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 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:
- Test Registration and Preparation
- Pre Admissions Content Testing (PACT)
- Test Approval
- Test Scores and Reports
- Test Center Comments and Complaints
- Test-Limit Waiver Information
Additional Information Related to Testing
Additional testing information is available below:
Testing Announcements and Updates
TEA ID Number Required for Test Registration
Beginning January 21, 2020, 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. Be sure to enter your full name exactly as it appears on your ID. For help with TEAL account access, please submit a request to TEAL Access through the TEA Help Desk.
New Test for Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) Applicants
Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) candidates will take a new series of exams beginning January 27, 2020. Registration and appointment scheduling for these new TX PACT exams will open on January 21, 2020, with Pearson. PACT applicants enrolling in an alternative certification or post-baccalaureate educator preparation program between now and January 26, 2020, should review the exam information and preparation materials for the TExES exams. Applicants enrolling in a preparation program that requires a PACT exam beginning January 27, 2020, must complete a passing score on the appropriate new content certification examination that corresponds with each certificate area. The PACT Transition flyer provides additional information and answers to frequently asked questions. PACT applicants transferring to a different EPP before January 27, 2020 that are required to complete a Candidate Transfer Form must submit the form to TEA prior to January 17, 2020. Due to average processing times, candidate transfer forms will not be accepted past January 17, 2020. TExES registrations for PACT candidates will close on January 20, 2020, for a testing appointment by January 26, 2020.
HB 3 Update - Master Teacher Update
Effective September 1, 2019, as mandated by House Bill 3 (HB 3), the State Board for Educator Certification may no longer issue new or renew master teacher certificates. In addition, master teacher certificates already issued will be updated to include the word “legacy” as part of the certificate title. The implementation of HB 3 will impact educator preparation programs (EPPs), candidates seeking master teacher certification, and current master teacher certificate holders.
Family and Consumer Science Update
Beginning July 16, 2019, Texas candidates will use the Pearson website to register and schedule exam appointments for the following AAFCS certification exams:
#200 Family & Consumer Sciences Composite
#201 Hospitality, Nutrition, & Food Science
#202 Human Development & Family Studies
Appointments for these exams will be available starting on September 9, 2019. Please visit the Pearson website to learn more about the transition. The exam questions and content will not change.
Educator Testing Transition
Beginning September 1, 2018, Pearson is the testing vendor for the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program, which includes administration of the following tests: TExES, TExMaT, TASC, and TASC-ASL. ETS will administer the new Performance Assessment for School Leaders (PASL) when it becomes effective in fall 2019. The Educator Testing Transition flyer (PDF, 56 KB) provides more information about the transition.
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. A subsection of the law, which currently counts all attempts of the same examination taken before September 1, 2015 as only one attempt, has expired. 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, educators, and others who took certification examinations before September 1, 2015 and have not yet passed those examinations will find more information in the candidate guidance document. Testers impacted by the change must take their examination(s) by August 31, 2018 if the new test attempt counting method will make them ineligible on September 1, 2018. Candidates who reach the 5-time testing limit must apply for a test-limit waiver to retest.
Note: Individuals who did not test before September 1, 2015 are not affected by the change since all examination attempts have always been included in the attempt count for these testers. 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.
Principal Certification Redesign
TEA is redesigning Texas’ principal certification standards and corresponding tests. For more information, visit the Principal Certification Redesign homepage. The TExES Principal (068) exam will be available to first-time test takers through December 31, 2018, and for retesters only through August 31, 2019.
Test-Limit Waiver Information
Test takers are limited to 5 attempts on any certification examination 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 information is provided on the Test-Limit Waiver Information webpage.
New Test Refund Policy
Effective September 1, 2018, all processed fees for exam registrations will be refundable up to 170 days from the completion of the initial order payment. The 170-day refund policy begins with the date the initial payment transaction was processed. If an exam is changed (e.g., change of test date), the 170-day refund policy applies to the date the payment was initially processed.
Core Subjects Registration Information
