What You Need To Do For Your Texas Teacher Certification Renewal

In case you didn’t know...If you hold a standard teaching certificate in Texas, you must renew it every five years.

That’s right, it doesn’t last forever.

So, what is involved in getting your Texas teacher certification renewal? Let’s take a look.

All certified Texas teachers seeking to renew a certificate must do the following:

• complete the appropriate continuing professional education clock hours
• complete the online standard renewal application
• pay the appropriate renewal fee
• successfully complete a criminal history review
• not be in default on a student loan or in arrears of child support

Continuing Professional Education

Continuing professional education (CPE) is required to renew a standard certificate. All Texas teachers are expected to adopt a philosophy of life-long learning and participate in professional development activities that focus on the need to continually update knowledge in content, best practice, research, and technology that is relevant to their role as an educator.

According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), you are required to complete the following:

•  Classroom teachers must complete 150 CPE hours
• If you hold a professional certificate you must complete 200 CPE hours (Administrative and Student Services are professional certificates)

CPE hours may be obtained online or in person through your school district or with an approved provider. Here is a link for Approved CPE poviders: 

Approved CPE Providers (PDF, 3MB)

It is the responsibility of the teacher and the school district to determine which workshops or training sessions meet the requirements for standard certificate renewal.

CPE clock hours can be accrued through the following:

• workshops, conferences, and in-service or staff development given by an approved registered provider
• undergraduate and graduate coursework through an accredited institution of higher education, with one semester credit being equivalent to 15 CPE clock hours
• interactive distance learning, video conferencing, or on-line activities
• independent study, not to exceed 20% of the required clock hours, which may include: self-study of relevant professional materials (e.g., books, journals, periodicals, video and audio tapes, computer software, interactive distance learning, video conferencing, or online activities); developing curriculum; or authoring a published work
• developing, teaching, or presenting CPE activities, not to exceed 10% of the required clock hours
• providing professional guidance as a mentor to another educator, not to exceed 30% of the required clock hours

 Tracking Your CPE Hours

You are required to have written documentation and verification of completed activities applied toward CPE requirements. Educators are responsible for maintaining a record of their CPE credits.

Here is the TEA Tracking Worksheet to assist you in doing this.

Important Note: You are not required to submit this with your renewal application. However, you must have this information available in the event that your certification records are chosen for an audit.

Renewal Application Information

You must apply and pay online to renew your standard certificate. You will be sent an email reminder six months before the expiration date of your certificate.

You must log in to your account to apply for renewal. You will be charged a late fee if you apply after your certificate expires.

You can find the Step-by-step online renewal application process here.

Good Standing

You must be in good standing in the following three areas:

1.  You must not be a respondent in a disciplinary proceeding under Chapter 249 of this title (relating to Disciplinary Proceedings, Sanctions, and Contested Cases)

2.  You must not be in default on a guaranteed student loan reported by the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation or a judgment debt for a student loan owed to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, unless repayment arrangements have been made;

3.  You must not be in arrears of child support, pursuant to the Texas Family Code, Chapter 232.

Final Thoughts

If you are working as a teacher, then your district is providing your CPE hours in the form of in-service.  Districts usually do about 40 hours per year of CPE accredited training.  At the end of five years, you should have accrued well over the requirement.  

If you have been out of the classroom, then you must find a CPE accredited training provider and attend the 150 hours that are required on your own.  This can get little expensive, but if you are looking to get your teaching certificate renewed so that you can teach again or just have it so you have that option later, some of the regional education service centers do provide training that can be attended by the public.