Certification Testing
The State Board for Educator Certification requires that each candidate for teacher certification takes and passes a minimum of two certification tests.
One test is in the specific content area (the content area will dictate whether the test is an ExCET or a TExES), and the other test is in educational pedagogy and professional responsibilities (TExES PPR). Additionally, Bilingual, Spanish, and French fields are required to take an oral proficiency test (TOPT).
Research has shown that individuals taking only one certification test during a test administration have a higher pass rate than individuals taking two tests on an administration date. Therefore, we suggest that iteachTEXAS candidates take only one test on a single administration date.
Passing a content area test indicates to school districts that an individual is highly qualified under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The only way to be highly qualified in the content areas of EC-4 Generalist or 4-8 Generalist is to take and pass the content area test. You must have demonstrated content mastery to be hired in a core content area.
Limited guidelines have been issued by the state and the Department of Education regarding the highly qualified requirements of special education. Therefore, all candidates seeking special education certification should plan to take the EC-4 Generalist or the 4-8 Generalist content test.
Currently, there is not a shortage of EC-4 Generalist teachers. Since it is most difficult to obtain an EC-4 Generalist teaching position, we encourage you to be flexible and open to additional content area testing, such as the 4-8 Generalist area.
Approval to take the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) test is not released until the candidate has successfully completed the six instructional courses, completed the Comprehensive Review course and obtained a Field Experience position or paid the instructional fee.
Study guides for the tests are available at
www.texes.ets.org.
Choice of Testing Methods
All certification tests are offered four times during an academic year on specific, identified dates and are paper-based tests (PBT). Several of the certification tests are offered more frequently by computer administered testing (CAT). For a complete listing of the CAT tests, please visit www.texes.ets.org.
TExES/ExCET
The PPR test cannot be taken until the content test has been passed, the TOPT test has been passed if applicable, the iteachTEXAS instructional courses have been successfully completed, and the candidate has secured an Field Experience position or the instructional fee has been paid in full.
TOPT
The Texas Oral Proficiency Test (TOPT) is taken by candidates seeking certification in a language related content area, i.e., Spanish, French, Bilingual. This test is taken in addition to the content area test and the PPR.
Testing Schedule
|
2009-2010 Certification Test Dates and Registration Deadlines
|
|
Texas Examination of Educator Standards (TExES)
Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET)
|
|
Test Date
|
iteachTEXASTM
Office Deadline
|
Regular Registration Deadline
|
Late
Registration
Deadline
|
Emergency Registration Deadlines
|
Score Reporting Date for SR Only
|
Score Reporting Date for SR & CR
|
|
10/31/09
|
09/28/09
|
10/02/09
|
10/09/09
|
10/23/09
|
11/23/09
|
11/30/09
|
|
02/06/10
|
01/04/10
|
01/08/10
|
01/15/10
|
01/29/10
|
03/01/10
|
03/08/10
|
|
04/17/10
|
03/15/10
|
03/19/10
|
03/26/10
|
04/09/10
|
05/10/10
|
05/17/10
|
|
06/26/10
|
05/24/10
|
05/28/10
|
06/04/10
|
06/18/10
|
07/19/10
|
07/26/10
|
|
Texas Oral Proficiency Tests (TOPT)
|
|
Test Date
|
iteachTEXASTM
Office Deadline
|
Regular Registration Deadlines
|
Late Registration Deadlines
|
Emergency Registration Deadlines
|
Score Reporting Date for SR & CR
|
|
10/24/09
|
09/21/09
|
09/25/09
|
10/02/09
|
10/16/19
|
11/12/09
|
|
02/20/10
|
01/22/10
|
01/22/10
|
01/29/10
|
02/12/10
|
03/22/10
|
|
07/10/10
|
06/07/10
|
06/11/10
|
06/18/10
|
07/02/10
|
08/09/10
|
|
American Sign Language Tests
|
|
Test Date
|
iteachTEXASTM
Office Deadline
|
Regular Registration Deadlines
|
Late Registration Deadlines
|
Emergency Registration Deadlines
|
Score Reporting Date for SR & CR
|
|
11/21/09
|
01/19/09
|
10/23/09
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
12/21/09
|
|
04/10/10
|
03/08/10
|
03/12/10
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
05/10/10
|
The iteachTEXASTM deadline is the Monday prior to the Friday state deadline. Approval requests submitted by the office deadline will be processed in time to register by the state deadline.
SR refers to Structured Response - multiple choice test questions
CR refers to Critical Response – includes an evaluation of a written or oral submission
Computer Administered Test (CAT)
Computer Administered Test (CAT)
Beginning September 2008 the following tests will be available CAT:
- EC – 12 ESL Supplemental
- EC – 12 Health
- EC – 12 Music
- EC – 12 Physical Education
- EC – 12 Special Education
- EC – 4 Bilingual Supplemental
- EC – 4 Generalist
- 4 – 8 Generalist
- 4 – 8 English, Language Arts
- 4 – 8 Math
- 4 – 8 Science
- 4 – 8 Social Studies
- 8 – 12 History
- 8 – 12 Math
- 8 – 12 Science
- 8 – 12 Life Science
- All levels of the PPR
The available CAT dates are not posted on the ETS website. When requesting Test Approval, please enter the date on which you would like to test. If your actual test date is different, message Test Approval with the exact testing date.
The scores you receive upon completing the CAT do not reflect whether you passed or failed the test. The unofficial score is a raw score and the final score is a scaled scored based on the weighted competencies. You must wait until you have official scores to know whether you passed or failed.