{"id":46455,"date":"2024-07-13T12:52:54","date_gmt":"2024-07-13T17:52:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/?p=46455"},"modified":"2024-07-13T12:52:54","modified_gmt":"2024-07-13T17:52:54","slug":"how-to-become-a-teacher-in-texas-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/blog\/insights\/how-to-become-a-teacher-in-texas-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Become a Teacher in Texas &#8211; What to Know in 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re passionate about education, becoming a teacher in Texas might be the perfect path for you. Texas offers a welcoming environment for aspiring educators like you to embark on a rewarding career.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a notable teacher shortage, the state&#8217;s educational system is actively seeking passionate teachers to fill classrooms and inspire students.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/blog\/insights\/texas-teacher-salary\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Becoming an educator in Texas<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> involves completing specific requirements. There are many paths, whether you want to transition from another career or you&#8217;re just starting out\u2014even if you don&#8217;t have a degree yet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are passionate about education, enjoy working with young minds, and want to contribute to society, we&#8217;ve got you covered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide will cover everything you need to know about the Texas teacher certification process, alternative routes for certification, and how to meet Texas teaching requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-364973\" src=\"\/media-tx\/teacher_in_texas.jpg\" alt=\"teacher learning music\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Texas\u2019s Teacher Situation<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Texas is on a mission to empower its education system by employing more teachers. Currently, the state has approximately <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tea-texas.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/8fdeed6e29b741ba8bac151ac023186d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">370,000 teachers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&#8217;s why Texas may be a better place to start your teaching career: The starting salary for Texas teachers is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tea.texas.gov\/texas-educators\/salary-and-service-record\/minimum-salary-schedule\/2023-2024-minimum-salary-schedule\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$33,600<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. With dedication and experience, it can grow over 20 years to $54,540.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, Texas has access to over <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tea-texas.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/8fdeed6e29b741ba8bac151ac023186d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">120 Texas Education Agency-approved educator preparation programs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> ranging from traditional routes to alternative certification programs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whatever you choose, these programs are your starting point to obtaining licensure and joining the ranks of Texas educators.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently, Texas is currently facing a critical shortage of educators in the following areas:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Bilingual\/English as a second language<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: As a bilingual\/ESL teacher in Texas, you&#8217;re responsible for bridging the language gap in students whose primary language is not English. You&#8217;ll deliver instructions in both\u00a0 English and a student&#8217;s native language, create a culturally inclusive classroom, and plan a curriculum that supports English language development.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Career and technical education<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (secondary level only):\u00a0 As a CTE teacher, you&#8217;ll prepare students with the skills necessary for immediate entry into the workforce. You develop lesson plans and assignments, instruct students on practical skills and knowledge, and supervise hands-on activities and safe use of equipment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Computer science\/technology applications<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: These teachers are at the forefront of driving innovation by teaching students the digital skills required for tomorrow&#8217;s challenges. You plan lessons that facilitate the acquisition of computer skills and teach programming, coding, computer graphics, and web design. You also help them understand internet safety and cybersecurity and drive innovation by teaching tomorrow&#8217;s digital skills.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Special education<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: As a Special Education teacher, you&#8217;ll assess students&#8217; abilities and craft individualized teaching plans, adapt learning materials to students&#8217; needs, and monitor special needs students&#8217; progress.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Steps to Become a Teacher in Texas<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Different people enjoy different aspects of teaching. You may like the stability and benefits that come with the role, while your colleague values building rewarding relationships with their students.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s look at the steps you need to take to begin teaching in Texas:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Obtain a bachelor\u2019s degree<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step to becoming a teacher in Texas is to earn a bachelor&#8217;s degree from an accredited institution with a 2.5 GPA or higher in your education program.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you aim to teach at the kindergarten or elementary school level, a general degree in early childhood or elementary education can be sufficient.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For teaching middle or high school students, you need to pursue a bachelor&#8217;s degree in the subject you plan to teach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you fail to attain the required GPA, or you&#8217;re yet to complete at least 12 semester credits in your specific subject area, you must pass the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tea.texas.gov\/texas-educators\/certification\/educator-testing\/pre-admission-content-test\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pre Admissions Content Test<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (PACT) through the Texas Education Agency to get your teacher certification.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Get student teaching experience<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Texas requires you to complete 300 clock hours of coursework, training, and\u00a0 30 hours of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/blog\/insights\/field-based-experiences-in-texas\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">field-based experience<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before leading a classroom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The state accommodates different learning styles and schedules, so up to 15 of these hours can be obtained through video or virtual experiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most bachelor&#8217;s degree programs and all Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) emphasize this hands-on experience. If you enroll in an EPP, you&#8217;ll need to complete at least 350 hours of student teaching.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. Pass required certification tests<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You must pass the necessary certification tests for your desired teaching subject, grade level, or specialization.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Texas, the common exam categories are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/texas\/teacher-resources\/texes-tests\/#:~:text=The%20TExES%20content%20exams%20are%20made%20up%20of%2090%20%E2%80%93%20150,and%20double%2Dcheck%20their%20work.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TExES<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Texas Examinations of Educator Standards) and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tea.texas.gov\/texas-educators\/certification\/educator-testing\/tx-pact-required-test-chart.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PACT<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Pre-Admission Content Test), which assess your knowledge and readiness to teach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if you meet the 2.5 GPA and have completed at least 12 or 15 semester credit hours of coursework, you don\u2019t need to sit for PACT.