Texas Teaching Certification
Texas teaching certification requires a bachelor’s degree, completion of a TEA-approved educator preparation program, and passing scores on the TExES certification exams before you can apply for a Standard Certificate through the Texas Education Agency. Candidates certified in another state or country need a credentials review first. All first-time applicants must also pass an FBI criminal history background check with fingerprinting.
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Texas runs one of the largest public school systems in the country, and every teacher in it follows a path set by the Texas Education Agency. Whether you’re finishing a bachelor’s degree, switching careers with one already in hand, or bringing a license from another state, the requirements branch early depending on your situation. Here’s how each path works, along with current Texas teacher salaries and job growth figures.
Texas Teacher Salary and Job Growth
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | Job Growth (2024–2034) |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | $63,780 | +11.6% |
| Elementary School Teachers | $62,760 | +11.4% |
| Middle School Teachers | $63,390 | +11.5% |
| Secondary (High) School Teachers | $63,590 | +11.7% |
That job growth runs well ahead of the national trend. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a slight national decline for these same occupations through 2034, driven by enrollment trends. Still, Texas’s own labor market projections show growth across every K-12 teaching category instead. For a state with over 320,000 public school teachers already on staff, according to the Texas Education Agency, that’s a meaningfully different hiring picture than most of the country. For a deeper look at pay scales, retirement, and other details of Texas teacher salaries and benefits, see our full breakdown.
Choose the description below that best matches your situation:
- Initial Teaching Certification…
- I’m a teacher from another state…
- Teacher Certification Renewal…
- Admin./Principal Certification…
- Alternative Teaching Certification…
- Substitute Teaching Permit…
Initial Texas Teaching Certification
According to the Texas Education Agency, public schools in Texas currently employ over 320,000 teachers and 70,000 additional professional staff members, including administrators, office staff, and paraprofessionals. Approximately 4.7 million students are attending public schools in the state. Search for accredited teacher preparation programs directly with your prospective institution or through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Education Requirements
To become certified as a teacher in Texas, the Office of Educator Certification of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) (512-936-8400) will expect you to graduate with a bachelor’s degree at a minimum from an approved teacher preparation program.
If you completed a teacher preparation program in another state, you must apply for a review of your credentials before certification in Texas is possible. Begin this process by creating an online account with TEA.
If you completed teacher preparation in another country, you must have your foreign credentials evaluated by one of the foreign credential evaluator providers listed here. That evaluation must then be submitted to TEA for review before Texas teaching certification can be issued.
Certification Options
As of 1999, Texas issues only one type of teaching certificate to educators: the Standard Certificate. There are temporary certificate options available in certain circumstances, including:
- Probationary Certificate – issued to candidates in an alternative certification program so they can teach while completing their preparation requirements. Validity period and renewal terms are set by current TEA policy and your educator preparation program, so confirm the specifics with your program.
Certification types and their terms change from time to time. Confirm current certificate options directly with TEA before assuming a specific validity period applies to you.
Requirements for all assignments available to Texas-certified teachers in the various subject and content areas may be found here. If you’re weighing certification routes more broadly, our overview of teaching certifications covers how elementary, secondary, and specialty credentials compare nationally.
Examinations
Your educator preparation program will typically provide you with information and the opportunity to take the appropriate educator examinations. Texas certification exams fall into two broad categories: pedagogy and content.
Pedagogy testing: Most candidates take a pedagogy assessment as part of the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) series. The specific exam depends on your certification area: some areas use the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) exam, while others require the edTPA or another TExES pedagogy assessment. Confirm the exact requirement for your certification area with your educator preparation program or TEA.
Content area assessment testing: Some Texas teacher preparation programs may allow you to take Pre-Admission Content Testing (PACT) as an alternative path to demonstrating content mastery before formal admission to a program. TEA sets eligibility rules for PACT and has changed over time, so confirm current requirements directly with TEA or your program before assuming you qualify.
