What is a TExES test? Why is it so important?
In order to be eligible to teach in the state of Texas, you must first pass your assigned TExES certification exam. Individuals who hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university* or are scheduled to receive a bachelor’s degree before being placed in a classroom, are allowed to take a content test for purposes of admission into Educator Preparation Programs.
Per the Texas Education Agency, the Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) can be used to obtain admission into an Educator Preparation Program (EPP). Tests taken through the PACT route are the same tests used for certification. Taking PACT does not ensure admittance into a program. You will also have to meet all other expectations set by either Southern Methodist University’s Educator Preparation Program or Texas Wesleyan University’s Educator Preparation Program, depending on where you are hired and therefore seek certification.
If you do not pass your test(s), you will not teach in Dallas-Fort Worth, as you will be ineligible for admission to one of our Educator Preparation Programs. Preparing for and passing your test is fully your responsibility, but we will be here along the way to provide you guidance and resources.
Taking and passing these tests is required in order to be hired by and teach in our partner school districts. If you do not take and pass the required tests, you will be ineligible to interview for a Dallas-Fort Worth teaching position and ultimately, ineligible to be able to be hired in a Dallas-Fort Worth classroom. While we will recommend resources for you to use in order to prepare for your test and to assist you in the registration process, it is ultimately your responsibility to take and pass all of your exams.
Per the Texas Education Agency, the Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) can be used to obtain admission into an Educator Preparation Program (EPP). Tests taken through the PACT route are the same tests used for certification. Taking PACT does not ensure admittance into a program. You will also have to meet all other expectations set by either Southern Methodist University’s Educator Preparation Program or Texas Wesleyan University’s Educator Preparation Program, depending on where you are hired and therefore seek certification.
If you do not pass your test(s), you will not teach in Dallas-Fort Worth, as you will be ineligible for admission to one of our Educator Preparation Programs. Preparing for and passing your test is fully your responsibility, but we will be here along the way to provide you guidance and resources.
Taking and passing these tests is required in order to be hired by and teach in our partner school districts. If you do not take and pass the required tests, you will be ineligible to interview for a Dallas-Fort Worth teaching position and ultimately, ineligible to be able to be hired in a Dallas-Fort Worth classroom. While we will recommend resources for you to use in order to prepare for your test and to assist you in the registration process, it is ultimately your responsibility to take and pass all of your exams.
What does the test preparation process look like?
In order to be eligible to teach in the state of Texas, you must first pass your assigned TExES certification exam. These exams can go into great depth and breadth, be very difficult, and have different types of questions. They can also be longer than previously taken standardized tests. Unfortunately, we have had corps members fail these exams despite having majored in the same field as the exams they took. For this reason, we strongly urge you to take the earliest possible exam and to begin preparing now.
How long should I plan to study?
We believe fully in your ability to pass this test, but we cannot stress enough the importance of prioritizing test preparation. We have found that when corps members have planned ahead and prepared adequately, they have been able to pass these exams. In the past, most corps members have spent anywhere from 10-40 total hours in order to adequately prepare for certification tests.
Once you accept your offer, you will have roughly 5 weeks to prepare for and pass your exam. To see how that time will be structured, scroll down to the Testing Process!
Once you accept your offer, you will have roughly 5 weeks to prepare for and pass your exam. To see how that time will be structured, scroll down to the Testing Process!
What should I use to study?
Given the importance of passing your TExES content exam, we have purchased Certify Teacher accounts for all corps members and compiled the TExES Resource Hub as a way to support your preparation in that tool. Below you will find recommended resources for each step of your preparation process, and websites chock full of resources to support preparation for any content area. Sites such as KhanAcademy and LearnZillion offer videos, explanations, flashcards, etc. for multiple subjects ranging from Biology to English. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team!
Phase 1: Learn about test preparation in Dallas-Fort Worth
Phase 2: Create a plan to prepare for your TExES exam
Phase 3: Ongoing exam preparation
Phase 5: Take and pass the TExES!
- You will review and sign a testing policy agreement
- You will complete an initial diagnostic test in your assigned subject area
- You will complete a reflection on the experience of completing your diagnostic and share it with the Onboarding team
Phase 2: Create a plan to prepare for your TExES exam
- You will receive individualized feedback on your initial diagnostic test scores and reflection
- You will register for your TExES exam
- You will create and upload a study plan detailing the areas of study and dates you will prepare for your TExES exam
Phase 3: Ongoing exam preparation
- You will prepare for your TExES exam through completing individualized assignments in Certify Teacher
- You will supplement your learning via the links on the Resource Hub
- Where/how will you find test prep resources for the actual content of the exam? Which resources are easier to acquire? Do you want to purchase resources, if so what’s your budget for doing so? Consider:
- Free resources at your university or local library
- Study groups on campus (if you are still in school)
- Friends who are majoring/majored in content areas you need to prepare
- The links below for reviewing content, test practice questions, etc.
- What will your support system look like? Are you going to prepare by yourself? Create a study group with other incoming Dallas-Fort Worth peers? Who will hold you to following the plan you’ve put in place and ensure it meets your needs as an individual test taker?
- You will complete a final diagnostic test in your assigned subject area
- You will complete a reflection on the growth made from your initial diagnostic and the state of your preparedness for the TExES exams
Phase 5: Take and pass the TExES!
- You will take your TExES exam on the date shared with the Onboarding team. Upon receipt of your scores, you will upload your score report to your Dropbox. Want a chance to familiarize yourself with navigating the a TExES Computer Administered Test? Click here to access an interactive demonstration from ETS.