Out-of-State Certified Educators

If you hold a standard, renewable certificate issued by another state, you must apply for a review of credentials if you are seeking certification in Texas. (If you hold a stand-alone administrative or student service certificate with no classroom teaching certificate, please see question #2.) The certificate does not need to be currently valid, but must have been a standard level certificate at the time it was issued to you.  A detailed checklist can be used to guide yourself through the entire process.

Yes, an educator certified in another state can be exempted from taking Texas exams under certain conditions. The Texas Education Agency offers a test exemption process for out-of-state certified educators. You can find specific details for this process on the Test Exemption Information webpage.

Processing timeframes can vary. During our busy season (March-October) reviews and test exemption can take several weeks to process. The timeframe depends on the volume of applications and when documents have been received. Once the review of credentials or review for test exemption is completed, you will receive an email notification that a letter is available in the “My Documents” portion of your educator account. 

Reviews for test exemption cannot be finalized until the review of credentials has been completed. They are processed in the order of the documents receipt date. We cannot verify if documents have been received. However, we can verify what is in your account, which you are able to see under the “My Documents” portion of your educator account.

If you do not receive a notification within 4 weeks, check the “My documents” tab in your educator account. If a letter is not in your account, please refer to the detailed checklist to verify what documents we are lacking. If you have additional questions, please submit a Help Desk ticket.

Even if you hold a classroom teaching certificate in Texas, you will need to complete the requirements of your out-of-state program and obtain your certificate in that state. Then, you would apply and submit the required documents for a review of credentials.  

After meeting the renewal requirements, you will need to renew the standard certificate you currently have in Texas. Then, if you completed a content exam for the new area, apply for a review of credentials to evaluate the new teaching area. If you did not complete a content exam, you may consider the additional certification by exam route.

Without a standard teaching certificate, you are not eligible for a review of credentials. We do not review transcripts, degree level or completion of program coursework. You will be required to go through a Texas Educator Preparation Program.  

Without a standard teaching certificate, you are not eligible for a review of credentials. You must either complete the process in your state or you would be required to go through a Texas Educator Preparation Program.  

Please submit an out-of-state application.

Individuals who do not possess a classroom teaching certificate and only have an administrative or student services certificate must have 2 academic years of full-time, wage-earning experience in the specific role to be eligible for issuance of the standard certificate. The 2 years of experience can also be used to determine eligibility for test exemption. Additionally, verification of accreditation is required if the experience was earned in a private school or any institution outside of the United States. Individuals who do not yet have the full 2 years of experience may still submit an application, fee, and required documents for a credentials review. Upon completion of the review, a specialist will contact the individual to provide further instructions regarding the next steps.