SECTION 152.1001. Exceptions to Examination Requirements for Individuals Certified Outside the State

(a) General provisions. Texas Education Code (TEC), §21.052(a-1), permits the commissioner of education to adopt rules establishing exceptions to the examination requirements prescribed by TEC, §21.052(a)(3), for an educator from outside the state, including military service members, military spouses, and military veterans, to obtain a certificate in Texas.

(b) Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(1) Certification class--A certificate, as described in §230.33 of this title (relating to Classes of Certificates), that has defined characteristics and includes the following: superintendent, principal, classroom teacher, school counselor, school librarian, educational diagnostician, reading specialist, and master teacher.

(2) Educator--An individual who is required to hold a certificate issued under TEC, Chapter 21, Subchapter B.

(3) Educator from outside the state--An applicant certified outside of Texas who has successfully completed all requirements for issuance of licensure in another state or country.

(4) Equivalent--Covering a majority of the same grade level and subject or assignment area as certificates issued by the State Board for Educator Certification.

(5) Examination--A standardized test or assessment required by statute or State Board for Educator Certification rule that governs an individual's certification as an educator.

(6) Military service member--A person who is on active duty.

(7) Military spouse--A person who is married to a military service member.

(8) Military veteran--A person who has served on active duty and who was discharged or released from active duty.

(9) Professional class certificate--A term that refers to certificates for duties other than classroom teacher (e.g., superintendent, principal, school counselor, school librarian, educational diagnostician, and reading specialist).

(10) Standard certificate--A type of certificate issued to an individual who has met all requirements for a given class of certification as a classroom teacher.

(11) Texas review of credentials--An internal process completed by Texas Education Agency (TEA) to confirm an applicant certified outside of Texas meets general requirements for certification specified in Chapter 230, Subchapter H, of this title (relating to Texas Educator Certificates Based on Certification and College Credentials from Other States or Territories of the United States) and Chapter 245 of this title (relating to Certification of Educators from Other Countries) and to identify the certificate areas the applicant is eligible to pursue in Texas.

(c) Minimum requirements.

(1) An applicant must meet the following general requirements for certification to be considered for an exception to the examinations, other than the Science of Teaching Reading TExES examination, required for issuance of state licensure:

(A) obtain a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education that, at the time it conferred the degree, was accredited or otherwise approved by an accrediting organization recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;

(B) complete a state-approved educator preparation program, or preparation program for licensure in another country, including student teaching or a teaching practicum, in the state or country where the standard certificate was issued;

(C) have the following required years of experience as an educator:

(i) for standard certificate applicants, at least one academic year of verifiable, full-time experience in the certification class for which the applicant is seeking certification; or

(ii) for professional class certificate applicants, at least two academic years of verifiable, full-time experience in the certification class for which the applicant is seeking certification;

(D) demonstrate proficiency as an educator by either:

(i) passing the examinations required by the state department of education or country of licensure for issuance of the standard certificate; or

(ii) having three or more years of verifiable, full-time experience in the certificate class for which the applicant is applying; and

(E) hold a standard certificate issued by the state department of education or country of licensure that is equivalent to a Texas standard classroom or professional class certificate and that has not been revoked, suspended, or sanctioned for misconduct and is not pending disciplinary or adverse action.

(2) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection, to be considered for an exception to the required Science of Teaching Reading TExES examination, an applicant must fulfill the following requirements:

(A) hold a certificate that is equivalent to a Texas certificate for which the Science of Teaching Reading TExES examination is required as a content pedagogy examination under §230.21 of this title (relating to Educator Assessment); and

(B) submit documentation from a test provider or the state department of education of passing performance on a stand-alone assessment that requires demonstration of proficiency in the five components of scientifically based reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) that was taken to meet licensure requirements in one of the following states:

(i) Alabama;

(ii) Alaska;

(iii) Arkansas;

(iv) California;

(v) Colorado;

(vi) Connecticut;

(vii) Florida;

(viii) Indiana;

(ix) Maryland;

(x) Massachusetts;

(xi) Michigan;

(xii) Minnesota;

(xiii) Mississippi;

(xiv) New Hampshire;

(xv) New Mexico;

(xvi) North Carolina;

(xvii) Ohio;

(xviii) Oklahoma;

(xix) Pennsylvania;

(xx) Tennessee;

(xxi) Virginia;

(xxii) Washington;

(xxiii) West Virginia; or

(xxiv) Wisconsin.

(3) An applicant from outside the state who meets requirements specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection must apply online for a review of credentials by the TEA prior to being considered for an exception to the examination requirements for state licensure. Once all required documentation has been submitted by the applicant and reviewed and verified by TEA staff, the applicant will be issued an exception to the examination requirements by the TEA in accordance with minimum requirements established by the commissioner as specified in this section.

Source Note: The provisions of this §152.1001 adopted to be effective May 3, 2018, 43 TexReg 2585; amended to be effective April 27, 2021, 46 TexReg 2820; amended to be effective January 10, 2023, 48 TexReg 45