New Educator Standards and Test Frameworks
The development of certification tests is based on the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)-approved certification standards for each field. Prior to approval by the SBEC, each set of proposed certification standards is posted for 30 days for public comment. Test frameworks, which help guide the test development process for a new or revised certification test and are based on SBEC-approved certification standards, are also posted for 30 days for public comment.
Approved Test Frameworks
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#186 Special Education Specialist EC-12 Framework - Version with marked changes marked changes and the final framework with all revisions incorporated.
#258 Physical Education EC-12 Framework - Version with marked changes and the final framework with all revisions incorporated.
Testing Announcements and Updates
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The last administration date for Core Subjects: EC-6 (291) was December 31, 2021, with the passing score on the whole exam used for certification purposes until December 30, 2022. If all sub-tests were not passed then you must pass all of the new 391. There will be five attempts to pass the 391.
Starting January 1, 2022, the Core Subjects: EC-6 (391) will be the only certification exam available for administration for the Core Subjects EC-6 certification. For more information, please review the FAQ section of the Core Subjects: EC-6 transition one-pager or TEA’s STR Teacher Candidate webpage.
ELAR 4-8 (217): Exam Transition FAQ Document
The ELAR 4-8 exam transition to the ELAR 4-8 (217) exam will occur on January 1, 2022. Please see the informational one-pager that addresses timelines and other frequently asked questions related to the exam launch, program requirements, and candidate preparation resources. Candidates can now register for the new 217.
Educator Certification Examination Retake Limit Change
Candidates are limited to a total of 5 attempts to pass a certification examination under Texas Education Code §21.048. Beginning September 1, 2018, all attempts of the same examination, no matter when they occurred, will count toward the 5-attempt testing limit regardless of when the examination was first attempted.
Candidates who reach the 5-time testing limit must apply for a test-limit waiver to retest.
Note: TX PACT examinations taken for intensive pre-service are subject to the 5-time test limit. TX PACT examinations taken for all other purposes are not subject to the 5-time test limit. Please visit www.tea.texas.gov/tlw
The Science of Teaching Reading (STR) Exam
Overview of the STR Exam Requirement
House Bill 3, passed during the 86th Texas Legislature, established the requirement that all teacher candidates who teach students in grades Pre-K-6 demonstrate proficiency in the science of teaching reading on a new, standalone certification exam. This requirement took effect on January 1, 2021.
The STR exam will be required for the issuance of five certification fields.
Early Childhood: EC – Grade 3
Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading: Early Childhood–Grade 6
Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading: Grades 4–8
English Language Arts and Reading with Science of Teaching Reading: Grades 4–8
English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies with Science of Teaching Reading: Grades 4–8
Educator Testing
Welcome to the office of Educator Testing at the Texas Education Agency. The office of Educator Testing is responsible for the overall management and monitoring of the statewide educator certification testing contract as well as the development and implementation of testing rules. This page provides testing information related to obtaining a Texas educator certificate. Texas law requires that educators pass appropriate tests to become certified. The appropriate examination(s) required for certification are specified in the Texas Administrative Code, §230.21(e). Further information about current, past and future tests may be found below:
• Required Texas Certification Tests (including deadlines to apply for certification)
Testing Information
Information related to testing is available below:
1. Test Registration and Preparation
2. Pre Admissions Content Testing (PACT)
3. Test Approval
4. Test Scores and Reports
5. Test Center Comments and Complaints
6. Test-Limit Waiver Information
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Testing vendors administer tests. You must have the approval to test unless you are a Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) candidate.
• 2019-20 Texas Educator Certification Tests with Test Codes (updates coming soon)
TEA does not review or endorse test preparation material beyond what the testing company may have on its website. For assistance with test preparation, contact an Educator Preparation Program, school district, or a regional service center.
Pearson
Pearson (outside source) administers the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES), the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS), the TX PACT (Pre-Admission content test), the edTPA pilot exams, and the Texas Assessment of Sign Communications (TASC and TASC-ASL).
• Program policies (outside source) provide rules and procedures related to testing, registration, and score reporting.
• Preparation materials (outside source) provide test information, sample questions, and general test-taking strategies.
• Alternative Testing Arrangements (outside source) are available for those needing special testing accommodations.
Phone, email, and chat support are available through the Pearson Customer Contact Center using the information found on the Contact Us page on the program website.
