List of Texas Teacher Certification Tests (2024)

To become a teacher in Texas, you must pass the required Texas teacher certification exams. Each grade level and subject area has its own “certificate,” which allows you to teach in the grade level and subject area you want. To receive a teaching certificate, you must pass all the required exams (content and pedagogy) for your chosen area of study.

There are various teaching certificates and exams in Texas. To make things easier, we created a list of each certification area along with its required exams.

First, let’s take care of some housekeeping to make sure you can understand everything in the tables below:

• Certification Area: The certification areas are the subjects and grade levels you can teach in Texas using that specific teaching certificate.
• Required Content Exam(s): these are the exam(s) you must take and pass in order to receive your teaching certificate. Content exams test your knowledge of the actual subject matter or “content” for your certificate (i.e. Art, History, Math, Science, etc.).
• Required Pedagogy Test(s): In addition to the content exam(s), anyone who is trying to receive their first Texas teaching certificate for a specific classroom teaching area is required to pass a Pedagogy test. If you are looking to add a supplemental certificate to an existing certificate, get certified in additional areas through examination, or become certified in non-teaching areas such as Reading Specialist or School Librarian, you may not be required to take another pedagogy test.
• Abbreviations:
  • AAFCS – American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
  • ACTFL – American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
  • ETS – Educational Testing Services
  • OPI – Oral Proficiency Interview
  • PASL – Performance Assessment for School Leaders
  • PPR – Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities
  • STR – Science of Teaching Reading
  • TExES – Texas Examinations of Educator Standards
  • WPT – Writing Proficiency Test.

List of Texas Teacher Certification Tests

Below is a list of all the current certification areas and the required content and pedagogy exams for each certification area. You can use the table of contents to the left to easier jump to the certification area you are interested in.

Art

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Art: EC-12	TExES Art EC-12 (178)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Visual Arts (2015)

Bilingual Education

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Bilingual Education Supplemental: Spanish	TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental (164) + TExES Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Test (BTLPT) Spanish (190)	None
Bilingual Education Supplemental: American Sign Language	TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental (164) + TExES American Sign Language (ASL) (184) + Texas Assessment of Sign Communication–American Sign Language (TASC–ASL) (073)	None
Bilingual Education Supplemental: Arabic	TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental (164) + ACTFL 614 OPI – Arabic + ACTFL 615 WPT – Arabic	None
Bilingual Education Supplemental: Chinese	TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental (164) + ACTFL 618 OPI – Chinese (Mandarin)  + ACTFL 619 WPT – Chinese (Mandarin)	None
Bilingual Education Supplemental: Japanese	TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental (164) + ACTFL 616 OPI – Japanese  + ACTFL 617 WPT – Japanese	None
Bilingual Education Supplemental: Vietnamese	TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental (164) + ACTFL 620 OPI – Vietnamese  + ACTFL 621 WPT – Vietnamese	None

Computer Science and Technology Applications

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Computer Science (Grades 8-12)	TExES Computer Science 8–12 (241)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Technology and Engineering Education (2143)
Technology Applications (EC-12)	TExES Technology Applications EC–12 (242)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Educational Technology Specialist (2108)

Early Childhood Education

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Early Childhood (PK-3)	TExES Early Childhood: PK–3 (292) + TExES Science of Teaching Reading (293)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Early Childhood Education (2014)

Core Subjects

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Core Subjects (EC-6)	TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391) + TExES Science of Teaching Reading (293)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Elementary Education: Literacy with Mathematics Task 4 (2110)
Core Subjects (4-8)	TExES Core Subjects 4-8  (211) + TExES Science of Teaching Reading (293)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Middle Childhood English-Language Arts (2018), Middle Childhood History/Social Studies (2019), Middle Childhood Mathematics (2016), or Middle Childhood Science (2017)

Counselor

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
School Counselor (EC-12)	TExES School Counselor EC-12 (252)	None

Dance

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Dance (6-12)	TExES Dance 6-12 (279)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: K-12 Performing Arts (2021)

Educational Diagnostician

Educational Diagnostician: (EC-12)	TExES Educational Diagnostician EC-12 (253)	None

English Language Arts & Reading (ELAR)

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
ELAR: 4-8	TExES ELAR 4-8 (217) + TExES STR (293)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Middle Childhood English-Language Arts (2018)
ELAR: 7-12	TExES ELAR 7-12 (331)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary English-Language Arts (2003)
ELAR/Social Studies: 4-8	TExES ELAR/ Social Studies 4-8 (113) + TExES STR (293)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Middle Childhood English-Language Arts (2018) or Middle Childhood History/Social Studies (2019)
Reading Specialist (EC-12)	TExES Reading Specialist EC-12 (151)	None

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
ESL Supplemental	TExES ESL Supplemental (154)	None

Gifted and Talented

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Gifted and Talented Supplemental	TExES Gifted and Talented Supplemental (162)	None

Health

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Health: EC-12	TExES Health EC–12 (257)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Health Education (2119)

Journalism

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Journalism: Grades 7-12	TExES Journalism 7–12 (256)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary English-Language Arts (2003)

Junior Reserve Office Training Corps (JROTC)

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
JROTC: Grades 6-12	None	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or TExES PPR for Trade and Industrial Education 6–12 (370)

Languages Other Than English (LOTE)

