TExES Exam 2026: FREE Texas Teacher Certification Guide

Last updated July 7, 2026. Sources: Texas Education Agency (TEA) Educator Testing, Pearson TExES Program (tx.nesinc.com), Texas Administrative Code Title 19, Part 7 (SBEC rules), HB 3 (2019) Science of Teaching Reading mandate, HB 2 (2025) fee waivers, and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024 OEWS data. All exam codes, fees, and transition dates reflect the official TEA/Pearson exam list as of July 2026.

TExES Exam 2026: The Short Answer

The Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) is the mandatory certification test series for every public school teacher, principal, counselor, librarian, and superintendent in Texas. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) owns the credential; Pearson administers the exams through Pearson VUE testing centers. To teach in a Texas public school in 2026 you must:

1. Complete a State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)-approved educator preparation program (EPP) — traditional university, post-baccalaureate, or alternative certification program (ACP). Candidates without an education degree may also need to pass a TX PACT pre-admission content test to enter an ACP.
2. Pass the content area TExES for your certification field (e.g., Core Subjects EC-6 #391, Mathematics 7-12 #235, Science 7-12 #236, English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 #331).
3. Pass the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) EC-12 #160 (a planned replacement, the Texas Test of Educator Proficiency or T-TEP, is not expected before September 2027 and is pending SBEC action).
4. Pass the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) #293 if your certificate covers grades EC-6 or 4-8 ELA (required statewide since January 1, 2021 under HB 3, 2019).
5. Pass fingerprint background check and apply for Texas certification through the TEA Educator Certification Online System (ECOS).

Each TExES test is computer-based (CAT) in a 5-hour appointment window that includes a 15-minute tutorial and optional break (about 4 hours 45 minutes of testing time), graded on a 100-300 scaled-score with 240 as the passing standard. The standard fee is $116 per test (Pearson 2026 pricing) for most exams; a few specialized exams such as Special Education Specialist #186 and Deafblind #185 cost $136. Under HB 2 (signed June 4, 2025), first-attempt exam fees are waived (fee set to $0 at registration) for candidates seeking Special Education or Bilingual Education certification.

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TExES At-a-Glance (2026)

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What TExES Actually Is (and Why Texas Does Not Use Praxis)

Texas is one of a small number of states that built its own educator exam system rather than adopting the ETS Praxis series. TExES is aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) — the state's own curriculum standards — and to the Educator Standards codified by SBEC. This matters in three ways:

1. Praxis does not count in Texas. A Texas-certified teacher who moves to another state may need Praxis; an out-of-state teacher moving to Texas generally must pass the appropriate TExES tests (unless qualifying for the Review of Credentials pathway and temporary permit).
2. TExES items cite Texas statute and policy. The PPR asks about Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code (student discipline), the Texas Educators' Code of Ethics (19 TAC Chapter 247), special education under Texas ARD rules, and the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS). Praxis PLT does not.
3. STR is Texas-unique. The Science of Teaching Reading (STR) #293 was mandated by HB 3 (2019) to certify that every EC-6 and 4-8 ELA teacher can teach reading using the science of reading framework — phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension.

A separate TX PACT (Pre-Admission Content Test) series exists for candidates seeking admission to alternative certification or post-baccalaureate educator preparation programs. PACT exams measure subject-matter knowledge only and are not the same as TExES certification exams; they do not count toward the 5-attempt TExES limit when taken only for EPP admission or charter-school assignment.

Certification Pathways

Texas has three primary routes to the TExES:

• Traditional (university-based undergraduate or grad) — Bachelor's degree with an approved EPP (education major or post-bacc certification).
• Alternative Certification Program (ACP) — Post-bachelor's route where you teach under a probationary or intern certificate while completing pedagogical coursework and field supervision. Admission to an ACP may require a passing TX PACT score.
• Out-of-State (Review of Credentials) — Hold a valid out-of-state certificate, submit credentials to TEA, pay the review fee, and complete any gap TExES tests.

In all three routes, the certification exam slate is the same: content + PPR + STR (if EC-6/4-8 ELA).

