TExES Success

Texas Administrative Code, §230.21(e) specifies the state laws for certification requirements, including certification exams, which UNT must abide by. All candidates for either an initial teaching certificate or an advanced professional certificate are required by Texas law to pass all certification exams aligned with the certification being sought. The UNT Educator Preparation Program cannot recommend a candidate for any certificate until they have passed all their tests.

All certification candidates should be aware that standards for certification are revised by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) periodically. This means that certification exams and certificate requirements also change. While UNT endeavors to communicate all upcoming changes to current and former students via email and on the TExES Success Office webpage, it is the responsibility of each certification candidate to stay current on exam changes and certification requirements.

 

Required Certification Exams

• Teacher Candidates: Each certification program has a specific set of exams that are required for certification, as determined by the State Board for Educator Certification. The UNT Educator Preparation Program has specific exam policies and deadlines in place to help ensure candidates will complete exam requirements prior to program completion. Refer to the TExES Flight Plan associated with your program under the Getting Started menu for specific exam requirements, suggested testing sequence and deadlines. Exam requirements are also shared in the Welcome to TExES email candidates receive upon formal admission to the Teacher Education program. Additionally, requirements can be found in the program-specific Exam Requirements & Deadlines assignment in the TExES Section Canvas course.
• Advanced certification candidates will take the TExES exam directly related to the certificate they are seeking (ie. Principal as Instructional Leader, Superintendent, Educational Diagnostician, School Counselor, or School Librarian). Principal candidates must also successfully complete the PASL exam for certification.  

Exam Approval

Exam approval is required before a candidate will be able to register for any official certification exam. In order to receive test approval for the TExES, AAFCS, or PASL exam required by their certification program, candidates should identify and follow the steps below as they relate to their certification program. Please be advised: UNT can only grant exam approval for exams directly related to each candidate's certification program. After a candidate has graduated and earned their initial certificate, the Texas Education Agency does allow “certification by exam” for teachers who wish to become certified in additional areas.

• Teacher Candidates admitted on or after December 1, 2023 must complete all of the following steps in order to receive approval to take their required TExES certification exams:
• Complete the TExES Section Canvas course modules, which includes program-specific Exam Requirements & Deadline acknowledgments as well as four Readiness to Test videos.
• Achieve a score of 70 or better on each of the TExES practice exams required for your certification program. If an official practice exam is not available (i.e., Business & Finance, Computer Science 8-12, Dance 6-12, Family Consumer Science, Hospitality Nutrition and Food Science, Human Development Family Studies, LOTE French, Physics/Math 7-12, or Speech 7-12), please visit with the TExES Success Office for acceptable alternatives.
• Candidates who do not achieve a 70 or better on the practice exam will receive a list of remedial materials to prepare to retake the practice test. 

Advanced Certificate Candidates (Principal, Superintendent, School Librarian, School Counselor, and Educational Diagnostician) are granted exam approval after they have been fully admitted by their program area and have met any program-specific requirements for exam approval. You should correspond directly with your program advisor about your requirements. Your program advisor will submit your eligibility to test to the TExES Success Office, who will then grant you test approval.

Principal candidates seeking test approval for the Principal as Instructional Leader (268) exam must complete a practice exam and have the scores reviewed by Dr. Duncan to determine eligibility for the real exam. Please reach out to Dr. Duncan directly about options for the practice exam or additional information.

Principal candidates seeking test approval for the PASL (368) exam must submit both of the following items for review by the program facilitator and practicum instructor:

• A certificate indicating completion of the UNT online, self-paced PASL course.
• A PASL Tasks Approval Form demonstrating that they have collected artifacts and made acceptable progress on the tasks to be able to submit the tasks before the submission deadline.

Principal candidates who do not receive a passing overall score after the first submission are eligible to resubmit any or all three tasks for a fee during the two resubmission windows. If a passing score is not achieved in either of the resubmission windows, candidates must work with their program facilitator and practicum instructor for remediation before additional approval to submit will be granted.

