1. (a) The application for certification of a military service member, military veteran, or military spouse, including an application based upon certification by a jurisdiction other than Texas that has certification requirements substantially similar to the Texas certification requirements, shall be processed as soon as practicable.
2. (b) As soon as practicable after the issuance of a one-year certificate, Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff shall notify, in writing or by email, a military spouse of the requirements for obtaining a standard Texas certificate.
3. (c) A military spouse who has been issued a one-year certificate prior to September 1, 2017, under the provisions of this chapter, is eligible for two additional years from the date of issuance, not to exceed a total of three years maximum, to align with provisions for a military spouse referenced in subsection (d) of this section.
4. (d) Effective September 1, 2017, a military spouse shall be issued a three-year temporary certificate upon completion of the review of credentials.
5. (e) The standard Texas certificate of a military service member, military spouse, or military veteran may be renewed if that certificate has expired within five years preceding the Texas application date.
6. (f) A military service member or a military veteran shall be entitled to credit verified military service, training, or education toward the training, education, work experience, or related requirements (other than certification examinations) for educator certification. TEA staff and educator preparation programs (EPPs) shall use information from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or other reliable sources to assist in crediting applicable military service, training, or education to certification requirements.
7. (g) A military service member pursuing certification in career and technical education must meet requirements for the certificate, but for career and technical education certificate areas requiring experience and licensure, the military service member shall be entitled to substitute military experience in the trade for the required license or professional credential for the specific trade.
8. (h) A military service member, military spouse, and military veteran shall complete educator examination requirements for certificate issuance as outlined in Texas Education Code, Chapter 21, Subchapter B, and rules in the Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 7.
9. (i) Military service members and military veterans are exempt from certification application fees that are paid to the state that lead to initial certification. These members of the military community are exempt from paying the portion of the examination registration fee that is paid to the TEA.
10. (j) Military service members and military veterans are exempt from certification application fees that are paid to the state that lead to initial certification resulting from a review of credentials, one-year certificate, or out-of-state standard certificate. These members of the military community are exempt from paying the portion of the examination registration fee that is paid to the TEA.
11. (k) Military spouses are exempt from certification application fees that are paid to the state that lead to initial certification resulting from a review of credentials, three-year temporary certificate, or out-of-state standard certificate. These members of the military community are exempt from paying the portion of the examination registration fee that is paid to the TEA.

Source Note:The provisions of this §234.5 adopted to be effective August 28, 2016, 41 TexReg 6201; amended to be effective December 21, 2017, 42 TexReg 7142.