iteachTexas Rebuffs Former Certification Candidate’s Lawsuit

Texas Sixth Court of Appeals (Texarkana)
Ruling: An educator preparation program had justifiable reasons for not recommending a teacher certification candidate for standard certification.

• Robert L. Coyle, Jr., v. Dr. Zach Rozell, director, and iteachTexas, No. 06-25-00035-CV ($), issued Oct. 21, 2025.

Background

When Robert Coyle applied for — and was accepted as — a teacher certification candidate by the private iteachTexas educator preparation program (EPP) in January 2020, he signed an agreement which clearly set forth the program’s requirements to obtain a standard teaching certificate with SBEC.

After completing required coursework and testing, Coyle was awarded probationary certification and began a full-time, two semester internship with Beaumont ISD (BISD) as a middle school English language arts teacher beginning in August 2020.

But, Coyle failed to meet the requirement — mandated by his specific route to certification — for full standard teaching certification that he successfully complete (within two years) one full school year classroom teaching internship.