Becoming a Teacher of Students who are Deafblind
In Texas, the Teacher for Students who are Deafblind state standards have been approved by the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) and then moved to the State Board of Education (SBOE) in September 2020. Standards can be found on the TEA website. Certification will be available September 1, 2025 in the State of Texas. Currently in place, there is coursework available at Texas Tech University that leads to either a graduate certificate in Deafblind Education or a master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Deafblind Education.
The grant program currently available:
The Deafblind Graduate Certificate Initiative provides funding assistance to qualified candidates through a grant from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to cover tuition and fees for online courses needed for the DeafBlind Graduate Certificate. The grant is administered by the Special Education Specialized Supports (SESS) grant. Applications are accepted throughout the year, but there are deadlines for consideration: June 1 for the fall semester, November 1 for the spring semester, and April 1 for the summer semester. At this time, anyone may apply, and preference is given to candidates who already hold Texas state certification as a Teacher of Students who are Visually Impaired (TSVI) or Teacher of Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing (TDHH). You may view the application here. For questions, contact Specialized Supports grant staff.