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Most Common TExES Tests (2026)

Pearson's official TExES catalog lists 60+ individual test fields. The highest-volume tests for new teachers (codes verified against the tx.nesinc.com exam list, July 2026):

The short-form rule: EC-6 candidates sit Core Subjects #391 + STR #293 + PPR #160 (three tests, $348 if first-time pass). Secondary candidates sit content area + PPR #160 (two tests, $232). Bilingual/ESL adds the #164 or #154 supplemental; Special Education candidates take #186 (first attempt free under HB 2).

Upcoming Exam Transitions (TEA Schedule)

TEA publishes a transition roadmap; dates are targets and subject to change:

• September 1, 2026 — New Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental (165) launches, replacing the current #164 for Spanish-bilingual candidates (the existing #164 remains for other target languages).
• No earlier than September 2027 — Texas Test of Educator Proficiency (T-TEP) launches as the required pedagogy assessment, replacing PPR #160 (pending SBEC action). A redesigned Core EC-6 also launches with new subtest codes 810-815 (Core EC-6 ELAR 811, Mathematics 812, Social Studies 813, Science 814, Fine Arts/PE/Health 815, and a new Core EC-6 with Special Education 810).
• No earlier than September 2028 — ESL Supplemental (254) relaunch, Core EC-6 with ESL (818), Bilingual Special Education (187), and Core EC-6 with Bilingual Spanish (816 Spanish Proficiency + 817 Bilingual Education).

If you begin prep in 2026, the current #160, #391 (901-905), and #164 are the exams you will sit for; the 2027/2028 transitions will not affect candidates already testing.

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Deep Dive: PPR EC-12 #160 — Four Domains

The PPR is the universal Texas pedagogy test — almost every candidate takes it. 100 selected-response items, 5-hour appointment (about 4 hours 45 minutes of testing time). Four domains aligned to the Texas Educator Standards for pedagogy:

Domain I — Designing Instruction and Assessment (~34%)

• Human development stages (Piaget, Erikson, Vygotsky) applied to classroom planning.
• Student diversity — cultural, linguistic (ELL/emergent bilingual), socioeconomic, learning differences, 504 vs IEP.
• TEKS alignment — unpacking the standard, writing measurable objectives.
• Backward design — assessment-first lesson planning.
• Differentiation — content/process/product; tiered assignments; UDL.
• Formative vs summative assessment; criterion-referenced assessment alignment.

Domain II — Creating a Positive, Productive Classroom Environment (~13%)

• Classroom management — procedures, routines, transitions.
• Physical and emotional safety — trauma-informed practices.
• Student engagement — relevance, choice, rigor.
• Motivation (intrinsic vs extrinsic), self-efficacy, mindset.

Domain III — Implementing Effective, Responsive Instruction and Assessment (~33%)

• Instructional strategies — direct instruction, inquiry, cooperative learning, 5E model.
• Questioning — Bloom's, Webb's DOK, wait time.
• Technology integration (aligned to SAMR/TPACK).
• Assessment for learning — feedback cycles, reteaching, data-driven instruction.
• Adjusting instruction based on data.

Domain IV — Fulfilling Professional Roles and Responsibilities (~20%)

• Texas Educators' Code of Ethics (19 TAC Chapter 247) — conduct, boundaries, mandatory reporting.
• Texas Education Code Chapter 37 — discipline, due process.
• FERPA, IDEA, Section 504, Child Find.
• T-TESS appraisal system components.
• Collaboration — ARD committees, parent conferences, professional learning communities (PLCs).

Coming: T-TEP (No Earlier Than September 2027)

Per TEA, the Texas Test of Educator Proficiency (T-TEP) is being developed (with Stephen F. Austin State University) to replace PPR #160 as the required pedagogy assessment. Launch is targeted no earlier than September 2027 and is pending SBEC action. Until T-TEP launches, PPR #160 remains the required pedagogy test — there is no alternate "PPR Standard" exam in current use. Candidates testing in 2026 register for #160.

