How to Become a Teacher in Texas

Texas certification requirements, step by step

Each requirement below is stated as Texas Education Agency / State Board for Educator Certification publishes it, with the governing source cited.

1. 1

   Earn a bachelor's degree

   Complete a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution as the academic foundation for Texas educator certification. The degree is necessary but not sufficient: SBEC still requires an approved EPP, TExES exams, fingerprinting, and an ECOS application.

   Source: tea.texas.gov

2. 2

   Complete an approved educator preparation program

   Enroll in and finish a State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)-approved educator preparation program (EPP), including clinical teaching requirements. Match the EPP recommendation to the correct TExES battery before registering, because SBEC rules tie specific exams to each certificate class. University-based EPPs and alternative certification programs both lead to the same standard certificate once all requirements are met.

   Source: tea.texas.gov

3. 3

   Pass required TExES examinations

   Take and pass the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) for your certification area, including content and pedagogy tests as applicable. Texas uses TExES, not Praxis, with dozens of exam codes aligned to grade levels, subjects, and specializations.

   Source: tea.texas.gov

4. 4

   Apply for certification and complete fingerprinting

   Submit your application through the Educator Certification Online System (ECOS) and complete required fingerprint-based background check processing. Standard classroom teacher certificates renew every five years with 150 clock hours of continuing professional education (CPE). Texas does not offer standard reciprocity; out-of-state educators apply through a Review of Credentials.

   Source: tea.texas.gov

Texas educator certification is governed by the State Board for Educator Certification under the Texas Education Agency, with the Educator Certification Online System (ECOS) serving as the application portal. The Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) replace Praxis as the state's primary content and pedagogy testing framework, with dozens of exam codes aligned to grade levels, subjects, and specializations. Candidates must match their EPP recommendation to the correct TExES battery before registering, because SBEC rules tie specific exams to each certificate class.

Texas takes a distinctive approach to out-of-state educators: it does not grant automatic reciprocity based on holding a valid license elsewhere. Instead, applicants submit credentials for a formal Review of Credentials, and TEA staff determine whether additional coursework, exams, or deficiencies must be cleared. This case-by-case model differs sharply from states that waive testing for comparable certificates, so experienced teachers relocating to Texas should begin the review process early and budget time for possible gap-closing requirements.

Renewal expectations for standard classroom teachers center on continuing professional education rather than graduate credits alone. Teachers must accumulate 150 CPE clock hours within each five-year renewal cycle, documented through approved providers and activities. Districts often coordinate CPE offerings, but individual educators remain responsible for maintaining records ECOS may audit. Understanding the distinction between intern, probationary, and standard certificates is also critical for alternative route candidates who may begin on temporary credentials while completing an approved program.

Fingerprint-based background checks are integrated into the certification pipeline, and applications through ECOS trigger workflow steps that districts monitor during hiring. Because Texas is one of the largest educator labor markets in the country, SBEC-approved alternative certification programs (ACPs) operate statewide alongside university-based EPPs, giving candidates multiple pathways to the same standard certificate once all requirements—including TExES passage and clinical experience—are satisfied.

Required exams and fees

Texas uses TExES. Fees and cut scores appear only when published by the cited source (as of August 2026).

Full Texas exam requirements →

Moving a license to Texas

Texas does not offer standard reciprocity. Out-of-state certified educators must apply through a Review of Credentials, and TEA determines eligibility based on individual credential analysis.

Official Texas reciprocity guidance