Out-of-State Educator Test Exemption Review

If you were required to take tests to obtain the certificates that you submitted for the review of credentials, you may submit additional documentation for possible exemption of Texas tests. Out-of-state test scores will not be considered without a review of credentials. 

• Applications submitted April 1, 2018, and beyond will be reviewed for test exemption as part of the standard review of credentials process.
• Educators that want to be considered for test exemption under the new rule that applied and had a review completed before April 1, 2018, are required to submit a new review of credentials application, and pay the $164 application fee.

Your file cannot be reviewed for test exemption from the STR exam with experience alone. Extensive research was conducted, and it has already been predetermined what exams we are accepting for the STR.  You can find the list of states with similar exams in the commissioner’s rules for test exemption. 

Yes. Educators certified Principals, Superintendents, or certificates in a student services area (i.e. School Counselor, School Librarian, Educational Diagnostician, and Reading Specialist) are eligible for test exemption. Educators holding a student services certificate must submit the review of credentials application, documents for the review, the appropriate fee, and required test exemption documents.

If your country does not issue teacher certificates signed by an authorized department of education, you will not be eligible for test exemption. You must take and pass the appropriate TExES tests for certification. Your required TExES tests will be identified through your completed review of credentials.

To be considered for test exemption, the exams completed must correspond with the certificate for that state. You will want to submit a copy of any certificate(s) you hold in another state, even if the certificate(s) has expired. 

Please note, Basic skills or pre content are exams are not accepted. We ask that you only submit content area exams that were required for issuance of your out-of-state credential. If your state or country did not require certification tests, separate from degree requirements, then you are not eligible for test exemption under the new rule.

No other documents will be reviewed in lieu of the required documents for test exemption. If you are unable to submit all required documents for test exemption, you must take and pass the appropriate TExES tests for certification. Your required TExES tests will be identified through your completed review of credentials. 

An academic year consists of 180 full time days, or 2 years at 50% of the day with a minimum of 180 days.  Experience less than 50% of the day is not recognized. 

• Teachers:   
  Test exemption for classroom teachers cannot be granted without verification of 1 academic year of full-time, wage-earning experience. If you do not have this experience, you may obtain the One-Year certificate, after the review of credentials is complete, so that you can work for one year in Texas. The verification of experience should be submitted once the year of experience is completed. If service is under 180 days, the dates of service along with the number of days is required to be completed on the form. Service completed prior to the bachelor’s degree conferred date is not accepted. Postdated service will not be accepted.  
• Teachers that also hold administrative/student services certificates:
  Test exemption for holders of an administrative or student services certificate cannot be granted without verification of 2 academic years of full-time, wage-earning experience in the role where the exemption is sought. If you have one-year of experience in the role, you may obtain the second year while working on a One-Year certificate. If you do not have any experience in the role, you will be unable to earn the 2 years of experience during the One-Year certificate period and must take the TExES test.  
• Educators that hold a stand-alone administrative or student service certificate:
  Individuals that do not hold a teaching certificate and hold only an administrative or student services certificate must have 2 academic years of full-time, wage-earning experience in the role to be eligible for reciprocity in Texas. The 2 years of experience that qualify the educator for a Texas certificate can also be used to qualify for test exemption.