Rules of Test Participation for the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program

By registering for the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program, you are agreeing to abide by the Rules of Test Participation and all rules, requirements, and policies specified or referenced on the current program website and communicated to you, orally or in writing, at each exam administration for which you have registered.

A compliance agreement will be presented to you on the computer after you sign in at the test center. It will ask you to indicate your agreement to the conditions set forth on the current program website, including the Rules of Test Participation for the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program and the rules communicated to you orally or in writing at the exam session. You have four minutes and thirty seconds to read and accept the terms of this compliance agreement. If you do not respond within four minutes and thirty seconds, or if you indicate that you do not accept the terms of the agreement, your exam session will terminate, you will not be permitted to test, and you will receive no refund or credit of any kind.

1. Compliance: I understand that if I fail to comply with the rules, requirements, and policies specified or referenced on the current program website, including these Rules of Test Participation, and communicated to me, orally and/or in writing, at the exam administration, or if I take any prohibited actions, my exam results may be voided; no refund will be issued; no portion of the testing fee can be applied toward the cost of any future testing fees; I may not be permitted to register for current or future exam administrations; my registration may be canceled; I may not be allowed to test; I may be required to test under controlled conditions; and legal proceedings and actions may be pursued as well as any other remedies that the Texas Education Agency (TEA), State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC), and/or Pearson may deem appropriate. In addition, I understand that test fraud is a ground for denial, revocation, and/or suspension of a teaching credential or certificate.

2. Policies: I have read and agree to the information and policies presented on the current program website, including, but not limited to, Payment Policy, Withdrawal/Refund Policy, ID Policy, and Late Arrival Policy.

3. Purpose of Testing: I understand that the exams are administered for the purpose of certification only and are to be taken only by individuals enrolled in an educator preparation program, individuals applying for admission to a state-approved educator preparation program, or individuals seeking educator certification. I certify that I am taking the exam(s) for which I have registered for the purpose of educator certification.

4. Withdrawal or Absence from Exam Administration: I understand that I may cancel an exam registration and receive a partial refund if I cancel my registration at least forty-eight (48) hours before my scheduled testing time. I understand that if I cancel my registration less than forty-eight (48) hours before my scheduled testing time or if I am absent from the exam administration, I will receive no refund or credit of any kind. For more information on these policies, please see the Withdrawal/Refund Policy.

5. Identification: I understand that I will not be admitted to my testing session if I do not have proper identification as defined in the ID Policy.

6. Exam Administration: I authorize the test administrators to serve as my agents in maintaining a secure exam administration. I agree to follow all reasonable instructions given to me either orally or in writing at or during the exam administration, including but not limited to instructions to relocate me during the session. I agree not to communicate with other examinees or any unauthorized persons in any way during the exam administration or to engage in any other form of misconduct. I agree not to engage in behavior that would disrupt or unfairly affect the performance of myself or other examinees. I agree to cooperate with testing personnel. If I fail to comply with these provisions, I may be dismissed from the test center, my score may be voided without refund or credit of any kind, and other actions, as described in Rule 1, may be taken as deemed appropriate by the TEA, SBEC, and Pearson.

7. Exam Security

   1. Exam Property: I understand that all exam materials and any portion thereof or information relating thereto (referred to below as the "Exam Materials") are the sole property of the TEA and Pearson. I understand that my responses, without the identification of my name, may be used for research, development and implementation of testing programs, scorer training or study materials, or other purposes associated with the program. I understand and acknowledge that the Exam Materials were developed at great cost and are required to be kept confidential and secure from disclosure in order to fairly and effectively perform the exam functions for which they were designed. I have not received or reviewed any Exam Materials prior to taking the exam and no Exam Materials will be available for me to review after the exam. I am not permitted to take (and I will not take) any Exam Materials or handwritten or printed notes (referred to below as "Notes") reflecting or recording anything about the Exam Materials from the testing room or to disassemble, copy, or reproduce the Exam Materials in whole or in part by hand or with the use of any electronic, or other type of, device of any nature.

   2. Exam Materials: I understand that I will not be permitted to bring or to use during the exam: Notes, cellular phones, electronic communication devices, visual or audio recording or listening devices or any device with an on/off option, scratch paper, unauthorized calculators, or any other unauthorized aid (collectively referred to below as "Unauthorized Aids"). Throughout the exam session, I will have nothing on my desk or at my workstation but authorized materials provided or approved by the test administrator. I may use materials provided by the test administrator for any intermediate work. However, only responses that I record on tape for taped sections, on video for video-recorded sections, or on computer (including scans of hand-drawn responses) will be scored.