Various testing services administer certification tests for teacher content areas. Check the current TExES exam chart for the exact test tied to your certification area. Content areas span the full range of EC-12 subjects, including bilingual and ESL certifications, career and technical fields, and specialty areas like visual impairment and deaf education, each administered through Texas’s testing services.
Experience Requirements
All students in Texas’s teacher preparation programs will be involved in both a practicum and a student-teaching or internship experience. The practicum is part of the education coursework in your teacher preparation program and involves classroom observation, along with opportunities to lead lessons.
The student teaching portion of your program matters most. Most Texas colleges and universities require students to student-teach full-time in the classroom, for 2 to 20 weeks. You’ll be placed in a classroom that matches the grade level and subject area you want to teach once certified. An experienced host teacher observes your progress, and you’re evaluated during student teaching by both that mentor teacher and a field supervisor from your preparation program.
Document and Application Requirements
Once you have met all educational, examination, and experience requirements, you may apply for your Standard Teaching Certificate in Texas through the Educator Certification Online System. In addition to providing information in the online application, you will need to forward the following information to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) Office of Educator Certification, William B. Travis Building, 1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas, 78701:
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, showing your receipt of a bachelor’s degree and completion of a teacher preparation program.
- Institutional recommendation from your teacher preparation program
- Exam score reports
- Application fees
Criminal History Background Check
If you are applying for Texas teacher certification for the first time, you must have a national criminal history background check run by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This will involve fingerprinting. You will be responsible for all costs associated with the background check and fingerprinting. You will receive more information about this process from your teacher preparation program or when you apply online for standard certification.
TEA’s fingerprinting vendor and process have changed over time, so rather than name a specific program here, follow the current TEA fingerprinting instructions for the vendor and steps in effect when you apply.
Contact Information
For more information on teacher preparation programs in Texas, contact the colleges and universities offering them.
For more information on teacher certification in Texas, contact the Office of Educator Certification at 512-936-8400.
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need to become a certified teacher in Texas?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, along with completion of a TEA-approved educator preparation program. Health Science Technology and Trades & Industrial Education certifications are the exception, since they don’t require a bachelor’s degree.
Do I have to pass an exam to get certified in Texas?
Yes. You’ll take a TExES pedagogy assessment and a TExES content exam for your subject area. The exact pedagogy test depends on your certification area, so check current TEA guidance for your specific certificate. Candidates who haven’t yet earned a bachelor’s degree or been admitted to a preparation program may instead qualify for the Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT), subject to current TEA eligibility rules.
Can I teach in Texas if I’m already certified in another state?
You can, but Texas requires a credentials review before issuing a Texas certificate. Texas participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, which streamlines the process, though it doesn’t guarantee automatic reciprocity.
How long does it take to get certified in Texas?
A traditional path, including a bachelor’s degree and a teacher preparation program, typically takes about 4 to 5 years. If you already hold a bachelor’s degree, an alternative certification program can get you into a classroom in as little as 12 to 16 months.
What’s the difference between traditional and alternative certification in Texas?
Traditional candidates complete their teacher preparation coursework and student teaching before earning a certificate. Alternative candidates already hold a bachelor’s degree and can begin teaching under a probationary certificate while finishing their coursework and exams.
- A bachelor’s degree plus a TEA-approved program is the floor. Every path to Texas certification starts here, whether you finish the coursework before or after you start teaching.
- TExES exams replace older basic-skills testing. The exact pedagogy and content-area TExES tests you take depend on your certification area, not the discontinued basic skills assessments some older guides still reference.
- Texas teacher job growth is outpacing the national trend. State projections show growth of roughly 11-12% across kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school teaching roles through 2034, even as national projections show a slight decline.
- Out-of-state credentials need a TEA review first. Reciprocity through the NASDTEC agreement helps, but it isn’t automatic.
- Every first-time applicant needs an FBI background check. Fingerprinting requirements and vendors are set by current TEA policy, so confirm the process in effect when you apply.
Select a Texas teacher preparation program below to compare requirements, timelines, and application steps side by side.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job growth figures for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed July 2026.
