The answers to these questions reflect Region 4 and TEA policies for G/T program compliance. Local Education Agencies (LEA) may choose to have additional policies. Region 4 always encourages verification with your local G/T leader.
Click a link below to view the answer to these commonly asked questions:
Does the Texas Education Agency (TEA) or Region 4 keep track of G/T professional learning hours or certificates?
TEA does not retain certificates of completion for G/T professional learning.
Region 4 retains some certificates of participants who have attended a professional learning session at Region 4’s McKinney Conference Center or at a district location where Region 4 presented the training. Please see How do I obtain a certificate from a training facilitated by Region 4? for more information.
How do I obtain a certificate from a training facilitated by Region 4?
Region 4 recommends educators retain copies of all training certificates. When moving to a new district, you will be asked to present evidence of your G/T training.
Locate the appropriate passage of time from your training date or online course completion.
- Was the training completed within the last two (2) weeks? It may take up to two weeks to process session attendance. If after that time you have still not received information regarding completing the course evaluation which leads to obtaining a certificate, please contact gifted@esc4.net with the name and date of the session.
- Have you checked your Region 4 account? Participants who attend trainings facilitated by Region 4 receive an email with a link to the website once marked attended. Sometimes this email is blocked or ends up in a spam folder. You do not need the email to complete the session evaluation and access your certificate. Log in to your Region 4 account. Click on Registration/Certificate.
- For in-person sessions, check under the Past Sessions tab.
- For online sessions, check under Online Sessions>Complete.
- Do you have other email addresses that may have been used to register for Region 4 sessions? You may want to check if you have additional Region 4 accounts with a personal email account, previous district email account or an account under a different last name. If you are unsure whether you have another Region 4 account, please contact Registration Services for assistance.
- Has it been over 10 years since you completed the G/T Training? Region 4 changed session registration systems and retains paper copies of sign-in sheets for five (5) years, according to state guidelines. If you do not have a copy of your certificate, you may be required to retake the G/T training.
- Still having trouble? Please contact Registration Services for assistance.
Who is required to take G/T training?
- Teachers who provide instruction and services that are part of the district’s defined G/T services are required to receive a minimum of 30 clock hours of professional learning prior to their assignment to provide G/T services (or within the first semester of school upon being hired). They are also required to obtain annual six (6) hour G/T updates. It is a district-level decision as to what is accepted for the 30 foundational hours and 6-hour update. Region 4 recommends educators check with their district G/T coordinator for G/T session requirements.
- Teachers as well as administrators who have supervisory duties for service decisions are required to complete a minimum of six (6) hours of professional development that includes nature and needs of G/T students and service options. Region 4 recommends administrators take Gifted/Talented District Implementation of Service Options: An Administrator’s Role. This TEA training fulfills these requirements and contains important information for G/T campus or district administrators.
- Counselors who work with gifted/talented students are required to complete a minimum of six (6) hours of professional development that includes nature and needs of gifted/talented students, service options for gifted/talented students, and social emotional learning. Region 4 recommends counselors take A Counselor’s Guide to Supporting Gifted Students to fulfill this requirement.