   I understand and agree that, despite my foregoing promises and agreements in 5a and 5b above, if test administrators have a reasonable suspicion that I have or may have in my possession any Exam Materials, Notes, and/or Unauthorized Aids, I will immediately turn over any such Exam Materials, Notes, and/or Unauthorized Aids in my possession to the test administrators at any time upon their request. If I should fail or refuse to do so, or if the test administrators believe in good faith that I have not turned over all such Exam Materials, Notes, and/or Unauthorized Aids in my possession, the test administrators may search my person and my personal possessions for such Exam Materials, Notes, and/or Unauthorized Aids and may remove them. Any such Exam Materials, Notes, and/or Unauthorized Aids that I may have may be retained for as long as may be required for the purpose of pursuing the remedies specified in Rule 1 above. Test administrators, Pearson, and the TEA are not responsible for Unauthorized Aids or other prohibited materials confiscated by test administrators or otherwise turned over by me. In the event of a possible breach of test security, I agree to cooperate with the testing personnel and I hereby consent to any such reasonable search and to any incidental contact with my person or my possessions that may occur as a result of such a search before my dismissal from the test center. Moreover, I hereby waive any claim that I might otherwise have based upon any such search or contact. I also understand that a breach of security might result in my name being reported to the TEA, to SBEC, and to Pearson; my score may be voided without refund or credit of any kind; and other actions, as described in Rule 1, may be taken as deemed appropriate by the TEA, SBEC, and/or Pearson.

8. Security of Exam Materials: Because of the great cost expended to develop the Exam Materials, because of the obvious necessity that they be kept confidential and secure from disclosure in order to fairly and effectively perform the exam functions for which they were designed, and because any disclosure of part or all of the contents of the Exam Materials to anyone might render them unusable for future exam administrations, I promise and agree that I will not discuss with anyone or reveal in any manner the Exam Materials or any part of them (including the form, subject matter, substance, and wording of any exam question or answer). I understand and agree that if I should violate this agreement concerning security of Exam Materials, I may be liable in damages for the costs (including redevelopment costs) incurred as a result of any breach of this agreement, and I may also be subject to other legal and equitable remedies (including injunctive relief) for any such breach, by TEA, SBEC, and/or Pearson.

9. Exam Score Reporting and Cancellation: I understand that my exam score(s) will be reported to me, to TEA, and to my educator preparation program (if applicable) unless I choose to cancel my scores at the end of my exam appointment. My score report will be sent even if I leave the testing room before I finish the exam. I understand that Pearson will score all exam results received, which may be incomplete due to technical issues during the exam session. I understand that any information provided as part of registration may be used to report scores or to contact me regarding exam- or program-related issues. I also understand that if I choose to cancel my scores, I will not be eligible for any credit or refund and that my scores cannot be reinstated.

10. Plagiarism: I understand that Pearson reserves the right to cancel my scores if, in its judgment, there is evidence that a writing or speaking response includes text that is substantially similar to speech found in other PACT, TExES, or TASC/TASC–ASL responses, or quotations or paraphrasing or language or ideas in published or unpublished sources used without attribution. Such responses do not reflect the independent speaking or compositional writing skills that the exams seek to measure.

11. Voided Score: I understand that if I fail to comply with the rules and requirements set forth on the current program website, including these Rules of Test Participation, and communicated to me, orally and/or in writing, at the exam administration, or if doubts are raised about the validity or legitimacy of my registration or my score(s), Pearson will notify the TEA and other parties as deemed appropriate by the TEA. The TEA and Pearson reserve the right to void my exam score(s) if, in their sole opinion, there is adequate reason to question the validity or legitimacy of the score(s) due to circumstances within or beyond my control. Other actions, as described in Rule 1, may be taken as deemed appropriate by the TEA, SBEC, and/or Pearson.

12. Rights and Obligations Regarding Exam Administration: I understand and agree that liability for exam administration activities, including but not limited to the adequacy or accuracy of Exam Materials and equipment, the adequacy or accuracy of the registration and administration processes or conditions, the adequacy of test site facilities, the adequacy or accuracy of scoring, the adequacy or accuracy of score reports, the adequacy or accuracy of information provided to me in connection with the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program, and the adequacy of protection of examinee information will be limited to score correction, exam retake, or a rescheduled exam appointment at no additional fee. I waive any and all rights to all other claims, specifically including but not limited to claims for negligence arising out of any acts or omissions of the TEA and Pearson (including the agents, employees, contractors, or professional advisors of the TEA and Pearson).