School Librarian candidates seeking test approval for the School Librarian (150) exam must follow the steps below to receive test approval:

• Take the practice exam offered by the TExES Success Office.
• If the score is 80 or higher, test approval for the actual TExES exam is granted by the TExES Success Office.
• If the score is below 80, the student must complete the TExES Study Module in INFO 5090, which includes video chats to help with testing strategies, 10 practice quizzes, creating test questions based on the Texas School Librarian Standards.
• After the student completes the study module, they will visit with their program advisor or INFO 5090 faculty to determine test readiness.

School Librarian candidates who do not pass the real TExES exam must visit with their INFO 5090 faculty to develop a study plan using additional study materials.

Superintendent candidates will be granted test approval for the Superintendent (195) exam after all courses, including EDLE 6033, have been successfully complete. The program coordinator will automatically transmit candidates' eligibility to test to the TExES Success Office, who will then grant test approval.

School Counselor candidates will be granted test approval for the School Counselor (252) exam after all required courses are complete and student has successfully enrolled in COUN 5720. The program coordinator will automatically transmit candidates' eligibility to test to the TExES Success Office, who will then grant test approval.

Educational Diagnostician candidates will be granted test approval for the Educational Diagnostician (253) exam after all required courses are complete and student has successfully enrolled in EDSP 5540. The program coordinator will automatically transmit candidates' eligibility to test to the TExES Success Office, who will then grant test approval.

 

Clinical Practice Requirements & Deadlines for Teacher Candidates

1. All teacher candidates must attempt their actual TExES content and applicable supplemental exams (ESL, Bilingual, or SPED EC-12) prior to beginning Clinical Teaching based on semester they intend to begin Clinical Teaching. Refer to the TExES Flight Plan associated with your program under the Getting Started menu for specific exam requirements. Use the table below to identify the exam deadline based on the semester you will begin Clinical Teaching. The deadline means that you must have attempted your content and applicable supplemental exams on or by the associated date. Example: If you are Clinical Teaching in Fall 2025, you must attempt your content and supplemental exam (as applicable) no later than July 15, 2025.
   Clinical Teaching Semester	Exam Deadline
   Fall Semester	July 15th
   Spring Semester	December 15th

2. EC-6 and ELAR 4-8 candidates should aim to take the Science of Teaching Reading (293) exam prior to starting Clinical Teaching, if possible. Bilingual EC-6 candidates should also aim to complete the BTLPT (190) exam prior to Clinical Teaching, if possible. Following your recommended testing sequence for your program will help you to stay on track to complete requirements. Refer to the TExES Flight Plan associated with your program under the Getting Started menu for specific exam requirements.
3. All candidates should complete any remaining exam requirements during Clinical Teaching in order to ensure they will be eligible for certification upon graduation. Candidates may graduate without passing their required exams but will not be eligible for certification until all exams have been passed, as this is a state requirement. Refer to the TExES Flight Plan associated with your program under the Getting Started menu for specific exam requirements.
    

TExES Exam Attempt Limits
Current law states that a candidate for any certificate is limited to five (5) total attempts to pass each of their required certification exams. Candidates who are unsuccessful after their fifth attempt must request additional attempts through a test-limit waiver submitted to the Texas Education Agency.

UNT candidates will receive test approval for their first exam attempt after achieving the appropriate benchmarks as listed under the Exam Approval requirements in item 1 above. Candidates who do not pass their actual certification exams will be granted successive testing attempts based upon a tiered remediation system established by UNT's Educator Preparation Office, unless their program has specific policies in place (i.e., Principal and School Librarian). Students will receive an email from the TExES Success Office following the release of their exam scores that will outline the options they can choose from in order to complete their remediation requirement. 

