Continuing Education Opportunities
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Wylie ISD Employee Educational Assistance Program
To build strong, stable and diverse educators from within our own community, Wylie ISD is offering an employee educational assistance program. After completing two semesters of work experience in Wylie ISD, every full-time employee is eligible to apply for the Educational Assistance Program through Texas Tech University. Wylie ISD seniors may waive the work provision and apply immediately upon employment with the school district. All programs and/or coursework must be dedicated to the educational field and the betterment of Wylie ISD.
Additional Information
- This is a pre-paid tuition program - if an employee fails a course, they will repay the district for the entire course.
- The employee will be required to submit grades each semester to the Human Resources office before continuing in the program. Note: TTU may require minimum GPA.
- Tuition Only - the employee is responsible for textbooks, fees, or additional costs.
- All employees must meet Texas Tech admission and other university requirements.
- Every program will begin in the fall semester.
- Each program will have an allotted amount of time to complete. If the employee does not complete the coursework in that time, they will be responsible for the remaining cost of completing the degree plan. (We are working with Tech to get the suggested timeframes)
- Upon completion of the degree plan, the employee will remain with Wylie ISD for 3 years. If the employee leaves before the end of the three years, the employee will pay a prorated amount.
- Taxes - the employee will be responsible for the tax burden.
Suggested areas of study (other options available through the College of Education):
UNDERGRADUATE
Traditional Bachelor’s degree + teaching certification
Accelerated Bachelor’s degree + teaching certification
Teaching Certification
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE
Blended and Personalized Learning
Reading Specialist
Online Learning/Design
STEM Leadership
Instructional Coaching and Mentoring
Autism Spectrum
Deaf / Blindness
Sensory Impairment and Autism Spectrum Impairment Disorders
MASTER’S DEGREES
Master of Special Education: Educational Diagnostician
Master of Special Education (generic specialization)
Master of School Psychology
Master of School Counseling
Master of Educational Leadership
Master of Curriculum and Instruction (specializations: general; blended and personalized learning; STEM; Curriculum Studies and Teacher Education)
Master of Curriculum and Instruction + Teaching Certification
Master of Language and Literacy
Various Dual Credit Credential Programs
DOCTORATE DEGREES
PhD in Special Education: Generic track (for assessment, high-incidence disabilities, mild to moderate functioning)
PhD in Curriculum and Instruction (various concentrations)
Wylie ISD reserves the right to terminate the program’s entirety.
Texas Tech FAQ
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Why?
Better You + Better Me = Better Us
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What if the program I am interested in is not listed?
These are the programs currently “recruiting” for students. If you are interested in another degree in Education, you will need to contact Dr. Greenhalgh-Spencer.
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What is the application deadline?
You will need to submit your interest form with Wylie ISD by June 15, 2023, and your application with Texas Tech by June 29, 2023. The application link will be provided after acceptance by Wylie ISD HR.
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What are the admission requirements?
3.0 GPA, unofficial transcripts, no GRE, generally no letters of recommendation (some programs may need writing samples).
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When do classes begin?
Approximately August 14, 2023.
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I am finishing a Master’s program in July. Can I still apply?
Yes
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Can I transfer in hours from another university?
TTU accepts 6 hours of transfer credit for most Master’s programs; Bachelors-dependent upon the courses you’ve completed; Ph.D.-If you have a master’s in education, 30 hours will transfer towards a Ph.D. or Ed.D; however, if you have a master’s in a program other than education, there will not be as many hours that are applicable towards and Educational Doctorate.
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I am interested in becoming a Diagnostician. Will some of my hours transfer?
Yes, most likely 6 hours will transfer towards a Master’s and 30 towards a Doctorate.
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Will all courses be online?
Most courses are online, some may have a face-to-face component either in Dallas or Lubbock.
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I was looking online and saw that the application for Ph.D/Ed.D programs is closed?
Some are closed, but not all. It won’t be a problem for employees in Wylie.
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I am a paraprofessional with an Associate’s Degree. How will that “look” towards a Bachelor’s?
It is very helpful if you have an Associate’s Degree. For a Bachelor’s, it is a hybrid program. Some classes are fully online while others are face-to-face. In the case of face-to-face classes, a site coordinator from Tech will come to teach the classes in Wylie for the Education-focused courses. Online course offerings in the content area will vary by the specific content area.
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Do you have a rough estimate of how much it will cost out of pocket?
That’s hard to answer because it depends on course fees and books. There will be more courses, therefore more fees, for a Bachelor’s Degree. Most graduate programs don’t have that many course fees, but in all cases, books can be expensive. The application fee is really the only “fixed” fee we can tell you for sure and that is $75.
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Would you say that 30 hours will definitely transfer from a Master’s to a Doctorate?
If you have a master’s in a field of education, in general, 30 will transfer. If you have a master’s in another field, that may not be the case.
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If I apply and am accepted for a master’s program and then want to pursue a doctorate, is that “allowed?”
Yes, but you may not be able to do it immediately upon completing your master’s. It will depend on the number of students we have enrolled at Tech.
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What is the pace of the programs?
Two (2) courses/semester or 18 hours/year. One (1) semester of a “sabbatical” will be allowed for life events. If courses are not completed in the allotted time, the employee will be responsible for the remaining cost of completing the degree plan.
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If I fail a course, do I have to pay the district back?
Yes. We will ask for your grades each semester. If you fail or drop a course, you do have to reimburse Wylie ISD.
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What is the minimum GPA to be accepted into Tech?
3.0, but there are some exceptions.
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What GPA do you have to maintain?
3.0
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I read online that you require a writing sample for admission. Is that correct?
For most Ph.D. or Ed.D level programs, that is usually correct. A writing sample is not usually required for a Master’s.
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Are there cohorts?
Not formally, although you may end up having another Wylie ISD employee in your classes depending on your program.