Welcome, Texas educators! Upward courses are offered for official graduate-level credit by UMass Global, a regionally accredited university automatically approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for license renewal.
Texas Standard Certificate Renewal
To renew your Standard Certificate in TX, the state requires classroom teachers to complete 150 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) hours every five years. Because Upward courses are graduate-level, they carry the highest weight allowed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
- The 15x Multiplier: Per TEA regulations, 1 graduate semester credit = 15 CPE clock hours. A single 3-credit Upward course provides 45 CPE hours.
- The "Four-Course" Full Reset: Completing four 3-credit courses gives you 180 CPE hours, safely exceeding the 150-hour requirement for your entire 5-year cycle.
- Dyslexia Mandate Met: Texas law (TEC §21.054) now requires all educators to receive CPE training in "educating students with dyslexia." Be sure to include EDDU 9860 in your course selection.
- Your official transcript from UMass Global upon completion is the proof you need for a TEA audit.
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Texas Salary Advancement
Confirm your Upward course selection with your district administrator to ensure your credits can be applied for salary lane advancement.
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Course Selection & Approval
Confirm with your district administrator and select your courses.
Checkout & Earn Rewards
Complete the checkout process on this website and you will immediately be enrolled in our loyalty program. Refer friends and take multiple courses to earn Upward Rewards!
Complete Coursework
We'll email you your welcome packet, and you're all set! Complete coursework between one and six months (not earlier or before) from the date of your registration.
Graduate Level Courses
Earning Credit
- Email your completed coursework to support@upwardteachers.com
- Upward evaluates your coursework within one week of your submission, and submits your grade to UMass Global (our accredited university partner)
- UMass Global posts your grade within five business days of receiving Upward's assessment
- You login to your UMass Global account to order your transcripts. Note that the university is an entirely separate organization from Upward, and any questions on your transcript or university account can be emailed to exed@umassglobal.edu
- Celebrate your achievement, and sign up for more Upward Rewards!