Texas Teacher Licensure Guide for Online Master's Students

Who Licenses Teachers in Texas, and Which Exams Does It Use?

Texas licenses teachers through Texas Education Agency and State Board for Educator Certification, and the exams it requires are the TExES, the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards.

For the programs themselves, the online master's in education programs at universities in Texas are ranked at the in-state price, and the national and specialty lists cover schools in other states.

How Do I Get a Texas Teaching License With an Online Master's?

Getting a Texas teaching license with an online master's depends on a TEA-approved educator preparation program, because the Texas Education Agency lists five requirements for a new teacher: a bachelor's degree, an approved program, certification exams, a state application and fingerprinting. Texas calls its license a certificate, and a master's is not among the five.

Someone with a bachelor's degree is pointed to an alternative certification program or a post-baccalaureate program, and TEA keeps the list of approved programs. Check any online master's against it before enrolling. Our elementary education and secondary education rankings use federal figures on graduates and tuition, and none of those records TEA approval.

Which Exams Does Texas Require for Teacher Certification?

Texas requires teacher candidates to pass TExES exams, and your preparation program controls access: TEA says candidates in a program must be approved by it to test, one attempt at a time. Pearson delivers the exams, and its exam site limits candidates to five attempts at a certification exam, with 30 days between them.

Someone with a bachelor's degree who has not entered a program may take Pre-Admission Content Tests first. Teachers of grades PK to 6 also pass the Science of Teaching Reading exam, which TEA dates to January 1, 2021. Texas does not use Praxis.

Can I Transfer a Teaching License to Texas From Another State?

A teaching license cannot be transferred to Texas automatically, because TEA states that Texas has no reciprocity with any other state. An educator with a standard certificate from another state applies for a Review of Credentials, and under House Bill 1178 that certificate must be valid and active when the complete application arrives. Allow six to eight weeks.

A reviewed applicant may be exempted from some or all Texas exams, either by passing comparable exams elsewhere and teaching at least one year, or by documenting three or more years in the certificate area, though experience alone never exempts a candidate from the Science of Teaching Reading exam. A degree without a certificate gets no review: TEA does not look at transcripts, degree level or coursework, and sends that person to a Texas program.

The 2020 comparison by the Education Commission of the States points the same way: Texas had no full reciprocity by statute and required extra assessments of some out-of-state teachers.

Does NC-SARA Membership Cover Teacher Certification for Texas Online Master's Students?

NC-SARA membership does not cover teacher certification for Texas online master's students, because NC-SARA says SARA does not address licensing board approval for teacher education programs. Texas joined in November 2015, so a school that participates in SARA gets a streamlined route to offer online programs to Texas residents, and TEA still decides who is certified.

What SARA does require is notice: participating schools must tell students whether a program meets licensure requirements where the student lives.

What Should I Ask an Online Program Before Enrolling From Texas?

An online program should say in writing whether it has determined that its curriculum meets Texas requirements for your certificate, and you should ask before you enroll from Texas. 34 CFR 668.43 makes a school that advertises licensure preparation list the states where it found the program does and does not qualify, and requires a warning before enrollment if it found a shortfall or made no determination.

Then ask the Texas questions: is the program on TEA's approved list, can student teaching happen in a Texas school, which TExES exams does it prepare you for, and who recommends you to TEA at the end?

Which Certificate Do Texas Principals and School Counselors Need?

A Texas principal needs a master's degree, a valid classroom teaching certificate, two years of creditable classroom teaching, and an approved principal preparation program plus the required exam. A school counselor needs an approved program, a master's degree and the required test, and since September 1, 2023 no teaching experience.

The degree and the approved program are separate requirements, so confirm both when you weigh an online master's in educational leadership or school counseling. The exam site lists the Principal as Instructional Leader (268) and School Counselor (252) tests.