• 1st Unsuccessful Attempt - Candidates will be required to complete a minimum of six clock-hours of content-specific study and pass a practice exam with appropriate scores. Various vendors and options will be provided to candidates so that they may determine the best resource based on person preference, cost, or other factors. Candidates must submit evidence of completion (such as a certificate of completion, screenshot of account dashboard verifying time spent studying, and practice exam score report) to the TExES Success Office in order to receive approval to retake their exam.
• 2nd Unsuccessful Attempt - The Director of TExES Success will conduct a score analysis of both attempts on the exam to determine common areas of need as well as review prior remediation completed by candidate to determine additional options and avenues that candidates may choose from for more in depth review. This may include additional clock hours of study based on deficiencies determined on official score report, additional practice exams, or other suggested materials for review. Candidates must submit evidence of completion for their additional remediation to the TExES Success Office in order to receive approval to retake the exam. 
• 3rd Unsuccessful Attempt - Candidates will be asked to complete an exam reflection to discuss their exam experiences and evaluate whether they feel performance is affected by content knowledge, test anxiety, or other factors. Candidates will also work with the Director of TExES Success to discuss the resources they have previously used and what resources or assistance they feel would be most beneficial. Together, the candidate and Director will work together to create a plan of action for the candidate to complete in order to gain approval to retest.  
• 4th Unsuccessful Attempt - Candidates must meet with the Director of TExES Success to determine appropriate next steps to gain test approval.
• 5th Unsuccessful Attempt - Candidates must complete the Texas Education Agency's waiver application, which includes participating in a minimum of 50 clock-hours of educational activities from approved TEA providers, in order to request additional testing attempts. This process is external to UNT and cannot be overridden by the Educator Preparation Office.

All candidates should be aware of the costs associated with certification upon admission to the Educator Preparation program at UNT and begin to plan their finances accordingly. Students who receive financial aid can speak with a Financial Aid counselor about a Cost of Attendance Adjustment or financial aid loan to help pay for these costs. Fees are subject to change at the discretion of the State Board for Educator Certification.

• Admission to Teacher Education Technology Fee - $35 (Billed within the first semester of your admission to the Educator Preparation program.)
• Certification Exams - Costs range from $116 - $200
  Students are responsible for payment of certification exam fees. TExES exam fees can be found on Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website. The Texas Education Agency will waive certain fees for eligible military service members, military veterans, and military spouses.
  • All candidates can locate the cost of their TExES certification exams by going to http://tx.nesinc.com and locating the required exams under the Exams menu.
  • Principal candidates should be aware that they are required to take the Performance Assessment for School Leaders (PASL) in addition to their TExES certification exam. The PASL exam costs $375.
• Application for Certification - $78
• Fingerprinting fees due to the Texas Education Agency - $50.25

Computer-Administer Test Overview - Tutorial that will prepare you for how the test will be administered, and how your screen may look the day of the exam.

What to Expect - Video on what to expect from checking in on test day, to completing your exam.

Preparing for the TExES Exams - A guide on how to prepare and study for the exams.

TExES Exam Question Formats - An explanation of the types of questions you can expect to see on your certification exams.

Student's Guide to Improving Study Skills - How to assess and advance your study habits.

Understanding the Land of TExES - Three-part video series that breaks down the history, language, and culture of the TExES exams so that you can better understand your exams.

Five Star Study App - Five Star has released Notebooks that can be scanned by their Study App so you can automatically turn your notes into flashcards!

Two forms of ID

• Primary ID must be government issued:
  • Valid Driver's License
  • State Identification Card
  • Military ID card (with signature)
  • Passport 
• Secondary ID must be valid and contain:
  • Your name and a clear photograph (ex. UNT ID card) OR
  • Name and signature (ex. credit card with a signature on the back)

NAME ON BOTH MUST MATCH WHAT IS ON FILE WITH PEARSON

If your name does NOT match, do not register for your exam before you change your name with TEA.

Steps to Submit Name Change Request

1. Wait until you have your new valid ID with your legal name.
2. Submit a name change request through the Texas Education Agency.
3. Wait for confirmation that the change has been made and check your Pearson Testing Account Personal Information to ensure that the update has been made.
4. Once your name matches your ID, register for your test and schedule the exam.
5. Make sure your supplemental ID also contains your legal name.

