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Understanding which TExES exams you need to pass in order to become a certified teacher in Texas can be confusing. I'm going to help you today understand more about what the TExES exams are and how to determine which exams you will need to take. It's important to know which exams are needed for the area of certification you are seeking. You may need 2-3 TExES exams to be fully certified to teach one content area. So let's dive in! 

What are TExES exams?

The TExES exams are the series of exams used in Texas to determine each educator’s content knowledge and pedagogical skills needed to become an entry-level teacher in Texas. 

These exams are content and grade specific based on what certification area you are seeking. 

The exams are built on the foundation of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), which are the standards used to measure student's mastery of subjects and grade levels in Texas. 

All TExES exams consist of selected-response questions, while some exams have essays and oral responses. 

What are the different types of TExES exams?

There are currently over 55 TExES exams offered. 

All teacher candidates who want to teach in Texas must take and pass the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC–12 (PPR) exam. 

There are currently five certification fields who must also take the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) exam: 

  • Early Childhood: PK – 3 
  • Core Subjects EC – 6 
  • Core Subjects 4 – 8 
  • English Language Arts and Reading 4 – 8 
  • English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8

Depending on which subject area and grade level you wish to teach depends on which TExES content exam(s) you will need to take. 

When choosing which certification you would like to pursue, keep in mind that most elementary schools in Texas serve grades Pre-kindergarten through grade 5. 

Middle schools in Texas usually consist of grades 6 through 8 and high school is usually grades 9 through 12. 

Some content area certification tests will overlap grade levels from primary to secondary and vice versa, allowing those educators the luxury of being able to apply to teach in a primary and secondary school. 

Elementary SchoolMiddle SchoolHigh SchoolAll grades and Specialty 
Early Childhood: PK – 3Core Subjects 4 – 8Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources 6 - 12American Sign Language (ASL)
Core Subjects EC – 6English Language Arts and Reading 4 – 8Business and Finance 6 – 12Art EC – 12
English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4 – 8Chemistry 7 – 12Bilingual Education Supplemental
Mathematics 4 – 8Computer Science 8 – 12Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Test (BTLPT)
Mathematics/Science 4 – 8Dance 6 – 12Braille (UEB)
Science 4 – 8English Language Arts and Reading 7 – 12Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing*Deafblind EC – 12 (starting 9/1/2025)
Social Studies 4 – 8Health Science 6 – 12Educational Diagnostician
History 7 – 12English as a Second Language Supplemental
Journalism 7 – 12Gifted and Talented Supplemental
Life Science 7–12Health EC – 12
Marketing 6 – 12Languages Other Than English (LOTE) (French, German, Latin, or Spanish)
Mathematics 7 - 12Music EC – 12
Mathematics/Physical Science/Engineering 6 – 12Physical Education EC – 12
Physical Science 6 – 12Principal as Instructional Leader
Physics/Mathematics 7 – 12Reading Specialist
Science 7 – 12School Counselor
Social Studies 7 – 12School Librarian
Speech 7 – 12Special Education EC – 12 (ending 8/31/2025)Special Education Supplemental (ending 8/31/2025)*Special Education Specialist EC – 12 (starting 9/1/2025)
Superintendent
Technology Applications EC – 12Technology 
Theatre EC – 12
Visually Impaired

Most school districts in Texas require teachers to have their ESL certification, so it is recommended to take the English as a Second Language Supplemental exam. 

What is the difference between TX PACT and TExES?

The PACT exam is a Pre-Admission Content Test. The PACT exams are used by some alternative certification programs (ACP) and educator preparation programs (EPP) to admit candidates into their programs. These exams are different from the TExES exams which provide a teacher candidate with Texas teacher certification after passing the TExES exam(s). 

A PACT exam is usually used to determine a candidate’s eligibility into an ACP or EPP if their college GPA is below 2.5 or they have completed less than 12-15 hours in the field of study they are wanting to receive teacher certification in.

How to determine which TExES exam to take?

When determining which TExES exams you will need to take you will need to consider your preferences of which content area or grade level you would like to teach.

Step 1: Pass the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) EC – 12 exam.

Step 2: Choose the content area you want to teach.

If you are unsure which content area you prefer to teach it would be highly recommended to obtain a Core Subjects EC - 6 or Core Subjects 4 - 8 certification. 

With these certifications you would be tested in the four core subject areas:

  • English Language Arts and Reading
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Social Studies

With the Core Subjects EC - 6 you would also be tested on the same four subjects areas above plus a fifth subject area, Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education. 

These certifications would allow you the flexibility to teach multiple subject areas in a departmentalized or self-contained classroom. 

Step 3: Choose the grade level you want to teach.

If you are unsure which grade level but know which content area you would like to teach it would be beneficial to pursue a primary and secondary certification in that subject area. Obtaining both of these certifications would make you a highly-qualified candidate. 

How much does a TExES exam cost?

Each TExES exam ranges from $116 to $200. Most exams fall into the $116 range with the exception of the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) and a few others that are $136. 

Some certification fields require 3-4 TExES exams which will cost you a little under $500 when you have completed all required and recommended certifications for that field. 

ExamRequiredPrice
Core Subjects EC - 6âś“$116
Science of Teaching Reading (STR)âś“$136
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) EC – 12✓$116
English as a Second Language SupplementalOptional, but required for most school districts in Texas$116

How to prepare for your TExES exam?

So, how will you prepare for all of the TExES exams you will need to take? 

Your traditional degree plan in education and educator preparation program (EPP) will provide you with hours of coursework but you will still need a good study plan and study materials to help you pass the TExES exams.

Practice tests are a fantastic way to gauge what content you still need to study. These practice tests will help you to develop a study plan and give you an idea of how the content is presented on the exam.

Take it from me, a Texas teacher who went through a traditional EPP through my college. I started by using a practice test to help me develop a study plan. It was easier to see what content I needed help with and helped me determine what I needed to study– a lot like what you will do with your own students when analyzing data! 

There are many options available to you when choosing TExES study materials. You will want to choose test prep materials that have a high success rate among their users and provide you with study material for all of the TExES exams you will need to take. 

How many times can I take a TExES exam?

There is a 5-attempt limit to take a TExES certification exam. Each testing session counts as one time. If you take a TExES exam that has multiple subject areas you are able to retake one or two of the subject areas you did not pass or you can take the overall exam again. You will not have to retake any subject areas you passed when you retake the overall exam, you will be allowed to skip those sections during your testing session. 

For example, the TExES Core Subjects EC - 6 has five subject areas. If you do not pass 3 of the sections the first time it would be beneficial to take the overall exam again instead of taking each section you did not pass separately since each testing session counts as one attempt. If you took them separately you would be at 4-attempts for the Core Subjects EC - 6 and only have one more chance to pass those three sections if you did not pass them again. 

Closing: 
It is important to work with your college’s EPP or your alternative certification program (ACP) to make sure you are taking the correct TExES exams. Choosing an alternative certification program like 240 Certification provides you with 1-on-1 support throughout the entire pro

Ready to start your certification journey? Apply to 240 Certification Today!

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