Certification Assignment Flexibility
September 24, 2020
As district staffing needs have continued to evolve due to the pandemic, there have been some
questions about what opportunities exist for certification assignment flexibility. Although these
options do not provide flexibility in the case of special education, bilingual education, or English as a
Second Language assignments, the following options present flexibility for some of the most
common scenarios related to educator certification flexibility.
Most district human resources offices are familiar with these options, but if you have specific
questions within the context of flexibility during the pandemic, please submit a TEA Help Desk Ticket
to Educator Certification and use the subject line: Certification Assignment Flexibility Options.
Flexibility Option
Possible Uses
Temporary Classroom Assignment
Permit (TCAP)
• Teacher certified at the secondary level and teaching
a secondary assignment not covered by their
certification
• Can teach a maximum of four class periods outside
certification area. If teaching more than four, can
request a hardship TCAP.
• Documentation maintained in school district
personnel records
• Valid for one school year only and not renewable
• No fee required
Emergency Permit
• Individual admitted into an educator preparation
program, but has not passed required exams for
certification
• Certified teacher that has not added new content
area to his record via additional certification by
examination
• Valid for one school year only and not renewable
(exceptions JROTC, Teachers of Students with Visual
Impairments)
• $57 fee
Teacher Certification Waiver
• Certified teacher, has not completed additional
certification by examination, and does not meet
TCAP, emergency permit, or school district teaching
permit requirements
2
• Individual approved by board of trustees and
commissioner of education to teach in an area he or
she is not certified
• Individual not certified, but qualifications to teach
are vetted and approved by board of trustees and
commissioner of education (COE has 30 days to
review)
• Candidate enrolled in an educator preparation
program that has been issued an SBEC certificate
(e.g., Intern or Probationary) that the district needs
to teach in an area outside those approved by the
EPP
• Not applicable for special education, bilingual, and
ESL assignments
• Valid a maximum of three years (approval requested
by school year)
• No fee required
School District Teaching Permit
• Individual has bachelor’s degree, not certified
• Degree requirement not applicable to individuals
teaching noncore academic career and technical
education courses, but must be approved by district
board of trustees
• Individuals teaching courses for foundation credits
must be approved by district board of trustees and
commissioner of education (COE has 30 days to
review)
• Not applicable for special education, bilingual, and
ESL assignments
• School district teaching permits are specific to an
individual and valid only in the district that
originated the request
• Valid for life, unless revoked for cause by the
district. Not intended for short-term flexibility.
• Cannot be issued to certified teachers
• No fee required
District of Innovation Plan
• District may self-serve if flexible wording already
exists within current plan (e.g., exemption from
certification requirements (TEC, §21.003) for hard-
to-fill assignments; to allow certified educators to
teach one or two courses outside original area of
certification; to use locally developed plan for
vetting an individual’s qualifications for placement
into an assignment)
3
• District can complete process to revise their plan and
establish increased flexibility to meet their future
needs
Possible Scenarios and Options
District Situation Concern
Option(s)
District Next Steps
I have a certified 7-12 math
teacher who I need to teach
two sections of physics.
Temporary Classroom
Assignment Permit (TCAP)
Complete form via ECOS entity
access and maintain
documentation locally.
I have a certified EC-4
Generalist, who I need to
teach 5
th
grade all day.
1. Emergency Permit
2. Teacher Certification
Waiver
3. Take and pass appropriate
certification exam and apply
for certification by exam
• Complete emergency permit
form via ECOS entity access
and maintain documentation
locally.
• For teacher certification
waiver, login to TEAL account,
access Waiver application and
submit request online for
agency review and
processing.
• For additional certification by
examination, take and pass
required test and submit
online application and $78
fee for issuance of new
certificate area.
I need a health teacher to
teach three sections of
Biology.
Temporary Classroom
Assignment Permit (TCAP)
Complete form via ECOS entity
access and maintain
documentation locally.
