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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:

Testing Information

Information related to testing is available below:

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Test Exemption Information

Please submit a Help Desk ticket for additional guidance.

Please submit completed applications through the online submission form.

Testing Announcements and Updates 

Educator Preparation Program Exam Vouchers

Certification exam vouchers are available for purchase by educator preparation programs to provide candidates with codes to be used during registration for a Texas educator certification exam. Please contact your preparation program for more information. 

Early Childhood PK-3 #292 Certification

The Early Childhood: PK–3 #292 is not an exam available to be taken under the "Certification by Exam" option. It requires specific coursework and training to be completed with an Approved Educator Preparation Program. Please contact an approved educator preparation program for exam approval. The Early Childhood PK-3 FAQ is now available to address common inquiries. 

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 are not subject to the 5-time test limit. Please visit www.tea.texas.gov/tlw

Testing Vendor Updates

Pearson - Texas Educator Certification Examination Program 1-800-877-4599

Mask requirements will be stated in your appointment reminder email, or you may call the test center directly to verify their requirements. Candidates who do not comply may forfeit their ability to take current and future exams. Pearson will not issue refunds to candidates who do not comply. 

The search functionality on Pearson’s COVID-19 Update Page remains an excellent way for candidates to verify specific test center requirements. 

ETS – Performance Assessment for School Leaders 1-855-628-5088

The PASL Assessment Spring 2024 dates are posted on the Registration and Submission page. 

The Resources and Test Prep page contains a link to the guidance document for candidates who may be submitting their PASL assessment tasks while working in a virtual learning environment. 

The PASL Assessment Task 3 Library of Examples page has been updated to include a virtual learning response for each textbox.

Additional information is also available at https://www.ets.org/pasl.html

Teacher Certification Exam Updates

The following content-pedagogy assessments will be updated to include both multiple-choice and constructed-response questions.  The dates below represent the current target launch date and are subject to change to a later date.  Any updates to the schedule will be made on this site.  

All new assessments will have exam frameworks released about 12-18 months before the scheduled launch date on this website.

Opportunities to Participate in Exam Development Committees 

There are upcoming opportunities for Texas educators to participate in exam development committees. Committee members receive Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits for their participation in these exam development activities.  

Visit our recruitment website for information about the development process, the types of meetings conducted, and how to get involved.

September 2, 2024

  • 7-12 ELAR - 331
    • exam #231 will be available until September 1, 2024, and can be used for certification through September 1, 2025. 
    • new #331 first administration will be on September 2, 2024, with a score reporting date of September 27, 2024. 
    • Updated: ELAR 7-12 (331) informational one-pager is now available to address timelines and other frequently asked questions related to the exam launch, program requirements, and candidate preparation resources. 
  • EC-12 Health 257
    • exam #157 will be available until September 1, 2024, and can be used for certification through September 1, 2025. 
    • new #257 first administration will be on September 2, 2024, with a score reporting date of September 27, 2024. 
    • Updated: Health EC-12 (257) informational one-pager is now available to address timelines and other frequently asked questions related to the exam launch, program requirements, and candidate preparation resources. 

No earlier than September 2025

Exact dates to be determined. Approved new or updated exam frameworks will be posted online as soon as they become available. 

No earlier than September 2026

  • Bilingual Spanish Supplemental
  • Bilingual Special Education EC-12

No earlier than September 2027

  • School Librarian (250)
  • Reading Specialist (251)

No earlier than September 2028

  • ESL Supplemental
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Contact Information

Educator Testing

Staff are available and quickly responding via the TEA Help Desk.

Help Desk Logo

 

 

 

Please submit a Help Desk ticket through the link above. 

Or messages can be left at 512-463-9039.