158 EC-12 PE and #231 7-12 ELAR exams will be available until September 31 2024 and can be used for certification purposes through September 1, 2025. The new administrations of #258 EC-12 PE and #331 7-12 ELAR will be available on September 2, 2024 and will have extended score posting dates to accommodate the added constructed response section. You are encouraged to take and pass the current exam before 9/1/24 if you know for certain you will will be a program finisher by no later than the Spring 2025 semester.
TExES Testing Requirements Prior to Clinical Teaching or Year-long Residency for Traditional Undergraduate Teacher Education Candidates have changed as of the Spring 2021 semester. Refer to your Certification Testing Handbook or contact the Coordinator of Certification Testing for detailed information. Testing Requirements are subject to change without advanced notice.
Elementary Education students with concentrations in EC-6 and 4-8 Core Subjects, 4-8 English, Language Arts and Reading, or 4-8 English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies will be required to take and pass the new Science of Teaching Reading (Exam #293) if being recommended for teacher certification after 12/31/2020. Additional information is included in this notice provided by TEA. It will be necessary for all program completers to apply for certification early enough to meet the recommendation deadline. An informational brochure for candidates clinical teaching Fall 2020, and for those effected prior completers can be found by clicking here. The last possible date to be awarded a standard certificate using the #291 exam in conjunction with the #293 STR exam is 12/30/22.
Certification Testing Overview
Prior to testing and before you can make application to the Teacher Education Program, students need to set up a login account with TEA (Texas Education Agency). The complete instructions for creating an account can be found on the TEA website by clicking here. It is important that you complete all steps to set up your account, including providing gender and ethnicity information. Until you have provided that information, your account is not considered complete. Record your assigned TEA ID# in a safe place as you will need to provide it several times along the way throughout the duration of the program.
Candidates must be admitted to their respective teacher education program in order to receive testing approval. A Test registration account should be set up through the Pearson VUE website. It is important that all information provided when setting up this account should match exactly as entered in the individual’s TEA account.
All candidates must meet testing prerequisites prior to registering for TExES exams. Once you have completed all program requirements for certification (including exams listed below), you will need to apply for your certificate online through the Texas Education Agency (TEA). If you are already a certified teacher, you may add new content/teaching field areas to your existing teaching credential through a method called Certification by Examination. Professional level certification classes are not able to be added through certification by examination and must be through completion of the specific related certification program.
Initial Teacher Education Program Certification Testing Presentation
Basic information about required teacher certification examinations, is supplied in Block 1 courses (EDUC 3320/3321) which covers the what, when, where and how of testing through the means of a PowerPoint presentation and quiz. Educator Preparation Services also provides contact information and how to make application to the teacher education program, but you are free to contact us with any additional questions you may have at any time.
Spring 2024 Handbooks
The complete Certification Testing Handbook for with updated Testing Guide Table Spring 2024 Block 2 Elementary Education Yearlong Residents (All Grades PreK-8) has been published here.
The complete Certification Testing Handbook for Spring 2024 Block 2 Secondary Education (SEED) Yearlong Residents enrolled in EDUC 4331 has been published here.
The complete Certification Testing Handbook for Spring 2024 EDSP 4361 Block 2 Secondary and All-level Traditional Clinical Teacher Candidates has been published here.
Fall 2023 Handbooks immediately below
The complete Certification Testing Handbook for Fall 2023 EDUC 3331 Block 2 Elementary and Middle School yearlong residents has been published here.
The complete Certification Testing Handbook for Fall 2023 EDSP 4361 Block 2 Secondary and All-level traditional clinical teacher candidates is found has been published here.
Spring 2023 Handbooks immediately below
The complete Certification Testing Handbook for Spring 2023 EDUC 3331 Block 2 Elementary and Middle School yearlong residents with the updated Testing Guide Table can be found here.
The complete Certification Testing Handbook for Spring 2023 EDSP 4361 Block 2 Secondary and All-level traditional clinical teacher candidates can be found here.
