
The admissions essay required during the initial application stage goes through extensive review in Texas. Applicants who are looking for tips or have been notified to resubmit an essay may utilize this guide/rubric before (re)submitting. Relay will allow up to 1 essay resubmission per application cycle.