How to Become a Teacher in Texas

The Lone Star State may be a great place to kick off your teaching career. In fact, Texas offers a variety of programs to encourage teaching certification. This includes the Teacher Incentive Allotment, which projects a six-figure salary for teachers in Texas' high-need districts and subject areas.

Plus, Texas offers more than 120 Texas Education Agency-approved educator preparation programs across the state, which are designed to lead to licensure.

Worried about finding a job in this economy? Well, Texas employs more than 320,000 teachers and over 80,000 education administrators in its public schools.

And you may qualify for student loan forgiveness, especially in current shortage areas like special education, English as a second language (ESL), and career and technical education.

Explore our guide to learn how to become a teacher in Texas.

4 Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Texas

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) outlines the steps you need to take to become a teacher, but the basics are as follows: Earn your degree, gain experience, and apply for certification.

1. Earn Your Bachelor's Degree

Most teachers begin the path to certification by earning a bachelor's degree from an accredited school. Aspiring kindergarten and elementary school teachers typically earn a general degree in early childhood or elementary education.

If you're interested in becoming a middle or high school teacher and plan to teach a specific subject, you should pursue a bachelor's degree in that subject. Future special education or ESL teachers are required to major in their respective specialization.

You're also required to have a 2.5 GPA or higher in your education program. Aspiring teachers with a GPA lower than 2.5 and/or who have not completed at least 12 semester credits in their specific subject area must pass the Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) through TEA.

2. Gain Student Teaching Experience

Before taking on a student-teaching role, you must complete 300 clock hours of coursework and training, including 30 hours of field experience. Fifteen of the 30 hours of field experience may be obtained using video or virtual experiences.

You're required to have a supervised practicum experience to qualify for initial licensure in your desired subject or age level. Most bachelor's degree programs and all educator preparation programs emphasize hands-on experience.

Students in an Educator Preparation Program (EPP) will have to earn at least 350 clock hours of student teaching at an accredited public school or other TEA-approved institution.

3. Take Required Certification Tests

If you meet the minimum education requirements, you must also pass the required certification tests in your teaching subject, grade level, or specialization. Common exam categories and subcategories for teaching certification in Texas include:

• TExES
  • Early Childhood: Pre-K through third grade
  • English, Language Arts, and Reading: Grades 4-8, Grades 7-12
  • Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading: Early childhood-Grade 6, Grades 4-8
  • Bilingual Education Supplements: Spanish, American Sign Language Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese
• PACT
  • Core Subjects: Early Childhood-Grade 6, Grades 4-8
  • Math/Science: Grades 4-8, Grades 7-12
  • Social Studies: Grades 4-8, Grades 7-12
  • Physical Education: Early Childhood-Grade 12

4. Apply for Certification

Once you have completed all necessary steps, your program will recommend you for a standard teaching certificate.

Candidates applying for initial teaching certification in Texas must create a TEA Login (TEAL). This way, you can submit the necessary test scores and fees for initial licensure, track the progress of your application, and check the status of your certification.

All first-time applicants also have to undergo a criminal background check, including fingerprinting.

TEA charges a $78 fee for a standard teacher certification application and $52 for a background check.

What's the Career Outlook for Teachers in Texas?

Like many other states, Texas is facing a teacher shortage. To compensate, Texas offers incentives such as higher salaries and loan forgiveness to teachers in critical shortage areas like math and computer science and in specializations like ESL, special education, and computer science.

During the 2022-2023 school year, Texas schools hired just over 1,000 more teachers than they did the previous academic year.

TEA implements a minimum salary schedule for licensed educators based on their cumulative years of experience in the field. For 2022-2023, teachers with one year of experience can earn at least $34,390, while teachers with 20 years of experience or more can earn at least $54,540 per year.

Teachers with a master's degree can also access higher-paying jobs that may require specialized skills beyond initial licensure.

How Much Will You Make as a Teacher in Texas?

The TEA compiles staff salaries every academic year. Below, find the average base pay for popular teaching positions in Texas as of 2023-2024.

Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Teacher Certification

Note: The insights on this page — excluding school descriptions — were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by BestColleges. Page last reviewed March 18, 2024.