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Deep Dive: STR #293 — Science of Teaching Reading

Required since January 1, 2021 for any certificate that includes reading instruction in grades EC-6 or 4-8 ELA (HB 3, 2019). 80 selected-response + 1 constructed response, 5-hour appointment.

Texas STR is a pure science-of-reading exam — this is not "balanced literacy" and it is not the three-cueing system. Items cite the Simple View of Reading (Decoding x Language Comprehension = Reading Comprehension) and Scarborough's Reading Rope.

Five STR Domains

STR Vocabulary You Must Know

• Phoneme (smallest unit of sound) vs grapheme (letter or letters representing a phoneme)
• Phonemic awareness (sound manipulation: blending, segmenting, deletion) vs phonics (letter-sound correspondence)
• Decoding vs encoding (spelling)
• Orthographic mapping — the process by which readers bond spellings, pronunciations, and meanings of words in memory
• Matthew Effect — early readers get stronger; struggling readers fall further behind
• Scarborough's Rope strands — word recognition (phonological awareness, decoding, sight recognition) and language comprehension (background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning, literacy knowledge)

The STR's #1 failure pattern: candidates who studied for older reading certification tests default to balanced-literacy / three-cueing answers. In 2026, if the answer talks about "picture cues" or "guessing from context" for beginning decoding, it is wrong.

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Deep Dive: Core Subjects EC-6 #391 — Five Subtests (901-905)

The Core Subjects EC-6 #391 is a bundled test — one registration ($116) that delivers five individual subject exams on the same day. You must pass all five; if you fail one or more, you re-register and retake only the failed subject exam(s) at $58 each. All five must be passed within 36 months of your first attempt to preserve prior passes. Per the official Pearson retake policy, the best score on each subject exam is retained, so retaking the overall exam does not require redoing previously passed subject exams.

Total: about 210 selected-response items across the five subject exams. All five subject exams must hit 240 scaled. The full-test appointment runs 5 hours with short breaks between subject exams. Most candidates find 902 (Math) and 901 (ELAR, which is STR-adjacent) the hardest. Subject exam 905 tests breadth — art, music, theatre, health, PE — which many candidates underestimate.

Note: passing scores on subject exams from the retired 291 Core Subjects EC-6 cannot be combined with scores on the current 391; candidates who did not pass all five 291 subject exams must take and pass all five 391 subject exams.

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The 240 Passing Score — What It Means

Every TExES scaled score runs 100-300. The criterion-referenced passing standard is 240. Here is what that hides:

• The raw-to-scaled conversion varies by form. A scaled 240 is roughly 65-70% raw correct on most TExES forms, though it can be as low as 62% or as high as 72%.
• Scaled 240 is not "60% = passing" — the scaling compensates for item difficulty. Two candidates with the same raw score on different forms can end up 3-5 scaled points apart.
• The score report shows your scaled score and domain performance bands (low/medium/high relative to the 240 cut). Use the domain bands on a failing report to focus retake study.

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Cost Stack

One-test budget:

Full EC-6 candidate (3 tests: Core Subjects #391 + STR #293 + PPR #160): $348 if first-time pass.

Full secondary candidate (2 tests: content + PPR #160): $232 if first-time pass.

Retakes: each retake is another $116 (or $58 per Core Subjects subject exam). With a 30-day wait and 5 lifetime attempts, the retake math still favors thorough study the first time.

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Registration (Pearson / ECOS)

1. Confirm your EPP has registered you as Test Approval in ECOS (Educator Certification Online System) at tea.texas.gov. Without approval, Pearson will block your registration.
2. Create an account at tx.nesinc.com (the Texas Educator Certification Exam site run by Pearson).
3. Register for the specific test; pay $116 (or $136 for the specialized exams noted above). Special Education and Bilingual candidates see the $0 HB 2 waiver applied automatically on first attempt.
4. Select a test site (Pearson VUE-administered CBT center). Large Texas metros have multiple sites; rural areas may require travel. You may reschedule up to 48 hours before your appointment.
5. Receive confirmation and admission ticket. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID — name must match exactly.