Click this link for the complete Certification Testing Handbook for Fall 2022 EDUC 3331 Block 2 Elementary and Middle School yearlong residents
Click this link for the complete Certification Testing Handbook for Fall 2022 EDSP 4361 Block 2 Secondary and All-level traditional clinical teacher candidates.
Handbooks from previous semesters listed below are available by contacting the Coordinator of Certification Testing. Be aware that delaying clinical experiences to a later semester will require candidates to meet the current testing policies and due dates that are in place.
Spring 2022 EDUC 3331 Block 2 Elementary and Middle School yearlong residents (See the corresponding updated Testing Guide Table that is effective 3/21/22 and replaces the table found in the handbook.)
Spring 2022 EDSP 4361 Block 2 Secondary and All-level traditional clinical teacher candidates
Fall 2021 EDSP 4361 Block 2 Secondary and All-level traditional clinical teacher candidates
Fall 2021 EDUC 3331 Block 2 Stephenville teacher residency candidates starting TR1 in the spring 2022 semester
Fall 2021 EDUC 3331 Block 2 Fort Worth and Waco traditional clinical teacher candidates
Testing information is constantly subject to change and candidates must be responsible for keeping abreast of all changes due to delaying clinical experiences for any reason.
Required TExES Exams by Certification Area
Most of the TExES exams are offered continuously via computer-administered testing (CAT) while a few select exams (BTLPT-Spanish, LOTE-Spanish and 7-12 ELAR) are only offered during specific test date windows (Limited-Administration CAT). Candidates being recommended for EC-6 certification after December 2020 will also be required to take and pass the new Science of Teaching Reading (STR) exam to be eligible for their teaching certificate. Additionally, the EC-6 Core Subjects #291 is being replaced with a new #391 exam. All new EC-6 Core Subjects testers beginning with Fall 20 Block II candidates will be required to take the #391 which will be available 1/1/2021. Former program completers who have not sought certification will need to take the STR exam if certification has not been awarded by 12/31/20, with the current #291 EC-6 Core Subjects exam only being good for certification purposes through December 30, 2022. New exams for all classroom certification areas are being developed and as they are implemented they will increase in cost from $120.00 to $140.00 each. New exams will include both multiple choice and constructed response questions which will require an increase in time to grade for score posting. This is a link to an easy to read printable pdf version of required initial teacher certification exams.
Traditional Teacher Education Program
| Certificate | Content Exam (Exam Number) | *PPR Exam (Exam Number) | Additional Exams Needed (Exam Number) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood: PreK-3rd Grade w/ESL | #292 Early Childhood: PK-3 | #160 PPR EC-12 | #154 English as a Second Language Supplemental (ESL) and #293 Science of Teaching Reading ($140.00) |
| EC-6 Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading w/ESL | #391 EC-6 Core Subjects #291 | #160 PPR EC-12 | #154 ESL Supplemental and #293 Science of Teaching Reading ($140.00) See TEA Notice.a |
| **EC-6 Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading w/All-level Special Education w/ ESL | #391 EC-6 Core Subjects | #160 PPR EC-12 | #161 Special Education EC-12, #154 ESL Supplemental, and #293 Science of Teaching Reading ($140.00) See TEA Notice.b |
| EC-6 Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading w/Bilingual | #391 EC-6 Core Subjects | #160 PPR EC-12 | #164 Bilingual Supplemental, #190 BTLPT-Spanish, and #293 Science of Teaching Reading ($140.00) See TEA Notice.c |
| 4-8 Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading w/ESL | #211 4-8 Core Subjects | #160 PPR EC-12 | #154 ESL Supplemental and #293 Science of Teaching Reading ($140.00) See TEA Notice.d |
| 4-8 English Language Arts with Science of Teaching Reading w/ESL | #217 4-8 ELAR | #160 PPR EC-12 | #154 ESL Supplemental and #293 Science of Teaching Reading ($140.00) See TEA Notice.e |