Expired Certification Exam Information

Initial Teacher Candidates

If you graduated from UNT but did not complete certification requirements before your exams or certification program expired, please contact the TExES Success Office in order to determine your eligibility to take the new certification exams. Please be aware that if your program has had significant changes (i.e.., EC-4 to EC-6) UNT may be unable to grant you approval to the new certification exams. Please include your full name as it was when you attended UNT and either your UNT ID number or TEA ID number so that we may locate your records for review.  In most cases, you will be required to complete a practice exam prior to receiving test approval. The TExES Success Office will review the age of your coursework and provide options for you to choose from.

 

Candidates who completed the Educational Leadership for Principal Program

If you completed the Principal program but did not obtain your certification prior to 9/1/2019, please email Linda.Stromberg@unt.edu for the requirements to obtain test approval for the new Principal as Instructional Leader (268) exam and PASL (368) assessment.

 

Candidates who completed the Superindent Program

Please contact the TExES Success Office and include your name and UNT ID number or TEA ID number so that we may access your records. If our office does not have your certification plan on file, we will provide you with further instructions before test approval can be granted

WHAT IS TEAL?

Every student who is admitted to an Education Preparation Program must create an Educator Profile through the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) Educator Certification Online System (ECOS). TEAL is your personal gateway into TEA's system where you will apply for teaching certificates, renew your certificates, print copies of your certificates, and view the certification exams you have taken. Whenever the Texas Education Agency needs to contact you, they will use the contact information contained in your profile, so it is important that you keep your phone number, home address, and email address current.

Complete STEPS 1 and 2 to establish your TEAL Educator Account. Read the instructions carefully.

STEP 1 — Creating Your Educator Account

1. Go to http://tea.texas.gov and click TEAL Login at the top of the main page.
2. Click Request New User Account.
3. Enter required information on the TEAL user information page. You must enter the name in TEAL as it exists on your Texas Driver's License/State ID card. Do not use nicknames (example: "Bill" vs. "William") or other variations. Also, capitalize the first letter of your first and last name and make the rest lower case. For example: Jane Doe; Not JANE DOE or jane doe.
4. Select "Educator" for the Organization Type, enter your Social Security Number and birth year.  Please make sure you enter your Social Security Number accurately. If you do not have a Social Security Number, please contact the TExES Success Office at COE-TSO@unt.edu or 940-369-8601.
5. Enter your phone number and address. It is recommended that you use whatever address is tied to your debit and/or credit cards. This address can be updated at any time if you move.
6. Click Submit.
7. You will be assigned a username—be sure to write it down in a secure location—and prompted to create a password. Your password must meet the TEAL security requirements listed on that page. Then, you will be prompted to set up answers to three security questions. The answers to your security questions will be used to reset your password if needed.
8. After completing the security questions, you should see the Self-Service menu on the left side of your screen and a link that reads View My Educator Certification Account with your TEA ID number beneath it on the right side of the screen. If you do not see the "View My Educator Certification Account link", complete the additional steps below. If you do see the link, continue to Step 2 - Educator Profile Setup.

Complete the following additional steps if you see the "Apply for Access" link instead of the "View My Educator Certification Account" link after logging on to TEAL.

1. From the Self-Service menu, click My Application Accounts.
2. Then click Request New Account.
3. Click on ECOSEducator.
4. Enter your Social Security Number and birth year, then click Create.
5. The system should display a confirmation message in green. If an error message is displayed, you will need to file a Help Desk Ticket with TEA. You will click on the "TEAL Access" tile to submit the ticket. Let them know the specific error message you receive. 
6. If you receive the green confirmation message, click back on the Applications tab and click Refresh Links. You should now see the "View My Educator Certification Account" link with your TEA ID number listed beneath it. Proceed to Step 2 - Educator Profile Setup.