13. Program Changes: I understand that the testing program is subject to change at the sole discretion of the TEA.

14. Objection to Procedures: If, for any reason, I object to the procedures presented in these Rules of Test Participation, I must advise Pearson, in writing, of the basis of my objection at least eight (8) weeks before the exam date for which I wish to register for my objection to be taken under consideration. Under no circumstances may I register if I have such an objection. If I nevertheless object, my registration may be canceled, I may not be permitted to take the exam(s), or my score(s) may be voided, unless I withdraw my objection in writing.

15. Rules: I understand that should any of these rules or any other requirement or provision contained on the current program website be declared or determined by any court to be illegal or invalid, the remaining rules, requirements, and provisions will not be affected and the illegal or invalid rule, requirement, or provision shall not be deemed a part of the current program website. The headings of each of the Rules of Test Participation are for convenient reference only. They are not a part of the rules themselves; they do not necessarily reflect the entire subject matter of each rule; and they are not intended to be used for the purpose of modifying, interpreting, or construing any of these Rules of Test Participation. I agree that any legal action arising in connection with my registration for or participation in an exam administration shall be brought in the state and federal courts governing St. Paul, Minnesota, and I consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

16. Liability: Pearson, including its subcontractors, shall not be liable to test takers, schools, school districts, colleges, universities, state agencies, other score users, or anyone else making claims by or through them for damages, except as indicated on the program website. These damages which Pearson and its subcontractors will not be liable for include, but are not limited to: direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, which are caused by, arising from, or otherwise related to the failure of the test center or test administration personnel, test takers, or school personnel. Any failure of such persons to comply with Pearson's and its subcontractors' test security and exam administration policies and procedures, whether or not Pearson has been advised of the possibility of such damages, will not incur liability in any part by Pearson.

By registering for the exam, you are agreeing to abide by the Test Center Rules . You will be asked to confirm your agreement to these rules at the test center before you begin your exam.

You must bring to the exam administration two pieces of original (no photocopies or digital ID) and valid (unexpired) identification, printed in English in the name in which you registered. Your identification must contain your name, a recent recognizable photograph, and your signature.

Your primary identification must be one of the following government-issued IDs:

• Driver's license (If you present a Texas driver's license with two expiration dates, your ID will be considered expired if either of the expiration dates has expired.)
• State identification
• Military identification (with visible or embedded signature)
• Passport (Diplomatic and embassy ID cards cannot be used in place of a passport.)
  • The following documents can be used in place of a passport if presented along with at least one of the primary or supplemental identification documents:
    • Permanent Resident Card/Resident Alien Card (Form I-551 or I-151)
    • Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688)
    • Employment Authorization Card (Form I-688A, I-688B or I-766)
    • Mexican Border Crosser Card (This form of ID will be accepted only at test centers within 25 miles of the Mexican border.)

Your supplemental identification may be any original and valid identification as long as it contains your name and a clear recognizable photograph, or your name and signature.

If your identification does not exactly match the name in which you registered (excluding suffix, middle name or initial, spaces, and special characters such as hyphens, accents, and apostrophes), as your name appears in your TEA account, or does not meet any of the conditions stated above, you will be denied admission. If you are denied admission to the exam for any reason, you will be considered absent and will receive no credit or refund of any kind.

Note that name changes must be made to your TEA account via the TEA website at least 12 business days prior to your scheduled exam appointment.

Exceptions and Requirements

Multiple-Part Last Name

• If the ID document you will present on the day of the exam contains a multiple-part last name (e.g., Pena-Delgado or Suarez Thomas), the name on your admission information must exactly match your ID (excluding hyphens, accents, and spaces). You cannot use a supplemental ID to resolve last name discrepancies.
• If the attendance roster or admission information lists a multiple-part last name and your ID document does not or your ID document lists a multiple-part last name and the attendance roster or admission information does not, you will not be admitted. The name you used when you registered must exactly match the ID. See Correcting or Updating your TEA Educator Profile to make changes to your name.

Single First or Last Name

If you only have a first name and no last name, or vice versa, put that name in both the First Name and Last Name fields when you create your TEA account. As long as the first and last name in your account are exactly the same and match the single name on your identification document, you will be admitted to test.

Recent Name Change

If your admission information bears your maiden name and your ID bears your married name or vice versa because you were married or divorced between the time you registered and the exam date, you will not be permitted to test. The name on your admission information must exactly match your ID (excluding hyphens, accents, and spaces). You cannot use a supplemental ID to resolve name discrepancies. See Correcting or Updating your TEA Educator Profile to make changes to your name.