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A Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) can be used for admission to an alternative certification or post-baccalaureate educator preparation program (EPP). Applicants enrolling in a preparation program that requires a PACT exam beginning January 27, 2020, must complete a passing score on the appropriate new TX PACT content examination (TX PACT) that corresponds with each certificate area. TX PACT exams are not the same as the TExES content-pedagogy certification exams used for standard certification.
When is PACT Required?
Law requires applicants to take and pass a PACT for admission into an EPP in the following cases:
1. If the applicant has a GPA below a 2.5 or
2. If the applicant has not completed at least 12 semester credit hours in the subject area of the certificate the applicant is seeking (15 hours if seeking certification in math or science above 7th grade).A PACT is not required for applicants who meet the 2.5 GPA and have completed a minimum of either 12 or 15 semester credit hours of coursework. Educator preparation programs may have local policies that require applicants to pass a PACT as a requirement for admission, but those policies are local decisions.
How to become a certified teacher can be found on Becoming a Classroom Teacher page.
PACT Candidate Information
A candidate may take a PACT under the following conditions:
• You must hold, a bachelor’s degree or be within the last semester of receiving a bachelor’s degree to register for a PACT.
• You have never been admitted to a Texas approved EPP.
PACT Test Registration
A TEA ID number is used for identification throughout the certification and exam registration process. You must know your TEA ID to set up your testing account. If you are registering for the first time, you must click "ECOS for Educators" on the top toolbar and create a TEA Login (TEAL) account. When you create your account, you will complete an Educator Profile and obtain a TEA ID number. Once you have obtained a TEA ID number, go to the online registration system for the testing vendor. For help with TEAL account access, please submit a request to TEAL Access through the TEA Help Desk.
Applicants needing to take a PACT exam in Arabic, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, or Vietnamese must have an EPP submit their request to TEA through the Help Desk.
It is important that your TEA Educator Profile contains your mailing address, email address, and phone number. All updates and corrections to your TEA Educator Profile must be done on the TEA website; be sure to click the Continue button to save your updates. You should check your TEA Educator Profile on a regular basis to make sure all of your information is current.
How To Prepare for the Pre-Admissions Content Exam(s) (PACT)
Applicants needing to take a PACT exam in Arabic, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, or Vietnamese must have an EPP submit their request to TEA through the Help Desk.
It is important that your TEA Educator Profile contains your mailing address, email address, and phone number. All updates and corrections to your TEA Educator Profile must be done on the TEA website; be sure to click the Continue button to save your updates. You should check your TEA Educator Profile on a regular basis to make sure all of your information is current.
Preparation Manual (nesinc.com)
• Assess Your Content Knowledge
• Practice
• Exam Day
Requesting Alternative Formats of Preparation Products
If you have a disability or health-related need and require exam preparation materials in an alternate format, contact the Office of Candidate Services at Contact Us / Requesting Alternative Testing Arrangements. Pearson is committed to producing alternate formats (e.g., braille, recorded audio, reader's script, large print) as quickly as possible. Production times vary.
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You must be approved to register for tests.
Pre-Admission Content Testing
You may attempt Pre-Admission Content Tests (PACT) to demonstrate content mastery if you have never been admitted to a Texas-approved Educator Preparation Program (EPP) and you hold a bachelor’s degree or greater from an accredited university.
Candidates in Educator Preparation Programs
You must be approved by your EPP to test.
Selecting the Appropriate Test
Beginning January 27, 2020 candidates must take the appropriate new content certification examination that corresponds with each certificate area.
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You may locate test scores in your Texas Education Agency online account and by contacting the testing companies.
Official Score Reports
Log in to your TEA educator account or contact the testing company to obtain your test scores.
• View and print tests taken Sept. 1, 2006, or later, through your account on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website (outside source).
• Call 1-800-486-8444 for tests taken through the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
• Call 1-800-424-8080 for tests taken through the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS).
• View all examination results in your online educator account. Log in to your educator account and select View Examinations.
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If you have comments or complaints about the test center or the conditions under which you took a test, please submit them in writing to Pearson as specified below:
• Test center comments/complaints must be submitted directly to Pearson in writing by email, or mail.
• Comments/complaints must be submitted or postmarked no later than seven days after your test session.
• Comments/complaints filed with the test administrator will not be acted upon.