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) assesses your knowledge of the subject matter you want to teach and not your teaching skills. It examines the following areas:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Core Subjects: Early Childhood-Grade 6, Grades 4-8<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Math\/Science: Grades 4-8, Grades 7-12<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social Studies: Grades 4-8, Grades 7-12<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical Education: Early Childhood-Grade 12<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thelearningliaisons.com\/texes-prep-subscription-landing-page\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TExES<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Texas Examinations of Educator Standards) is a series of tests for aspiring teachers in Texas. It evaluates both your content knowledge of the subject you intend to teach and your teaching strategies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The TExEs cover the following areas:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Early Childhood: Pre-K through third grade<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">English, Language Arts, and Reading: Grades 4-8, Grades 7-12<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading: Early Childhood-Grade 6, Grades 4-8<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bilingual Education Supplements: Spanish, American Sign Language Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>4. Apply for certification<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you&#8217;ve completed the required steps, your educator preparation program will recommend you for a standard teaching certificate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Texas Education Agency (TEA) charges\u00a0 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tea.texas.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/covid\/covid19-educator-certification-and-preparation-guidance-faq.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$78<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for the standard teacher certification application.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&#8217;s a quick procedure for applying for your certification:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Log in to your TEAL account: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, log in to your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tealprod.tea.state.tx.us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TEAL<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 (Texas Education Agency Login) account. If you don&#8217;t have an account, you can create one on the TEA website and undergo a criminal background check, including fingerprinting. Once logged in, click on &#8220;View My Educator Certification Account&#8221; to access your ECOS (Educator Certification Online System) account.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Complete the online application: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In your ECOS account, you&#8217;ll find the option to complete the appropriate online application for teacher certification. Provide accurate information and follow the instructions carefully. Pay the required application fee.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Check your certification status: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After your application, you can check the status of your certificate through your TEAL account.<\/span>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 21;\">\n<li style=\"font-size: 17px;\">If you are a candidate in a Texas-approved educator preparation program (EPP), go to the &#8220;Application\/Fee Status&#8221; section.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-size: 17px;\">Confirm that your status has changed from &#8220;Applied&#8221; to &#8220;Recommended.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-size: 17px;\">If your status is not &#8220;Recommended,&#8221; contact your EPP directly to determine when they will provide TEA with the online recommendation for certification.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-size: 17px;\">If you are a certified teacher applying to add a new classroom certificate area, go to the &#8220;View Certificates&#8221; tab to see if your certificate has been issued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Print your certificate:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You can now print your certificate from your ECOS account. Go to the &#8220;View Certificates&#8221; tab and use Internet Explorer to view and print your certificate correctly. TEA does not issue specific numbers for educator certificates. Your records are maintained in ECOS based on your TEA ID number.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>5. Start applying for teaching jobs<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve completed all the above steps, you can start looking for employment opportunities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Craft your first CV and highlight your educational background, student teaching experience, and any additional skills or courses that may set you apart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember to include any past experiences or volunteering in your CV to demonstrate your commitment and passion for teaching.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally,\u00a0 keep your CV concise and use strong action verbs to describe your accomplishments and responsibilities. You also want to proofread it carefully to remove any typos and grammatical errors that can create a negative impression.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Career Outlook for Certified Texas Teachers<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The teacher shortage in Texas presents a unique opportunity for aspiring educators. There are numerous positions available and waiting to be filled by new educators.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Texas offers higher salaries to attract educators. On average, a public school teacher in Texas earns <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.salary.com\/research\/salary\/benchmark\/public-school-teacher-salary\/tx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$56,857<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> annually. However, salaries can vary widely,\u00a0 ranging from $47,469 to $69,361, depending on experience, education, and location within the state.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, if you&#8217;re just starting, the entry-level salary is around $33,600 for a 10-month contract\u2014a solid starting point for a career in education.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some schools offer sign-on bonuses to first-year teachers. If you\u2019re certified in subject areas with shortages, such as special education, math, science, and bilingual education, you may receive higher salaries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, you can get a $1,000 stipend if you have a master&#8217;s degree. After 3 years of teaching, you\u2019ll be eligible for tenure, which provides job security and the promise of gradual salary increases.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Become a Teacher in Texas<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teaching is a calling to inspire and educate the next generation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To teach in Texas, you need a bachelor&#8217;s degree from an accredited institution focusing on early childhood, elementary education, or a specific subject for secondary education.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the traditional route to certification isn&#8217;t for you, you can try the alternative teacher certification options toget you into the classroom sooner. These programs are designed for individuals who may not have a degree in education but have a degree in another field and the passion to teach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At Teachers of Tomorrow, we offer alternative certification teacher certification programs for aspiring educators in Texas. We&#8217;ve empowered over 80,000 educators to become certified teachers, making a positive impact in classrooms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/alternate-teacher-certification\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sign up today<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and begin your journey to become a certified teacher in Texas.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>FAQs<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>How long does it take to become a teacher in Texas?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It typically takes around four years to become a teacher in Texas. You need to earn a bachelor\u2019s degree from an accredited school. Additionally, you must complete an Educator Preparation Program (EPP), pass certification exams, and apply for certification12.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, alternative certification programs take less time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What are the requirements to teach in Texas?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To teach in Texas, you need a bachelor\u2019s degree from an accredited college or university and complete an Approved Educator Preparation Program. You also need to pass the appropriate teacher certification exams, submit a state application for certification, and complete fingerprinting as part of a national criminal background check.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Are teachers in high demand in Texas?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Yes, teachers are in high demand in Texas. The state faces a teacher shortage, particularly in areas like Bilingual\/English as a Second Language, Special Education, and STEM subjects. This high demand is expected to continue in the coming years.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you&#8217;re passionate about education, becoming a teacher in Texas might be the perfect path for you. Texas offers a welcoming environment for aspiring educators like you to embark on &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46455","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-insights"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2024-11-21 10:29:36","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category"},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46455"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46455"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46455\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46457,"href":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46455\/revisions\/46457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46455"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46455"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46455"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}