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
American Sign Language (ASL)	TExES American Sign Language (ASL) (184) + Texas Assessment of Sign Communication–American Sign Language (TASC–ASL) (073)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Arabic	ACTFL: OPI – Arabic (605) + ACTFL: WPT – Arabic (600)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Chinese	ACTFL: OPI – Chinese (Mandarin) (606) + ACTFL: WPT – Chinese (Mandarin) (601)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
French	TExES Languages Other Than English (LOTE) French (610)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
German	TExES Languages Other Than English (LOTE) German (611)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Hindi	ACTFL: OPI – Hindi (622) + ACTFL: WPT – Hindi (623)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Italian	ACTFL: OPI – Italian (624) + ACTFL: WPT – Italian (625)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Japanese	ACTFL: OPI – Japanese (607) + ACTFL: WPT – Japanese (602)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Korean	ACTFL: OPI– Korean (630) +  ACTFL: WPT – Korean (631)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Latin	TExES Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Latin (612)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Portuguese	ACTFL: OPI – Portuguese (632) + ACTFL: WPT – Portuguese (633)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Russian	ACTFL: OPI – Russian (608) + ACTFL: WPT – Russian (603)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Spanish	TExES Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Spanish (613)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Turkish	ACTFL: OPI – Turkish (626) + ACTFL: WPT – Turkish (627)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)
Vietnamese	ACTFL: OPI – Vietnamese (609) + ACTFL: WPT – Vietnamese (604)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: World Language (2020)

Librarian

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
School Librarian: EC-12	TExES School Librarian (150)	None

Mathematics and Science

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Mathematics: Grades 4-8	TExES Mathematics 4–8 (115)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Middle Childhood Mathematics (2016)
Science: Grades 4-8	TExES Science 4–8 (116)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Middle Childhood Science (2017)
Mathematics/Science: Grades 4-8	TExES Mathematics/Science 4–8 (114)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Middle Childhood Mathematics (2016) or Middle Childhood Science (2017)
Mathematics: Grades 7-12	TExES Mathematics 7–12 (235)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary Mathematics (2005)
Science: Grades 7-12	TExES Science 7–12 (236)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary Science (2006)
Life Science: Grades 7-12	TExES Life Science 7–12 (238)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary Science (2006)
Physical Science: Grades 6-12	TExES Physical Science 6–12 (237)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary Science (2006)
Physics/Mathematics: Grades 7-12	TExES Physics/Mathematics 7–12 (243)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA:Secondary Science (2006) or Secondary Mathematics (2005)
Mathematics/Physical Science/ Engineering: Grades 6-12	TExES Mathematics/Physical Science/Engineering 6–12 (274)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary Mathematics (2005), Secondary Science (2006), or Technology and Engineering Education (2143)
Chemistry: Grades 7-12	TExES Chemistry 7–12 (240)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary Science (2006)

Music

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Music: EC-12	TExES Music EC–12 (177)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: K-12 Performing Arts (2021)

Physical Education

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Physical Education: EC-12	TExES Physical Education EC–12 (258)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Physical Education (2011)

Principal and Superintendent

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Principal as Instructional Leader: EC-12	TExES Principal as Instructional Leader (268)	ETS 368 (PASL Assessment)
Principal as Instructional Leader Endorsement	None	ETS 368 (PASL Assessment)
Superintendent	TExES Superintendent (195)	None

Social Studies

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Social Studies: Grades 4-8	TExES Social Studies 4–8 (118)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Middle Childhood History/Social Studies (2019)
Social Studies: Grades 7-12	TExES Social Studies 7–12 (232)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary History/Social Studies (2004)
History: Grades 7-12	TExES History 7–12 (233)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary History/Social Studies (2004)

Special Education

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Special Education: EC-12	TExES Special Education Supplemental (163)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Special Education (2012)
Special Education Supplemental (attaches to level of base certificate)	TExES Special Education Supplemental (163)	None
Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing: EC-12	TExES Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (181) + 072 TASC or 073 TASC-ASL (072 or 073 required for assignment but not for certification)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Special Education (2012)
Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments Supplemental: EC-12	TExES Visually Impaired (182) or TExES Braille (UEB) (283)	None

Speech Communications

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Speech: Grades 7-12	TExES Speech 7–12 (129)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: Secondary English-Language Arts (2003)

Theatre

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Theatre: EC-12	TExES Theatre EC–12 (180)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: K-12 Performing Arts (2021)

Career and Technical Education

Certification Area	Required Content Exams	Required Pedagogy Exams
Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: 6-12	TExES Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources 6–12 (272)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or TExES PPR for Trade and Industrial Education 6–12 (370) or edTPA: Agricultural Education (2100)
Business and Finance:  6-12	TExES Business and Finance 6–12 (276)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or TExES PPR for Trade and Industrial Education 6–12 (370) or edTPA: Business Education (2102)
Family and Consumer Sciences Composite: 6-12	AAFCS Family and Consumer Sciences, Composite (200)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or TExES PPR for Trade and Industrial Education 6–12 (370) or edTPA: Family and Consumer Sciences (2117)
Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Sciences: 8-12	AAFCS Hospitality, Nutrition, and Food Science (201)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or TExES PPR for Trade and Industrial Education 6–12 (370) or edTPA: Family and Consumer Sciences (2117)
Human Development and Family Studies: 8-12	AAFCS Human Development and Family Studies (202)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or TExES PPR for Trade and Industrial Education 6–12 (370) or edTPA: Family and Consumer Sciences (2117)
Health Science: 6-12	TExES Health Science 6–12 (273)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or edTPA: K-12 Performing Arts (2021)
Marketing: 6-12	TExES Marketing 6–12 (275)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or TExES PPR for Trade and Industrial Education 6–12 (370) or edTPA: Business Education (2102)
Technology Education: 6-12	TExES Technology Education 6–12 (171)	TExES PPR EC-12 (160) or TExES PPR for Trade and Industrial Education 6–12 (370) or  edTPA: Technology and Engineering Education (2143)
Trade and Industrial Education: 6-12	None	TExES PPR for Trade and Industrial Education 6–12 (370)
Trade and Industrial Workforce Training: 6-12	None	TExES PPR for Trade and Industrial Education 6–12 (370)