| 4-8 English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies with Science of Teaching Reading w/ESL | #113 4-8 ELAR/SS | #160 PPR EC-12 | #154 ESL Supplemental and #293 Science of Teaching Reading (140.00) see TEA Notice.d |
| 4-8 Mathematics w/ESL | #115 4-8 Mathematics | #160 PPR EC-12 | #154 ESL Supplemental |
| 4-8 Math/Science | #114 4-8 Math/Science | #160 PPR EC-12 | |
| 4-8 Science w/ESL | #116 4-8 Science | #160 PPR EC-12 | #154 ESL Supplemental |
| 4-8 Social Studies w/ESL | #118 4-8 Social Studies | #160 PPR EC-12 | #154 ESL Supplemental |
| Secondary Content Areas (6-12 or 7-12) | See 6-12 and 7-12 Content Area exams in right column | #160 PPR EC-12 | #272- Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources 6-12, #240 – Chemistry 7-12, #231 (#331 coming) – English, Language Arts and Reading 7-12, #233 – History 7-12, #238 – Life Science 7-12, #235 – Mathematics 7-12, #237 – Physical Science 6-12, #236 – Science 7-12, #232 – Social Studies 7-12, #171 – Technology Education 6-12 |
| EC-12 (All-level) Content Areas | See EC-12 Content Area exams in right column | #160 PPR EC-12 | #178 – Art EC-12, #177 – Music EC-12, #158 (#258 coming) – Physical Education EC-12, #613 – Languages Other Than English (LOTE)-Spanish, #180 – Theater |
| *Candidates participating in a year-long residency may be required to complete an edTPA portfolio in place of taking the PPR exam. Refer to your Certification Testing Handout for more information. | |||
| **Candidates with All-level Special Education certification participating in a year-long residency may be required to complete an edTPA portfolio as well as take the PPR exam. Refer to your Certification Testing Handout for more information. |
Graduate/Professional Level Programs (Attention Out-of-State-Residents: Please contact your state’s department of education to determine if Tarleton State University’s program meets your state’s licensing and certification regulations.)
| Certificate | TExES Exam Number (Individuals who do not wish to apply for a Texas license in the following professional level certifications should carefully check with their state’s department of education to determine how their licensure requirements compare with those of Texas.) |
|---|---|
| Principal | Principal TExES #268 PAIL – $200.00, and #368 PASL – $375.00 |
| Superintendent | Superintendent TExES #195 – $120.00 |
| School Counselor | School Counselor TExES #252 – $200.00) |
| Educational Diagnostician | Educational Diagnostician TExES #253 – $200.00 |
| Reading Specialist | Reading Specialist TExES #151 – $120.00 |
Paper-based TExES exams are no longer offered. All exams are computer-based administrated.
Certification by Examination
The State of Texas makes available to teachers who have been awarded their initial standard certification the option of adding new content/teaching field areas to their existing teaching credential through a method called Certification by Examination. Although many currently certified teachers prefer to have formal preparation prior to attempting a TExES exam in another content area, the State will allow individuals to challenge the content area TExES exams without any formal preparation. Tarleton does not approve candidates to take any content area exam(s) other than those related to the certification field under which they were admitted to the Teacher Education Program.
Adding a non-professional level certification in this way does not require approval from an educator preparation program since the program did not prepare the individual for the content area being added. If you have an initial standard certificate and would like to add another certification by exam only, you can register online at the Pearson VUE website and do not need to gain approval through Tarleton to do so. Those wishing to add additional content certifications will register for exams directly through the testing company and once passed, will be required to apply to TEA to have the content area added to their teaching certificate.
Note: Professional level certificates cannot be added by simply taking an exam. Professional level certificates require admission to and preparation through an approved program. These certificates include Educational Diagnostician, Principal, Reading Specialist, School Counselor, and Superintendent.