Anyone who holds, or will hold a standard teaching certificate, issued by the state of Texas will work directly with the Onboarding Team to ensure all credentials are in order before the start of the academic year.
Below are the steps you must take to ensure that this process is completed and your credentials are fully reviewed and transferred. TFA-DFW will guide you through the process of ensuring all teacher credentials are in order before the start of the academic year.
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Certification Transfer Process
- Create an online account with the Texas Education Agency.
- Complete an application and pay the $180 non-refundable fee.
- To apply for out-of-state Review of Credentials log in to your TEAL account. Click the Educator link and select Out-of-State Certified Applicants. Select Review of Credentials from Another State or U.S. Territory. Follow the prompts to submit the application and pay the fee.
- If a test you completed is on the comparable out-of-state test chart, you must contact the testing company to have official scores sent to TEA for a possible test exemption. You must still apply for a review of credentials. Comparable exam scores will not be considered without a review of credentials. If you are planning to take one of these exams, please ensure you are doing so as soon as possible to expedite the review process.
- Submit official transcripts from all colleges.
- Transcripts sent from an educator will be deleted and treated as spam.
- Transcripts may not be submitted by email. They will be deleted and treated as spam.
- Submit copies of all certificates.
- Email the front and back of your certificate directly to the TEA; only certificates will be accepted at this email address.
- Your TEA ID number must accompany all certificates.
- Electronic Certificate Submissions: You may submit your out-of-state certificate through email. Out-of-Country documents will not be accepted electronically.
- Allow up to 3 to 4 weeks to confirm receipt of documents submitted by email.
Note: If you are still completing college courses and waiting to receive your teaching certificate until after graduation, it is IMPERATIVE that you meet with your university advisor/certification contact to expedite steps 4 and 5 outlined above.
- In the past, we have seen that certificates being posted late has led to corps members delaying their full-time pay. We cannot stress enough the urgency for these documents to be submitted as soon as they possible. Often times expediting this process will need to include your university and your states education agency.
Results of Review and Next Steps
- Once the review of credentials is completed (this can take anywhere from 48 hours to 6 weeks) you will receive the results by email (or it will be on your TEA account). The email will include the required tests for standard certificates and your eligibility for a one-year non-renewable certificate.
- You must register and take the TExES content exam that you were approved for before the first day of school. You cannot take these tests until you are approved. This means that you will more than likely test during Institute.
- Once you have completed the review of credentials, you may be issued a one-year non-renewable certificate. You may apply for the one-year certificate at the same time as your review of credentials or after the review of credentials has been completed. While your one-year certificate is valid, you must complete all appropriate tests to establish the standard certificate.
- You must apply for a standard certificate once all requirements are met.
Projected Certification Costs
Incoming Corps Members Certified in Texas
Cost Description |
Time Frame |
Cost Amount |
2 Official, Degree-Conferred Transcripts (One will be given to your Hiring District and one will be retained in case of emergency.) |
Onboarding |
$5-30/transcript |
2 Official, Degree-Conferred Transcripts from Other Universities, if Applicable |
Onboarding |
$5-30/transcript |
Fingerprinting |
Onboarding/Summer |
$50 |