STEP 2 — Educator Profile Setup

1. Click on the "View my Educator Certification Account" link above your TEA ID number to navigate into your TEAL Educator Profile.
2. You will need to fill in any field that has a RED asterisk (*) next to it. Fields that are grayed out can only be changed by a TEA administrator.
3. Make sure that the following fields has been filled in: 
   • Gender 
   • Phone Number
   • Ethnicity/Race (click on ‘Select/Update Ethnicity' to choose from a list of options)
   • Driver License Number 
   • Driver License State (state that issued your license)
   • Mailing Address (leave foreign address blank if you are a US citizen)
   • Billing Address (leave foreign address blank if you are a US citizen)
4. After all fields are updated, click Continue at the bottom of the page.

You are now in your TEAL Educator Profile! On the left, you will see a menu with various options, including Applications. At the end of your graduating semester, if you have completed all requirements and passed your certification exams, you will navigate back to this screen and use the Applications tab to apply for certification. You will also use this profile to renew your educator certificates every five years, or add additional certifications for any exams you complete beyond your initial certification program. Do not apply for certification until you meet all eligibility requirements. A list of requirements can be found at /educator-preparation-office/educator-certification along with instructions for how to apply for certification at the end of your graduating semester. 

You will not use your Educator Profile to register for your certification exams. You will need to create a testing account to register for all of your certification exams. We have a step-by-step guide on how to create your testing account and register for your actual certification exams at /texes/exam-registration-guide.

Eligibility

Candidates seeking Principal as Instructional Leader certification must have program approval to take the Performance Assessment for School Leaders (PASL) assessment. Please contact your advisor in Educational Leadership to determine your eligibility for the PASL. Most candidates will be eligible to register for the PASL within their Internship semester. 

About the PASL

The PASL assessment allows you to show how you apply the knowledge and skills needed to begin working as an effective school leader. You will likely complete the PASL assessment tasks during your Internship semester. The tasks focus on addressing a problem/challenge, developing continuous professional development, and building a collaborative culture. The PASL assessment will help determine if you're prepared to enter a school leadership position and is aligned with national and state-specific school leader standards.

For more information, please visit https://www.ets.org/pasl/test-takers/about.html.

Registering for the PASL

After you have received test approval from the Educational Leadership program, you will be able to register for the PASL through your ETS Account. If you do not have an ETS account, you will need to create an account. Once you have logged into your account, you will be able to select the PASL exam and the submission window. You will select Texas and University of North Texas when asked which Educator Preparation Program is requiring you to take the assessment. Choose up to four recipients to receive your scores, then answer the background questions and pay for the exam. You will be able to access the assessment through your ETS account when the submission window opens.

For information on how to register for the exam, including fees, dates, and submission deadlines, please visit https://www.ets.org/pasl/test-takers/register.html.

PASL Resources

For PASL Assessment resources and test prep, including handbooks and guides, please visit https://www.ets.org/pasl/test-takers/resources.html.

The TExES Special Education EC-12 exam will be sunsetting in 2025. The last day candidates can take the current Special Education EC-12 (161) is August 31, 2025. The new TExES Special Education Specialist EC-12 (186) exam will be released in September 2025 and will replace the current SPED (161) exam.  Former students, current undergraduate students enrolled in Blocks B and C in Spring 2025, and IMPACT students who will begin Internship or Clinical Teaching in Fall 2025 are the only students who are eligible for the current Special Education EC-12 (161). 

Candidates who pass the current Special Education EC-12 (161) exam must complete all remaining course requirements by May 2026 and pass any remaining certification exams before August 1, 2026. You must submit your application for certification and be recommended by UNT no later than noon on August 31, 2026 to use the current Special Education EC-12 (161) exam for certification.

Any candidate who does not pass the Special Education EC-12 (161) by August 31, 2025 or does not submit their application for certification and receive a recommendation by August 31, 2026 will be required to complete the new Special Education Specialist EC-12 (186) exam as part of their certification requirements.