Texas Educator Certification Examination Program
Pearson
P.O. Box 660
Amherst, MA 01004-9001
Email: Send Pearson a message using their online contact form found by clicking on the "General Questions and Submitting Comments" link. Please allow 2-3 business days for a response.
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Test takers are limited to 5 attempts on any certification test under Texas Education Code §21.048(a-1). The State Board for Educator Certification has defined the waiver application process in Chapter 230, Subchapter C of the Texas Administrative Code and authorized TEA staff to administer the waiver process.
Application Process
Review the test-limit waiver application and read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for answers to common questions. You must read and follow the instructions on each page and provide all the required information.
Alternative Testing Arrangements
For candidates seeking alternative testing arrangements, please be aware of the timelines associated with the review and approval process for your request as well as the coordination with a test center that might be needed to arrange your appointment. For information, visit the Alternative Testing Arrangements section of this website.
Examinees may be eligible for alternative testing arrangements. To request alternative testing arrangements for your exam:
1. Review the Requesting Alternative Testing Arrangements section of this website by selecting your exam below.
2. Register and pay for your exam. Be sure to indicate your intent to request alternative arrangements when prompted by the system.
3. After you have registered and paid for your exam, submit your alternative testing arrangements request form, including all required documentation.
Requesting alternative arrangements for edTPA is slightly different than the process described above. Select edTPA from the list below to learn more.
A Requesting Accommodations video is available on the program website for candidates who need alternative testing arrangements.
1. Visit the page for Alternative Testing Arrangements here: Alternative Testing Arrangements (nesinc.com)
2. Select an exam from the drop-down list.
3. Select the link for the video.
The video is also available directly here: Requesting Accommodations (TX) (vimeo.com)
Timeline for requests: Candidates who wish to request alternative testing arrangements should
register as early as possible in advance of their desired exam date because of the additional time
needed to process the registration and to schedule the exam administration date. After registering, candidates must submit a completed Alternative Testing Arrangements Request Form and any required documentation. Most candidates will be contacted regarding the resolution of a request for alternative testing arrangements within three weeks after the request form and all required documentation have been received.
Understanding Exam Content
The following resources provide information about the content and structure of the exams, including why and how the exams were developed and what content is measured by each exam.
Resources
• Read about the development process for the Texas Educator Certification examinations.
• Learn about the structure of the exam content.
Helping Candidates Prepare
• Review preparation strategies and assess candidates' readiness to test.
• Help guide candidates through the account creation, exam registration, and appointment scheduling processes.
• Prepare candidates for their test center experience.
Step-by-Step
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Detailed information about each exam is accessible on a single webpage that includes:
• number and types of questions on your exam
• exam length and total testing time
• available dates and sites
• passing score
Select your exam to get started.
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Preparation Materials
Preparation materials are available for your exam and include:
• preparation manuals
• interactive practice exams (for select exams)
• CAT tutorials and other helpful videos
Select your exam to see what is available, or review all of the available options.
Rules and Policies
Policies and rules are available by exam. Review this information to learn more about:
• payment, withdrawal, and refund policies
• the ID that you need to bring with you and other testing rules
• how to retake an exam
Do you need to request Alternative Testing Arrangements? Find out in advance what is provided as part of the exam, what you can request in advance, and how to request alternative arrangements.
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Need your scores by a certain date? Review the upcoming testing and score dates for your exam.
Scores will available at 10:00 p.m. Central time in your email and in your testing account on the score date listed.
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Texas educator candidates need to create a testing account on this website. This testing account is separate from your TEA account.
Before you register:
• Find out about the account-creation, registration, and scheduling process
• Learn about the approval to test required by Texas
• Read more information about certification on the TEA website
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Once you have reviewed your exam's information, looked at the preparation materials and policies, and created your account, you are ready to register for your exam.
Quick check! Have you:
• Checked appointment availability from your exam's page.
• Reviewed score report dates.
• Read the Rules of Test Participation for the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program
• Accessed your preparation manual.
If so, go ahead...
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Remember to:
• Register and pay for your exam before you submit the form
• Then, after registering, submit the form and include any required documentation
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After registering for your exam, you may schedule your appointment at any time. If you already scheduled and need to reschedule you may do that as well, for no fee, for up to 48 hours before your scheduled appointment.