Fifteen Tarrant County educators are among more than 100 across the state under investigation by the Texas Education Agency for allegedly obtaining their teaching certifications through fraudulent means.
The allegations, spread across six Tarrant County school districts and one charter school, follow a statewide probe into a testing scheme allegedly masterminded by Houston ISD educator Vincent Grayson who, along with four others, is facing charges from Harris County prosecutors for facilitating the scheme.
The operation involved falsifying TEA licensing exams for unqualified candidates, according to Attorney General Ken Paxton. Now, North Texas districts, including Fort Worth ISD and Arlington ISD, are grappling with the fallout.
Arlington ISD has already placed its allegedly uncertified educators on leave, according to the district. International Leadership of Texas, a charter school system, has terminated the contract of one of its employees.
Fort Worth ISD
The Report received a list of allegedly uncertified educators from the TEA Dec. 5. Five allegedly uncertified educators were employed by Fort Worth ISD based on 2023-24 financial data, according to the district.
The TEA list named the following Fort Worth ISD educators as having allegedly obtained their certifications through fraudulent means:
- Destiny Bowman-Smith
- Hanna Hogan
- Dominique Reagor
- Sheba Regan-Waterford
- Reuben Vaughn
“The district takes this matter seriously, is cooperating fully with TEA, and will continue to do so to address this issue thoroughly,” a Fort Worth ISD spokesperson said in a statement.
Fort Worth ISD relies on TEA and the State Board for Educator Certification to oversee certification processes, the district’s statement said.
Hogan works as a resource teacher at Riverside Middle School, according to the school’s website.
Reagor, who was announced in an August Instagram post as an Arlington Heights High School assistant basketball coach, had an active page on X. Reagor often reposted videos of Arlington Heights basketball games on that social media page, which has since been deactivated.
It is unclear whether the Arlington Heights coach was hired before the 2023-24 financial year ended in June. Reagor did not respond to multiple Fort Worth Report requests for comment.
Vaughn recently worked as an assistant coach at Dunbar High School, according to the school’s website.
More information on Bowman-Smith and Regan-Waterford’s employment history with the district was not immediately available.
Arlington ISD
Arlington ISD immediately placed three employees on leave upon notification from the TEA, according to the district.
“The TEA is conducting a thorough investigation, and the Arlington ISD is fully cooperating and supporting their efforts,” the district said in a statement.
The three educators named from Arlington ISD are:
- Shayla Bragg
- Money Martin
- Jordan Versey
Bragg serves as a special education specialist and Versey is an assistant football coach at Bowie High School. Martin works as a special education inclusion teacher at Sam Houston High School.
Arlington ISD board members next meet Dec. 12, when trustees could vote to terminate employees’ contracts, according to meeting documents.
Crowley ISD, Mansfield ISD, Everman ISD and Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD
Two Crowley ISD educators, two Mansfield ISD educators, one Everman ISD educator and one Eagle Mountain-Saginaw educator were also named by the TEA.
Those educators are:
- Dnarius Green, Crowley ISD
- Janesha Haliburton, Crowley ISD
- Xavier Adams, Mansfield ISD
- Shameika Osborne, Mansfield ISD
- Caleb Hendrix, Everman ISD
- Dayon Mallet, Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD
Green is an assistant football coach at North Crowley High School, according to MaxPreps. Haliburton has worked as a teacher in Crowley ISD, though it’s unclear where she has taught.
Crowley ISD did not respond to a request for comment. Crowley ISD trustees next meet Dec. 12, during which they could vote to terminate any employee contract.
Mansfield ISD confirmed to the TEA that both teachers are current district employees, the district said in a statement.
Mansfield ISD’s Adams has worked as a teacher and assistant basketball coach for the district’s Legacy High School, according to social media posts. Osborne works as a reading and dyslexia specialist at Charlene McKinzey Middle School.
“We are cooperating fully with TEA’s investigation,” the district said. “In addition, MISD is conducting its own investigation into our employees and will take appropriate action.”
At Everman ISD, Hendrix was an educator at Joe Bean High School, according to the district’s 2023-24 annual report. Hendrix was not employed by Everman ISD for this school year, the district told the Report.
Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD has placed its allegedly uncertified educator, Mallet, on leave, the district said in a statement to the Report. EMS ISD is “cooperating fully” with TEA as they investigate, it said.
Mallet is an eighth grade basketball coach at Marine Creek Middle School.
International Leadership of Texas
International Leadership of Texas, a public charter school network with six Tarrant County campuses, terminated the contract of the teacher listed by the TEA, a spokesperson told the Report.
The educator named by the TEA was Kawonda Williams, employed at the network’s Arlington campus.
“We are working with TEA and providing them with whatever information they need for their investigation,” Caitlin Madison, the school system’s executive director of communications, said.
As a charter school system, International Leadership of Texas teachers are not required to have a teaching certification, she said.
“But we do require all teachers to have a bachelor’s degree. We also encourage teachers to properly obtain teaching certificates, and support that effort through our own (programs),” Madison said. “Just like ISD’s, our hiring process includes a thorough review of certifications and TEA records.”
When asked about the best general practices for teacher certification, TEA spokesperson Jake Kobersky referred to the agency’s website. The webpage outlines five requirements in becoming a certified teacher in Texas.
Becoming a classroom teacher in Texas
Becoming a certified teacher in Texas requires meeting specific qualifications to ensure educators are well-prepared to lead classrooms. The process includes five key steps:
1. Obtain a bachelor’s degree
- Candidates must earn a degree from an accredited college or university.
- The Texas Administrative Code requires degrees from institutions recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
- Certain certifications, such as Health Science Technology and Trades & Industrial Education, are exempt from this requirement.
2. Complete an Educator Preparation Program
- Prospective teachers must complete an approved program, which includes coursework and field experience.
- Candidates without a degree must enroll in a university-based program, while degree-holders can pursue alternative certification or post-baccalaureate programs.
3. Pass certification exams
- Candidates must pass the appropriate certification exams for their desired teaching area.
- Exam approval is typically managed through the candidate’s program.
4. Submit a state application
- Once all requirements are met, candidates must submit an application to the Texas Education Agency for certification.
- Applicants are advised to verify eligibility with their program before applying.
5. Complete fingerprinting
- First-time applicants must undergo fingerprinting as part of a national criminal background check to ensure classroom safety.
Within Tarrant County, four universities offer bachelor’s degrees in teaching and other subjects, while two separate campuses — Education Service Center Region 11 and the Education Career Alternatives Program — offer educator preparation programs.
While university costs vary, Education Service Center Region 11 and its GoTeach! Program costs prospective educators $5,950. The Education Career Alternatives Program costs $4,300.
Both programs take up to 300 hours of online or in-person training to complete.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated 12/11 to include a response from Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
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This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
