With the mean annual salary of a teacher in Texas being over $51,000 and with the large number of job opportunities available, many aspiring teachers want to work in this state. The question is how to become a teacher in Texas. Used this general guide designed for people who are planning to become educators in this state after completing their higher education.

Earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. This is the main prerequisite for obtaining certification and practicing this profession. The academic major you choose for your undergraduate program is irrelevant. The important thing is to graduate with a good GPA. It is essential for you to keep this in mind since you want to know how to become a teacher in Texas.

Get undergraduate, post-baccalaureate or alternative certification teacher training. These are three different routes for becoming a teacher in Texas. If you are high school student planning to become an educator in this state, you can readily enroll in an undergraduate program that offering teacher training along with other academic courses. If you already hold a bachelor’s degree, you can opt for a post-baccalaureate teacher program or for an alternative certification program. The first type of program involves classroom and field training only while the alternative one allows you to combine studying with an internship or practicum.

Complete successfully all teacher certification examinations. This is how to become a teacher in Texas. The formal name of the examinations is Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES). These include content tests for each academic subject and grade level. In order to be able to teach math to third-graders, for instance, you must pass a special test. In general, you can choose from over 60 academic areas to pass a test and teach in. The other major component of the TExES exams is the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibility (PPR) test.

Pass successfully the content TExES exam to get a Probationary Certificate. You need to pass this set of exams first so that you can start working as a teacher of record in a public school in Texas. You must have experience as an educator to take the PPR test.

Work as a teacher for two semesters and pass successfully the PPR test to obtain a Standard Certificate. These are the final requirements that you need to meet to become a teacher in Texas. In most cases, the programs do not provide their internships to their students directly. You will be responsible for finding a placement by yourself with the aid of program coordinator. Since there is no certainty that you will find an internship, many programs offer alternative options, such as clinical teaching practicum which is more intensive and takes shorter to complete. Another difference is that you are not paid for your work during the practicum.

Now you know how to become a teacher in Texas. It takes dedication and hard work, but your efforts will pay off in the end. The work of educators is highly satisfactory and is becoming better paid, given the growing demand for their services.