Can You Teach in Texas With a Washington Certification?

Yes, but your Washington teaching certificate won’t transfer on its own. You’ll first go through a Review of Credentials with the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

You won’t be starting over, though. TEA says out-of-state educators may be eligible for exemption from some or all of the Texas certification exams. Here is what you need to know.

Does Texas Have Teacher Reciprocity With Washington?

No. TEA states that Texas does not have reciprocity with any other state, which means it doesn’t automatically accept an out-of-state certificate and issue a standard Texas certificate. Our guides for teachers moving from Michigan and Minnesota explain how this works in more detail. Instead, TEA reviews your credentials and tells you what you still need, if anything.

Which Washington Teaching Certificates Does TEA Review?

TEA reviews standard certificates issued by another U.S. state or territory. Here is how that applies to your Washington teaching certificate:

Your Washington credential	What to expect from TEA
A standard teaching certificate that is valid and active	Eligible to be reviewed
A permit, or a substandard, temporary or substitute certificate	Not accepted for review, according to TEA’s checklist
A certificate that is no longer valid and active	Not accepted. House Bill 1178 requires the certificate to be valid and active when TEA receives your complete application

If you’re not sure which category your certificate falls into, ask TEA through its educator certification help desk before you pay the fee, because the $164 fee is non-refundable.

How Does TEA’s Review of Credentials Work?

TEA’s out-of-state application checklist covers the same process for teachers from every state, as our guide for teachers moving from New Jersey shows. For Washington teachers, it works like this:

1. Create your TEAL account. Your TEA Login (TEAL) account opens the Educator Certification Online System (ECOS), where you apply.
2. Apply and pay. In ECOS, choose Out-of-State Certified Applicants, then Review of Credentials from Another State or U.S. Territory. The fee is $164 and non-refundable.
3. Send your documents. A complete application includes the online application, the fee, a copy of your Washington certificate and official transcripts. TEA can’t begin the review until it has every required document, so one missing item holds your file back.
4. Ask for a test exemption at the same time. TEA encourages applicants to send score reports and proof of experience with the first application. The next section explains what to send.
5. Watch for your results letter. When the review is done, TEA emails you to check “My Documents” in your educator account for a letter with the results.
6. Apply for your certificate. If you’re eligible for a Standard Certificate, you apply for it in ECOS. It costs $78 and is a five-year renewable certificate. TEA also offers a $52 One-Year Certificate for teachers who need it for employment while they finish testing. TEA can’t issue any certificate until fingerprinting is complete.

Will Washington Teachers Need to Take Texas Exams?

Not always. TEA’s test exemption review offers two routes, and TEA can only confirm your eligibility after it reviews your documents:

• Experience-based exemption: You may be eligible if you have three or more years of verifiable experience as a classroom teacher, in student support services or in administration. Your current or previous employer completes TEA’s Verification of Educator Experience for Test Exemption form.
• Test-based exemption plus experience: You may qualify if you previously passed licensure exams in another state that were required for your certification. This route also uses the Verification of Educator Experience form. TEA’s page lists the exact experience this route requires, so read it before you apply.

Do Washington Teachers Need the Science of Teaching Reading Exam?

It depends on the certificate you’re seeking. Texas requires the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) exam for certain certificates, including Core Subjects with STR for Early Childhood through Grade 6 and Grades 4 to 8, English Language Arts and Reading with STR for Grades 4 to 8, and English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies with STR for Grades 4 to 8.

TEA has a separate STR exemption, based on a list of states in the Texas Administrative Code. Check the list on TEA’s test exemption page to see whether Washington is on it. If your state isn’t listed and you were required to pass a reading exam for your certification, you can still submit your scores for review. Classroom experience on its own doesn’t qualify you for the STR exemption, and neither does completing the Reading Academies.

What If TEA’s Review Says You Need Texas Exams?

Your results letter will tell you which exams you still need. Our exam matrix shows the TExES exams by certification area, so you can see what each one covers. Once you’ve passed the exams on your letter, or been approved for an exemption, you can apply for your Standard Certificate.

If you need to work before you finish testing, you can apply for the $52 One-Year Certificate. TEA offers it for employment purposes and for completing testing requirements, so apply for it only if you need it.

When Is an Alternative Certification Program the Better Path?

If you don’t hold a standard teaching certificate, TEA won’t review your credentials. TEA says you either complete the process in your own state or go through a Texas educator preparation program. That’s where an alternative certification program comes in. It’s also your route if your Washington certificate falls in the permit, substandard, temporary, substitute or expired rows of the table above. TeacherBuilder.com’s Route Finder can show you which certification route fits your background.

What Should Washington Teachers Do Next?

If you hold a valid, active standard Washington certificate, open your TEAL account and submit your Review of Credentials with your test exemption documents, since TEA can’t start the review until your file is complete. If you’re unsure whether your certificate counts, contact TEA’s help desk first.

If you don’t hold a standard certificate, you can start planning your Texas route now. See how TeacherBuilder.com works to find out which path fits your background, or start your free application.

This blog does not contain legal, educational or government advice. Fees and rules can change, so check with the Texas Education Agency for the latest requirements.