Driver's License Renewals

If your driver's license has expired, but you present it along with your original Department of Public Safety renewal certificate, these two documents together are acceptable if the names on both documents match exactly.

U.S. Military

• If your military ID does not contain your signature, you must present a supplemental ID.
• If you are in the U.S. military, and the expiration of your driver's license has been extended or deferred by the issuing state, the license can be used as a supplemental ID along with your U.S. military ID. Depending on the state, the extension or deferral may consist of either a sticker affixed to the license with the designation "military" printed in place of an expiration date or a separate document carried with the license, usually with a notation that the driver's license is valid until a specific time period after discharge from service.

Unable to Meet ID Requirements

If you have been granted political asylum, have refugee status, or are otherwise unable to meet the identification requirements, you must contact Pearson at least 7 days before registering to test. You must receive approval before you may register. You should also be prepared to submit any requested documents for review prior to receiving approval. If you do not contact Pearson before you register, and as a result you are not permitted to test or your exam scores are withheld, your exam fees will not be refunded.

Questions About ID Documents

For all questions about acceptable ID, contact Pearson.

Correcting or Updating your TEA Educator Profile

Changes to your mailing address, phone number, or email address can be made at any time. Simply log into your TEA Login (TEAL) account  to access your Educator account.

If you need to make a change to your name, gender, or date of birth, you must submit appropriate documentation as described under Name Change on the TEA website . Here you will see instructions for documenting and submitting change requests. Keep in mind that all name changes must be made in conjunction with your primary ID documents. The name in your TEA account must match your testing account and the ID you present at the test center.

Once the appropriate documentation has been received, it will take approximately 12 business days for the requested change to appear in both your TEA account and your testing account. You are responsible for verifying that the requested change has been made in both accounts. Only after you have verified that your name has been changed should you schedule an exam appointment.

If you have an existing appointment, name changes must be completed and appear in your TEA account and testing account at least 48 hours prior to your exam appointment. If your name change has not been completed by that time, you should reschedule your exam to a later date to allow time for your name change to be completed. If you do not reschedule your appointment and the name on your ID documents does not exactly match your exam registration when you arrive at the test site, you will not be allowed to test and you will not be eligible for a refund or credit of any kind.

The following are prohibited at the test site:

• Smoking, vaping, and the use of all tobacco products
• Visitors, including relatives, children, and friends
• Weapons of any kind, except as provided by local laws or policies

Additionally, any personal items that you bring to the test site must be stored in a locker outside of the testing room during the exam. This includes jewelry, watches, wallets, and purses in addition to the following items, which are considered to be prohibited aids:

• Cell phones
• Electronic communication devices, visual or audio recording or listening devices, or any device with an on/off option, including, but not limited to, MP3 players, PDAs, tablets, computers, CD players, removable storage devices, calculator watches, clocks or watches with alarms, spellcheckers, etc.
• Eyeglasses with communication and recording devices; note that during the check-in process you may be asked to remove any pair of eyeglasses for a visual inspection, but the test center proctor will not touch or otherwise handle your glasses
• Calculators, except as noted for Mathematics 7–12 (235), Mathematics/Physical Science/Engineering 6–12 (274), and Physics/Mathematics 7–12 (243), and calculator manuals (on-screen calculators are automatically provided for exams that allow them)
• Handwritten or printed materials, such as dictionaries, notebooks, scratch paper, textbooks, etc.
• Packages and bags of any kind, such as backpacks, briefcases, etc.
• Hats or headwear, including barrettes and hair clips larger than ¼-inch wide1 quarter inch wide and hairbands larger than ½-inch wide1 half inch wide, except for those being worn for religious or medical purposes
• Food and drink, including chewing gum
• Unauthorized aids, such as slide rules, rulers, translation aids, highlighters, etc.
• Unauthorized medical devices, defined as any device not noted on Pearson VUE's Approved Comfort Aids list , unless prior approval has been obtained (refer to Requesting Alternative Testing Arrangements for more information)

Violation of test site rules, including the possession or use of prohibited materials during an exam administration, may result in the voiding of your scores, as well as additional actions or remedies that the Texas Education Agency (TEA), State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), and/or Pearson may deem appropriate.

An exam can be retaken after 30 days. Candidates are prevented from registering until the results from the last attempt have been posted to ECOS. Once the results have posted, you can then register, at which point the first available date for an exam appointment will be 30 days from the prior attempt's exam date.

