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Education Requirements For Becoming a Texas Teacher
Below are all the requirements you must meet in order to become a Texas teacher.
- Bachelor’s degree in your course area
- Teacher’s education program graduation
- Completion of the necessary tests
- Background check
Tests to Complete In Texas
- THEA basic skills exam
- PACT exam; this pre-approval exam is for people who do not have enough experience in their content areas of interest
- Educator test surrounding one’s content area
- Science of Teaching Reading Exam for those teaching the K-6 level
- Pedagogy exam for early childhood or elementary school educators
Renewal Requirements
- Complete 150 continuing professional education hours
- At least 37.5 of your CPE hours must be for pedagogy and other concepts surrounding unique student needs.
Basic Details on Becoming a Teacher In Texas
The state of Texas provides one general type of teacher endorsement for all educators. Each license lasts for five years. You can acquire your license through the Texas Education Agency. You can prepare an account with the TEA through its website at tea.texas.gov when you are ready to start.
Educational Work
All teachers in Texas must complete a bachelor’s degree program at an accredited college or university. You must also complete a teacher’s education program within the state.
The education program will last for one or two years and involve direct educational efforts surrounding managing a classroom environment. You will learn in your study about how to handle classroom situations and care for students. Part of the work includes producing lesson plans and establishing assessment details for all students to follow.
The education program will also include in-class leadership exercises. You will be tasked with leading a class on occasion. Much of the work entails observing how the teacher conducts the class. Your work may be an internship, but it will involve working alongside a tutor teacher to help you throughout the program.
The classroom you will participate in during that program will be of the same grade level and content area you will teach. You must provide details on what you plan on teaching when applying for your credential.
Tests to Complete
There are three tests for educators in Texas to complete for certification, although not all of them will work for each person:
- THEA
You must complete the Texas Higher Education Assessment exam before becoming a teacher in the state. The THEA test is a basic skills exam focusing on math, reading, and writing.
- PACT
You will then complete the Pre-Admission Content Test or PACT if you have not completed twelve semester credit hours or more in the subject area you wish to receive certification. You would also require the PACT if you have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or below in college. You will be eligible for the educator test in your field if you complete the PACT.
- Educator Test
The educator test is for people who wish to be approved to teach a specific course area. The state provides dozens of tests for different content areas, including ones for special education needs.
Some of the educator tests will focus on specific grade levels, while others can involve K-12 studies. There are also oral and written proficiency tests available for people aiming to teach foreign languages. The state also has family and consumer science tests provided through the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences organization.
Other Testing Points People Might Require
Some other tests may be necessary for teachers. Teachers aiming to support early childhood or elementary grade classrooms would require a pedagogy exam. The test can review one’s understanding of how teaching and classroom activities can work.
The Science of Teaching Reading Exam is also required for teaches the K-6 level. The exam involves reviewing a teacher’s ability to teach students about reading efforts.
Submitting Your Application
You can submit your application to the state through the Texas Educator Certification Online System. You will also need to provide copies of the transcripts from the schools you attended and a recommendation from your teacher education program to the TEA Office of Educator Certification office in Austin.
A criminal background check is also necessary during the application process. You will require a fingerprint file you will provide to the FBI. The Texas Department of Public Safety will review your work and help you with the Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas for all fingerprint collection needs.
Renewing Your License
You can complete the license renewal process through the Texas Education Agency. The TEA will review all renewal applications. You must renew your license every five years to remain eligible to keep teaching in the state.
You will require 150 continuing professional education or CPE hours during your five-year license period. The 150 hours is the most you would require, as even those who have multiple certifications in the state would need to complete 150 hours.
The rules for your CPE hours are as follows:
- Your CPE work must be in the fields of content-area knowledge and professional ethics. You can complete courses for these topics through various colleges and universities in the state, including some accredited online options.
- At least 37.5 of your CPEs must entail training efforts surrounding pedagogy and how to support diverse student populations, manage at-risk students, and digital learning concepts.
- You can complete your CPEs by participating in undergraduate or graduate courses or by participating in various workshops and seminars surrounding your work. You must provide proof of your efforts to the state.
- You can participate in an independent study program in your content area, but the work should not exceed more than twenty percent of the CPEs you require.
- You may also guide a teacher through a teacher education program, but that must not go over more than thirty percent of your CPEs.
Resources
https://tea.texas.gov/texas-educators/certification/certification-renewals – Texas certification renewal data from the Texas Education Agency
https://tea.texas.gov/texas-educators/certification – Texas teacher certification data
https://secure.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECOnline/login.asp – Educator Certification Online System
https://www.dps.texas.gov/administration/crime_records/pages/applicantfingerprintservices.htm – Texas Department of Public Safety fingerprint application work
http://www.thea.nesinc.com/ – THEA testing
https://tea.texas.gov/texas-educators/certification/educator-testing/pre-admission-content-test – PACT test
https://tea.texas.gov/texas-educators/certification/educator-testing – Educator Test
https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Teacher_CPE_2019_%2086th_TX.Leg_.pdf – Details on completing CPE hours in Texas