The district is asking the state to delay removing certain exemptions for associate teachers, which led them to draft a proposal asking for more time.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — New Texas legislation might force Corpus Christi ISD to demote associate teachers who are working toward certification and place them back in substitute roles without benefits, according to a district proposal.
The district is asking the state to delay removing certain exemptions for associate teachers, which led them to draft a proposal asking for more time to get the teachers certified and avoid demotions. That’s now awaiting approval from the Commissioner of Education.
Due to tighter restrictions on certification flexibility, associate teachers hired for foundation subjects like math, reading, science and social studies, could have their exemptions removed in the 2027-28 school year.
Last year, CCISD launched the Innovative Associate Teacher Program to address the ongoing teacher shortage. The program lets individuals with a bachelor’s degree, or instructors who have taught at community colleges or four-year universities, to teach in classrooms before earning their teaching certification, as long as they commit to completing it.
Through the program, the district hired 183 associate teachers, with 16 already achieving certification, according to the district proposal.
CCISD School Board member Alice Upshaw-Hawkins said that if the proposal doesn’t get approved by the TEA, it could impact the day-to-day lives of many educators.
“If this program goes away we will lose those considered “home-grown.'” she said.
If associate teachers are demoted to substitute status, according to CCISD’s 2025-2026 salary handbook, substitutes holding a degree would make $110.00 a day. Upshaw-Hawkins said educators could feel the loss of those wages and benefits.
“Being able to spend money, to being able to make a living, pay for an apartment, insurance, car, everything that us as individuals need,” she said.
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi professor of education Carmen Tejeda-Delgado said that while the certification exam can be challenging, it’s overall purpose is to assess a student’s readiness to enter the classroom.
“They’re designed to sort of check that preparation, if you will. To decide whether or not our students were or are prepared to go into the field,” she said.
Tejeda-Delgado said that while different schools can have varying policies on how they recruit educators, the requirements for a teacher to become certified are non-negotiable.
“Without a certification there’s a limited number of years that you can keep that teacher until they have to get certification,” she said. “Basically, what the state is doing is saying, we’ll let you hire a teacher without certification but they have this amount of years to get that certification done.”
Upshaw-Hawkins said the school board approved to send off the proposal at their last scheduled meeting on Dec. 8. She said now they’re awaiting a decision from the TEA on whether the extension will be approved.Â