1. (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 to obtain a certificate in Texas.

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

   1. (1) Standard certificate--A type of certificate issued to an individual who has met all requirements for a given class of certification, as specified in §230.33 of this title (relating to Classes of Certificates).
   2. (2) 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).
   3. (3) Texas review of credentials--An internal process completed by Texas Education Agency (TEA) to determine the certificate areas an applicant is eligible to pursue in Texas based on certificates issued by another state department of education or another country. An applicant must submit an online application for a review of credentials, application fee, and required documents specified in the application and on the TEA website, based on certificates issued in another state or country.
   4. (4) 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.
   5. (5) Equivalent--Covering a majority of the same grade level and subject or assignment area as certificates issued by the State Board for Educator Certification.

3. (c) Minimum requirements.

   1. (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:

      1. (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;
      2. (B) complete a state-approved educator preparation program, including student teaching or a teaching practicum, in the state where the standard certificate was issued;
      3. (C) pass the examinations required by the state department of education or country of licensure for issuance of the standard certificate; and
      4. (D) 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.

   2. (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:

      1. (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

      2. (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:

         1. (i) Alabama;
         2. (ii) Alaska;
         3. (iii) Arkansas;
         4. (iv) California;
         5. (v) Connecticut;
         6. (vi) Florida;
         7. (vii) Indiana;
         8. (viii) Maryland;
         9. (ix) Massachusetts;
         10. (x) Minnesota;
         11. (xi) Mississippi;
         12. (xii) New Hampshire;
         13. (xiii) New Mexico;
         14. (xiv) North Carolina;
         15. (xv) Ohio;
         16. (xvi) Oklahoma;
         17. (xvii) Tennessee;
         18. (xviii) Virginia;
         19. (xix) West Virginia; or
         20. (xx) Wisconsin.

   3. (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 and submit the following documents prior to being considered for an exception to the examination requirements for state licensure.

      1. (A) For a candidate certified in another state, the applicant must submit the following:

         1. (i) official transcript(s) showing degree(s) conferred and date(s);
         2. (ii) documentation from a test provider or the state department of education of passing performance on required examinations passed for issuance of the state certificate; and
         3. (iii) copy of standard certificate(s) issued by the state department(s) of education that clearly indicates the subject area(s) and grade levels of certification.

      2. (B) For a candidate licensed to teach in another country, the applicant must submit the following, and all documentation must be written in the English language or must be accompanied by a translation in the English language from a foreign credential evaluation service recognized by the TEA or an accredited translation service:

         1. (i) original detailed report or course-by-course evaluation for professional licensing of all college-level credits prepared by a foreign credential evaluation service recognized by the TEA. The evaluation must verify that the individual:

            1. (I) holds, at a minimum, the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree issued by an accredited institution in the United States as specified in §245.1(b) of this title (relating to General Provisions), including the date that the degree was conferred; and
            2. (II) has completed an educator preparation program, including a teaching practicum;
         2. (ii) demonstration of English language proficiency as specified in §230.11(b)(5) of this title (relating to General Requirements);
         3. (iii) letter of professional standing from the country that issued licensure to teach that confirms the educator certificate(s) or other credential(s) are currently in good standing and have not been revoked, suspended, or sanctioned for misconduct and are not pending disciplinary or adverse action;
         4. (iv) official transcripts of any additional college credits and/or degrees earned in the United States;
         5. (v) copies of any standard certificates issued by the country of licensure or another state department of education; and
         6. (vi) documentation from a test provider or the state department of education of passing performance on required examinations passed for issuance of the standard certificate in the country of licensure or another state.

4. (d) Approval process.

   1. (1) TEA will review and verify all required documentation submitted as part of the Texas review of credentials. An individual who does not submit all required documents for the review at the time of the application will have one year from the original date of application to submit all required documents, or the individual will be required to reapply online and resubmit the application fee for a Texas review of credentials.
   2. (2) An applicant certified as a classroom teacher must have completed at least one academic year of verifiable, full-time experience serving in the role and must submit that documentation of experience to TEA.
   3. (3) An applicant certified in a professional class other than classroom teacher (e.g., principal, superintendent, school counselor, school librarian, educational diagnostician, and reading specialist) is required to provide documents that verify two years of full-time experience in the role aligned with the professional class certificate area.
   4. (4) Once all required documentation has been submitted by the educator and reviewed and verified by TEA staff to meet the Texas certification criteria, the applicant will be issued an exception from examination requirements by TEA in accordance with minimum requirements established by the commissioner as specified in this section.
   5. (5) TEA will notify an applicant of the Texas certificate areas for which the applicant qualifies and examination requirements from which the applicant has been granted an exception (if applicable) and will specify final actions the applicant must complete to obtain licensures in this state.
   6. (6) If the required documentation does not meet the Texas certification requirements, the applicant will be denied exception from the examination requirements and will be required to successfully complete the applicable examination(s) for issuance of the Texas standard certificate(s).

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.