If you are affiliated with an educator preparation program (EPP), you must request approval from your program to retest. Contact your EPP for further information.

If, upon completion of an entire TExES Core Subjects (211 or 391) or TX PACT Essential Academic Skills (700) exam, you do not pass one or more of the subject exams, you are eligible to retake

• a single subject exam, if you passed all of the other subject exams, or
• the overall TExES Core Subjects (211 or 391) or TX PACT Essential Academic Skills (700) exam, if you did not pass two or more subject exams.

The score for your best attempt on each subject exam is retained, so a candidate retaking the overall exam does not need to respond to questions in subject exams previously passed. This applies to TExES Core Subjects (211 and 391) exams, as well as the TX PACT Essential Academic Skills (700) exam. Note that passing scores on subject exams from the retired 291 Core Subjects EC–6 exam cannot be combined with passing scores on subject exams from the current 391 Core Subjects EC–6 exam because they are separate exams. Candidates who did not pass all five 291 Core Subjects EC–6 subject exams must take and pass all five 391 Core Subjects EC–6 subject exams.

You must wait 30 days after taking the TExES Core Subjects (211 or 391) or TX PACT Essential Academic Skills (700) exam before you can retake the overall exam or an individual subject exam. Each testing session counts as an attempt for the Core Subjects (211 or 391) or TX PACT Essential Academic Skills (700) exam, whether the overall exam or an individual subject exam (i.e., 806–809, 901–905, or 701–703) is attempted.

Pearson and TEA reserve the right to cancel scores if the Retake Policy is violated for any reason.

Attempt Limit

You are limited to five attempts to take a certification exam. The five-attempt limit also applies to intensive pre-service candidates taking a pre-admission content test (PACT). PACT exams taken for purposes of admission into a Texas EPP or to satisfy requirements for a charter school teaching assignment are not subject to the five-attempt limit.

The five attempts include the first attempt to pass the exam and four retakes. Each testing session counts as another attempt for the TExES Core Subjects (211 or 391) or TX PACT Essential Academic Skills (700) exam, whether the overall exam or an individual subject exam is attempted. If you choose to register again for the same exam after completion of the fifth testing attempt, scores will not be counted toward certification and you will assume responsibility for exam fees paid. For more information, please consult with your educator preparation program and review the score reporting policies on this website.

Note that the retired 291 Core Subjects EC–6 exam and current 391 Core Subjects EC–6 exam are separate exams; therefore, previous attempts on the 291 exam do not count toward the attempt limit for the 391 exam.

If you are unable to successfully pass the examination after five attempts, you will not be allowed to take the examination again unless the Texas Education Agency approves a test-limit waiver . If you are not able to pass an examination that is a requirement for a given certification, you will not be able to be issued an intern, probationary, or standard certificate in that certification field.

It is essential that you report for your exam appointment on time. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, you may not be admitted. If you arrive late and are not admitted, you will be considered absent and will not receive a refund or credit of any kind. You will need to register and pay again to take the exam on a future date.

If you are absent, you will not receive a refund or credit of any kind. You will need to register and pay again to take the exam on a future date.

Emergency circumstances. If you are absent from an exam administration because of an emergency circumstance (illness, injury, hospitalization, or death in the immediate family), you may be eligible to receive reimbursement.

To request reimbursement, you must submit a written request to Pearson describing the emergency situation. Include written documentation, such as a dated newspaper obituary or a dated letter signed by a professional licensed to diagnose or treat the emergency condition (e.g., physician), on that person's professional letterhead. Documentation from a medical professional must specifically excuse you from testing on the date of the exam. Documentation containing electronic signatures will not be accepted.

The request and required documentation must be received at Pearson within 30 calendar days after the missed appointment.

A response to your request will be sent to you within two weeks after the missed appointment, or two weeks after your request is received, whichever is later. If your request for a reimbursement is granted, the reimbursement you receive will be in the amount of the exam fees you paid for the missed appointment, minus the Texas.gov payment processing fee, which is not refundable.

In the event that it becomes necessary to close a test center due to severe weather conditions or a natural disaster (e.g., flood, fire), candidates will be notified by telephone and/or email and will be contacted to reschedule their exam appointment.

It is imperative that you keep the contact information, especially your phone number and email address, up-to-date in your testing account on this website so you can be contacted quickly if the need arises. Fees that you submitted will be transferred to the new test date.

If you miss an exam appointment that has not been officially canceled due to a test center closing, you will be considered absent and will not receive a refund or credit of any kind.

If you have a scheduled appointment and have concerns or questions on the day of the exam, please Contact Us.