The Texas Teacher Certification Test is one of the state mandated requirements in order to become a certified teacher in the State of Texas. A teaching candidate cannot take the TExES content exam until they are officially enrolled in an alternative certification program. These programs are offered at colleges, school districts, regional service centers, and by private institutions, as well. Teaching certification in Texas is now more important than ever since there is an increasing shortage of individuals entering this field. The Texas Teacher Certification Test ensures that each educator has the prerequisite content and detailed knowledge required to teach that particular subject area.
The ExCET (Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas) exam is being phased out and replaced by the TExES (Texas Examinations of Educator Standards) exam. Both of these exams are criterion-referenced and measure a candidate’s knowledge within a specific field. These exams do not measure how candidates perform against one another. All of the tests contain a variety of multiple-choice questions.
Both the TExES and ExCET certification examinations have specific minimum scores a teacher must obtain before a passing score is awarded. Each TExES test score is reported in the range of 100-300. Teaching candidates must score at least 240 or higher in order to pass the examination. ExCET certification test results are scored in the range of 0-100. A prospective educator must obtain a minimum grade of 70 to pass the exam. These minimum passing scores represent the lowest level of competency that an educator must have in order to teach in their content and grade level.
If a teacher does not pass the appropriate exam they can register again to retake the content test at a future date. Teaching candidates will have to register again and pay additional fees to retake the content exam. Teaching candidates on average have to wait a minimum of three weeks to obtain their scores. If educators do not pass an ExCET test before it is replaced, they will be required to take a corresponding TExES examination before certification is awarded.
Some teachers can obtain certification in specific areas such as Bilingual or ESL. Teaching candidates who plan on teaching Spanish or French must take the Texas Oral Proficiency Test (TOPT). This exam analyzes an educator’s ability to speak these languages and requires candidates to engage in recorded responses to specific speaking tasks so they can demonstrate their knowledge in Spanish or French. Individuals, who plan on teaching students who are deaf or have some kind of hearing impairment will need to take another type of examination. The Texas Assessment of Sign Communication (TASC) and the Texas Assessment of Sign Communication-American Sign Language (TASC-ASL) are two types of exams for this special area.
The TASC accesses an educator’s sign communication proficiency within one or more of the sign communication systems commonly found in classroom settings. The TASC-ASL measures proficiency in American Sign Language only. Both exams use an interview format and comprehensively test the teacher for aptitude in this field. Educators, who are interested in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing or Special Education-Hearing impaired certification, do not have to pass the TASC test. These candidates will be able to demonstrate their abilities in this field through their educator preparation programs assessments.
Becoming a teacher in Texas is now more important than ever before. The growing number of vacant teaching positions is growing and is having a profound effect on our children’s future. Individuals seeking a teaching position in Texas must pass the state mandated certification test before entering the classroom. The certification test measures a teacher’s level of competency and lets the administrators know that the candidate is highly qualified for the classroom. So become a contributing factor in the lives of tomorrow’s children and be rewarded with the gift of knowledge.
