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Educators certified outside of Texas may be eligible for exemption from some or all Texas certification exams. This process allows qualified applicants to have their credentials evaluated based on comparable certification, teaching experience, and exams completed outside of Texas. To begin, applicants must first submit a Review of Credentials application as outlined on the Out-of-State Certified Educators page on the TEA website.

To qualify for test exemption, you must provide:

• A valid standard certificate from a U.S. state or foreign country that is equivalent to a Texas standard classroom or professional certificate.
• Verified documentation of acceptable experience in the certificate area for which you are seeking certification: classroom teaching, principal, superintendent, school counselor, school librarian, educational diagnostician or reading specialist.
• Proof of completed certification exams that were required in your state or country of licensure.

The applicable rule can be found in the Texas Administrative Code , which outlines exceptions to examination requirements for individuals certified outside the state.

If your certification area falls within certain grade levels or subject areas, you may be required to take the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) exam as part of your Texas certification process. This requirement, established by House Bill 3 during the 86th Texas Legislative Session, took effect on January 1, 2021 and applies if your credentials are successfully reviewed for any of the areas listed:

• Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading: Early Childhood–Grade 6
• Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading: Grades 4–8
• English Language Arts and Reading with Science of Teaching Reading: Grades 4–8
• English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies with Science of Teaching Reading: Grades 4–8 

TEA has identified a list of other states with comparable exams in 19 TAC Chapter 152, §152.1001(c)(2)(B).  If your state is not listed, and you were required to pass a reading exam for issuance of certification, you may still submit your test scores for review.

Classroom teaching experience alone does not qualify an applicant for exemption from the STR exam.

Completion of the Reading Academies cannot be used for STR test exemption.

Required Documents for Test Exemption

To streamline the licensure transfer process, certified educators applying for a review of their out-of-state credentials may simultaneously request an exemption from the required Texas certification exams.

There are two available options for consideration, each with its own eligibility criteria and required documentation.

Eligibility for a test exemption will be determined as part of the formal credentials review process. To ensure accurate determination, TEA staff are only able to confirm exemption eligibility after reviewing the submitted documentation.

Forms must be submitted directly by the verifying entity. To check whether your form has been received, go to the “My Documents” tab on the left side of your Educator Certification Online System (ECOS) account to see if it is in the list of documents uploaded. 

If you do not see the form listed there, we recommend reaching out to the verifying entity to confirm whether it has been sent.

Option 1: Test-Based Exemption + Experience 

Applicants may qualify for test exemption if they have previously passed licensure exams in another state that were required for certification. 

To be eligible under this option, applicants must also have the required experience in the certificate area for which you are seeking certification. 

• Classroom Teachers: at least one year of experience as a classroom teacher. 

• Principal, Superintendent, School Counselor, School Librarian, Educational Diagnostician or Reading Specialist: at least two years of experience in the certificate area for which you are seeking certification 

Required items for review: