An individual who holds a valid provisional, professional, or standard certificate issued under the provisions of this chapter may request removal of a certificate area(s) he or she no longer wishes to hold.(1) The request to relinquish a certificate must be:(A) submitted by the certificate holder in writing by mail, personal delivery, facsimile, email, or an electronic notification;(B) identify the specific certificate area(s) to be removed from the official record of certification; and(C) include a statement acknowledging his or her understanding that once the certificate area(s) have been removed, they cannot be reinstated.(2) Certificate holders currently under investigation for a "Priority 1" offense as defined in Chapter 249 of this title (relating to Disciplinary Proceedings, Sanctions, and Contested Cases) are not eligible to relinquish a Texas certificate(s) under provisions of this subchapter and may not unilaterally surrender a certificate without written consent of a Texas Education Agency staff member authorized by the associate commissioner to execute settlements as designated by the State Board for Educator Certification.