Effective Educators
Dallas County Consortium for Teacher Excellence
Strengthening pathways to the classroom in Dallas County
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Our vision:
Create a thriving teacher workforce that unlocks opportunity for every student in Dallas County.
The Consortium is a cross-institutional partnership between Dallas County school districts and educator preparation programs (EPPs) committed to improving certification success, teacher readiness, and early-career retention. Together, we are building an aligned, sustainable ecosystem of support that helps aspiring teachers get to and through certification and into classrooms where they’re needed most.
Why this matters
Teacher quality is widely recognized as the most significant in-classroom factor shaping student outcomes. Yet Dallas County’s teacher workforce is facing an unsustainable trajectory. With fewer candidates completing high-quality preparation programs and more teachers entering classrooms uncertified, the pipeline is weakening at the very moment students most need stability and excellence. Without urgent, coordinated action to strengthen pathways and invest in a sustainable educator workforce, we risk jeopardizing student outcomes.
of all Dallas County teachers were uncertified in SY 2024-25
of newly hired teachers in Dallas County were uncertified in SY 2024-25
of all teachers in Dallas County had less than 5 years of experience in SY 2024-25
Through the Dallas County Consortium for Teacher Excellence, partners are aligning their efforts to reverse these trends. This collective approach not only addresses immediate shortages but will lay the foundation for long-term stability in our region, ensuring all students benefit from the stability and excellence they deserve.
Our shared goal for 2026
Given the impact that certified, well-prepared teachers have on student learning (Kirksey, 2024 & Kirksey, 2024), we aim to increase the total number of certified teachers teaching in Dallas County by 2.5% (~700 teachers).
Consortium priorities for 2025-26
To meet this goal, the Consortium will prioritize the following in 2025-26:
- Creating shared supports for teacher candidates
- Strengthening district-EPP data sharing and alignment
- Piloting certification milestones and release time by program type
- Pilot regional workshops for the EC-6 TExES certification exam
- Secure HB2 PREP Allotment approved partnerships and maximize funding drawdowns across partners
Consortium partners
School districts
Cedar Hill ISD
Dallas ISD
DeSoto ISD
Duncanville ISD
Garland ISD
Grand Prairie ISD
Irving ISD
Lancaster ISD
Mesquite ISD
Uplift Education
Educator preparation programs
City Teaching Alliance
Dallas College
Dallas ISD ACP
East Texas A&M University
University of North Texas
Region 10
Texas Tech
Texas Woman’s University
Ecosystem partners
TeachDFW
Teach for America
Our work in action
The Dallas County Consortium for Teacher Excellence convenes monthly virtual working group sessions and annual Summits to foster collaboration between educator preparation programs and school districts. These sessions aim to foster collaboration, set milestones, monitor progress, and identify supports to effectively increase the teacher workforce in Dallas County.
Highlights
Dallas County EC-3 & EC-6 Teachers:
Get reimbursed for up to $500 for certification costs!
Working toward your EC-3 or EC-6 teacher certification?
If you’re working toward your EC-3 or EC-6 teacher certification this school year, you may qualify for up to $500 in reimbursements! The Dallas County Consortium for Teacher Excellence is excited to offer reimbursement towards certification fees for Dallas County EC-3 or EC-6 teachers seeking their Intern, Probationary, or Standard certificate for the 2025-26 school year.
What’s covered
You can get reimbursed for the following fees (up to $500 total):
- Early Childhood Pk-3 TexES exam
- EC-6 Core Subjects TExES exams
- Science of Teaching Reading exam (eligible for up to two attempts)
- PPR exam (eligible for up to two attempts)
- Intern, Probationary, or Standard certificate fee
- Fingerprinting fee
You must submit an itemized receipt and/or score report that displays your full name and is dated August 1, 2025 or later or relevant items.
Who’s eligible
EC-3 or EC-6 teacher candidates employed by or completing clinical experience in a participating* district or Educator Preparation Program (EPP) within the Consortium: Cedar Hill ISD, Dallas ISD, DeSoto ISD, Duncanville ISD, Garland ISD, Grand Prairie ISD, Irving ISD, Lancaster ISD, Mesquite ISD, and Uplift Education (Dallas County school sites only).
*Your district/EPP must have a signed Consortium Partnership Agreement on file with Commit.
What candidates must submit for reimbursement
Receipts for all eligible fees that are...
- Itemized (i.e., explicitly state what the fee is for, such as fingerprinting)
- Displays your full name
- Dated August 1, 2025 or later
Score reports for TExES exams that are...
- Dated August 1, 2025 or later
- Displays your full name
See here for an example of documents eligible for reimbursement.
How to apply for reimbursement
- Keep all payment receipts and score reports dated August 1st, 2025 or later for eligible exams or fees.
- Submit your documentation and PayPal/Zelle info through our online reimbursement portal.
- Receive your reimbursement by the processing date below.
Teachers can submit for multiple reimbursement windows throughout the year—just know your total reimbursement amount must equal $500 or less for the year.
Important dates
To qualify, your expenses must be dated from August 1, 2025 – June 12, 2026. Reimbursement and payment processing windows for submission:
Dec 1–12, 2025 (processed by 1/9/26)
Jan 5 – 16, 2026 (processed by 2/6/26)
Mar 23 - Apr 3, 2026 (processed by 4/24/26)
June 1 – 12, 2026 (processed by 6/26/26)