Certification

For your convenience we have provided general information to assist with the process of obtaining a Texas Teaching Certificate or additional teaching area certifications.

What are the basic requirements for becoming a teacher in Texas?

You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. The only exemption from the degree requirement is for individuals seeking Career and Technology certification to teach certain courses, such as welding or computer-aided drafting.

You must complete teacher training through an approved program. These programs are offered through colleges and universities, regional service centers, community colleges, and other alternative teacher certification programs.  For a list of programs in the Fort Worth area visit the State Board for Educator Certification website www.sbec.state.tx.us

You must successfully complete the appropriate teacher certification tests for the subject and grade level you wish to teach. For a list of the certification tests and information on which tests are required visit www.sbec.state.tx.us

A teacher who holds an appropriate Texas classroom teaching certificate and a bachelor's degree may add classroom certification areas by successfully completing the appropriate certification examination(s) for the area(s) sought.

 Certification by examination is not available for:

• initial certification;
• career and technology certification based on skill and work experience;
• a class of certificate other than classroom teacher (e.g. School Counselor, Principal, Superintendent, Learning Resources/School Librarian, Educational Diagnostician);
• a certificate for which no certification examination has been developed.

What to do if you are certified in another state or country?

Teachers from other states or countries who hold acceptable credentials from their home state or country can gain certification in Texas by passing the appropriate Texas certification tests. For more information visit www.sbec.state.tx.us

Some out-of-state teachers can gain certification in Texas based on the certification tests they took in another state, if SBEC has found those tests to be similar to and at least as rigorous as equivalent Texas tests. SBEC began the process of reviewing other state's tests in fall 2001. For an overview of this review process and a list of the out-of-state tests reviewed to date visit www.sbec.state.tx.us