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.
Registration Process Overview
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Traditional Teacher Education students receive basic certification testing information when enrolled in EDUC 3320/3321 (Block I). The Coordinator for Certification Testing shares a more detailed presentation of testing information, including the registration process, with students at the mandatory Clinical Teaching Application and Certification Testing meetings scheduled to take place while enrolled in EDUC 3331/EDSP 4361 (Block II). Testing approval will be granted toward the end of the Block II semester once preparation requirements have been completed and fulfilled.
The Pearson VUE website is set up to assist you with the certification testing process, including registration information, exam preparation, testing locations, test results, and score reporting. However, we provide detailed information for Tarleton students, including
- testing prerequisites,
- step-by-step registration instructions,
- testing policies, and
- exam preparation materials.
The complete Handbooks for Fall 2021 Block II students can be found on the Testing Overview page. Be sure to select the correct handbook that fits your clinical experience. Testing information is constantly subject to change and candidates must be responsible for keeping abreast of any changes due to delaying clinical teaching for any reason. Testing requirements are subject to change and it’s crucial candidates who are unable to maintain sequential coursework keep in contact with Educator Preparation Services to stay on top of those changes.
Testing Prerequisites
In accordance with state law, only candidates who have received official notification and replied with formal acceptance of program admission are eligible to be approved to take TExES examinations. Tarleton will only approve candidates to take the examinations directly associated with their admission certification area(s).
Per the TEA Educator Certification Examination Retake Limit, candidates are limited to five attempt approvals by Tarleton to take any one certification exam. A state waiver to continue to test is available through TEA past 5 attempts should that become necessary.
If you have graduated and completed all program requirements for certification through Tarleton State University, but have not taken and passed all required exams, you must continue to register for exams through Tarleton.
Candidates who have not taken and passed certification exams and/or applied for certification through TEA within a timely manner of program completion run the risk of losing passed exams and certification ability due to unpredictable changes in state law and rules. Candidates may be required to repeat or complete additional coursework, pass practice exams and/or engage the services of an outside test preparation program, especially if the State replaces an expired exam with a new replacement exam, and/or changes certification standards. It is the responsibility of candidates who have not completed certification requirements at the time of program completion to stay abreast and informed of any testing and certification changes that are implemented at the state level by reviewing the TEA and EPS websites.
Candidates who have already been awarded initial standard certification and want to add another area to their certificate by challenging an exam are not require to register or seek approval through Tarleton. Read more about Certification by Exam.
View the prerequisites for each candidate type:
Prerequisite Amendments
Candidates completing a traditional one-semester clinical teaching experience will be required to pass ALL TExES exams (including PPR, Content(s) along with ESL and Science of Teaching Reading for candidates seeking EC-6 Certification) related to the certification area(s) being sought. Passing scores results must be posted to the testing system by no later than August 1st for fall semester clinical teachers and by no later than December 15th for spring semester clinical teachers. Candidates should keep in mind that score report availability can range from 3-5 days from the exam date and to plan accordingly. Failure to have posted passing scores for all exams by those dates will result in postponement of clinical teaching until a subsequent semester when passing scores have been obtained.
Candidates completing a yearlong residency will have slightly different pass by and test by dates and will need to refer to both their Certification Testing Handbook, the Yearlong Residency Handbook and as published in the Yearlong Residency Testing Guide Table that outline the requirements and expectations. Any delays or alternation to sequential semesters included in a residency will result in a change in testing requirements including pass by dates.
It is the responsibility of any candidate needing to postpone final clinical experiences for any reason to stay abreast of any new certification testing changes and requirements that take effect in subsequent semesters. Previous testing requirements and policies will not be grandfathered.
Traditional Undergraduate Program Candidates
Traditional Undergraduates must meet all program prerequisites in order to be eligible to take the state certification examinations (TExES).
Beginning with Spring 2021 Clinical Teachers, candidates in the traditional Teacher Education Program must have ALL of the appropriate Content(s), EC-12 Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities, any Supplemental (ESL) and the Science of Teaching Reading (if applicable) exams taken and passed by August 1st for the fall clinical teaching semester and December 15th for the spring clinical teaching semester. (Previous requirements only included the PPR and Content area exams.)
Candidates are required to complete paid test preparation/review programs for each exam area to help determine test readiness before approval to registration for the TExES exams will be granted.
To familiarize yourself, please review the required exams by certification area.
It is important for candidates who have completed their certification program requirements to immediately apply for teacher certification to avoid any changes implemented or adopted by TEA. Failure to obtain certification in a timely manner may result in candidates being required to complete additional coursework and/or test approval requirements. Candidates must still abide by all Tarleton testing policies.
Professional / Graduate Candidates
Candidates seeking certification in one of the professional areas listed below must submit the TExES Test Approval Request Form a minimum of one month prior to the desired testing date. Candidates should check with their appropriate program coordinator prior to submitting the form to ensure all prerequisites for testing have been met. Once the request has been received and program eligibility has been confirmed, an email will be sent by the Testing Coordinator indicating registration approval. The candidate is then responsible for going online and registering thru Pearson VUE.
- Educational Diagnostician (offered continuously by computer – CAT)
- Principal Exams (have specific testing windows for both the #268 PAIL and #268 PASL)
- Reading Specialist (offered continuously by computer – CAT)
- School Counselor (offered continuously by computer – CAT)
- Superintendent (offered continuously by computer – CAT)
Please review the required exams by certification area before registering for an exam.
It is important for candidates who have completed their certification program requirements (undergraduate or graduate candidates) to immediately apply for certification to avoid any changes to requirements implemented or adopted by TEA. Failure to obtain certification in a timely manner may result in candidates being required to complete additional coursework and/or exam approval requirements and preparation. Candidates must still abide by all Tarleton testing policies.