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8-12 Week Study Plan (per test)

Plan each test as its own 8-week sprint. Sequence them so you have stacking windows — a common pattern:

• Month 1-2: PPR (and/or STR if EC-6/4-8)
• Month 3-4: Core Subjects #391 or content area

Week-by-Week (generic per TExES test)

• Week 1 — Diagnostic and blueprint. Take a full-length timed practice. Map domain performance. Identify bottom 2 domains.
• Weeks 2-3 — Bottom domain deep dive. Flashcards, TEA study guides, targeted drills. Aim for 80%+ on domain-specific quizzes.
• Weeks 4-5 — Second-weakest domain + drill mixing. Alternate domain study with mixed-domain 25-item sets.
• Week 6 — Full-length #2 (untimed) + STR constructed response practice (if applicable). Score and review.
• Week 7 — Full-length #3 (timed). Aim for 85%+ raw. Re-drill weakest clusters.
• Week 8 — Polish + simulation. One final full-length early in the week. Light review only after. Sleep.

For the Core Subjects #391 (5 subject exams), extend to 10-12 weeks and allocate ~2 weeks per subject exam before simulations. Math (902) typically needs the most time.

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Resources (Free First)

Start free — TEA's official preparation manuals and OpenExamPrep practice can get most prepared candidates to 240. Add a paid resource only if you want structured pacing or a specific weakness.

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Test-Day Strategy (5-Hour Stamina)

1. Sleep 8 hours. Not the week before — the night before.
2. Arrive 30 minutes early. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID with matching name.
3. Pace roughly 2.5-3 minutes per selected-response item on a 100-item, ~4.75-hour-of-seat-time test. Bank time on easy items for harder scenarios.
4. Flag and move on at 4 minutes. Do not let any one item burn 7 minutes.
5. Read the stem carefully. TExES distractors look close. "Which is the BEST first step" differs from "Which is the MOST effective practice." Underline key qualifiers mentally.
6. PPR scenarios: apply the standards, not your vibe. Ask "which answer aligns with Educator Standards + Code of Ethics?" not "what would I do?"
7. STR items: default to science-of-reading. If an answer says "use picture cues to decode," it is wrong.
8. Use the break wisely. Most TExES appointments include one optional short break. Eat something. Hydrate. Reset.
9. Constructed response (STR #293 and some supplementals): follow the prompt exactly. Identify the student's specific skill gap, cite the relevant foundational skill, and recommend a targeted evidence-based instructional strategy.
10. Do not change answers without reason. First-read accuracy is usually higher than second-guessing.

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Common Pitfalls Candidates Make

1. Assuming a new PPR is already in effect. PPR #160 is still the current pedagogy test in 2026. T-TEP (the planned replacement) is not expected before September 2027 and is pending SBEC action. Register for #160 unless your EPP explicitly tells you otherwise.
2. Skipping STR because you "already took the ELAR subject exam." STR #293 is separate, deeper, and required independently of Core Subjects 901. The 2021 HB 3 rule applies to anyone certifying in EC-6 or 4-8 ELA.
3. Defaulting to balanced literacy on STR. If your undergrad coursework taught three-cueing and running records as the primary decoding strategy, you will fail STR. Retrain on explicit systematic phonics.
4. Under-preparing for Core Subjects Fine Arts / Health / PE (subject exam 905). Candidates focused on ELAR and Math lose this subject exam because it tests breadth across content areas.
5. Not mapping items to Texas statute. PPR items cite TEC Chapter 37, 19 TAC Chapter 247 Code of Ethics, and T-TESS. Generic pedagogy knowledge is not enough.
6. Using Praxis practice materials. Praxis PLT is not TExES PPR. The Texas alignment matters.
7. Missing the 30-day retake wait. You cannot test again for 30 days after a failed attempt (results must post to ECOS before you can re-register). Plan your EPP timeline and employment contract accordingly.
8. Letting 36 months lapse on Core Subjects #391. If any one subject exam is older than 36 months from your first attempt, previously passed subject exams expire and you must retake them.
9. Registering before ECOS approval. Pearson will deny registration without EPP-granted "Test Approval" in ECOS.
10. Underestimating the 5-hour appointment. Even 100-item tests run the clock. Build stamina with full-length timed simulations.
11. Overlooking the HB 2 fee waiver. If you are certifying in Special Education or Bilingual Education, your first-attempt content pedagogy exam fee is $0 — do not pay out of pocket.

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After You Pass: Texas Teaching Career

Texas Teacher Salary (2026)

Per Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024 OEWS data (USAFacts/BLS state breakdown) and BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (May 2024, national):

Texas statutory minimum salary (19 TAC Chapter 153) starts around $45,000-$47,000 for a first-year teacher and scales with years of experience. Large urban districts (Dallas ISD, Houston ISD, Austin ISD, Fort Worth ISD) pay above the statutory minimum, with starting salaries typically $55,000-$65,000 and differentials for:

• Master's degree ($2,000-$5,000 stipend annually at most districts)
• Bilingual / ESL certification ($2,000-$5,000 stipend)
• Hard-to-staff subjects (math, science, special education — often $3,000-$8,000 stipend)
• National Board certification (variable by district)

After 10-15 years, experienced Texas teachers with advanced degrees and stipends routinely earn $70,000-$85,000; master teachers under TIA (Teacher Incentive Allotment) designations can exceed $100,000.

Texas Teacher Certificate Renewal

Standard Certificates are valid for 5 years. Renewal requires 150 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) per 5-year cycle, plus current fingerprint background check. Classroom teachers complete CPE through district-offered PD, conferences, or accredited online providers. Renewal is processed through the ECOS portal at tea.texas.gov before the certificate expires.

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TExES vs edTPA vs Praxis — Which Does Texas Use?

The bottom line: in Texas you pass TExES. Praxis candidates moving to Texas must convert through the TEA Review of Credentials process and likely take specific TExES tests to fill gaps.

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Related Texas Educator Exams

• TExES Principal as Instructional Leader #268 + #368 PASL performance assessment — for administrator certification.
• TExES School Counselor #252 — selected-response + constructed response.
• TExES School Librarian #150
• TExES Superintendent #195
• TExES Educational Diagnostician #253
• TExES Special Education Specialist EC-12 #186 (replaces retired #161; first-attempt fee waived under HB 2).
• TExES Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental #165 (launches September 1, 2026; replaces #164 for Spanish-bilingual candidates).
• TX PACT pre-admission content tests (700 series) — for ACP admission only, not certification exams.
• TExMaT (Master Teacher series) — now largely phased out and replaced by TExES revisions.

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Final CTA

Texas pays teachers less than California or New York on paper, but living costs, pension (TRS), and district stipends can push total compensation well into six figures for credentialed specialists. The gate is the TExES — content + PPR + STR — at $116 per test (free for first-attempt Special Education and Bilingual candidates under HB 2), scaled 240 to pass, 5 lifetime attempts. Pass on the first try by drilling blueprint items, mastering the Texas Educator Standards and Code of Ethics, and training your reading instruction on the science of reading.

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Official Sources

• Texas Education Agency (TEA) — Educator Testing — tea.texas.gov/educators/certification/educator-testing
• TExES Program (Pearson) — tx.nesinc.com
• TEA HB 2 Implementation (fee waivers) — tea.texas.gov/about-tea/government-relations-and-legal/government-relations/house-bill-2
• TEA Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) — tea.texas.gov/educators/certification/educator-testing/pre-admission-content-test
• TEA Texas Test of Educator Proficiency (T-TEP) — tea.texas.gov/educators/certification/educator-testing/texas-test-educator-proficiency
• Texas Administrative Code Title 19, Part 7 (SBEC rules) — texreg.sos.state.tx.us
• SBEC — State Board for Educator Certification — tea.texas.gov/sbec
• Texas Educator Code of Ethics (19 TAC Ch. 247)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS — bls.gov/oes
• HB 3 (2019) — Science of Teaching Reading mandate
• HB 2 (2025) — Special Education and Bilingual certification fee waivers

Good luck, future Texas teacher.