Navigating the New House Bill 2 Certification Requirements: Supporting Uncertified Educators in Texas

House Bill 2 (HB 2) passed during the 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, and was signed into law by Governor Abbott. HB 2 includes a new statutory provision, Texas Education Code (TEC), §21.0032, that now limits school districts’ ability to include exemptions for uncertified educators to teach foundation curriculum courses in their District of Innovation (DOI) plans. The implementation of these limitations will be phased in over the next three academic years. Review the HB 2 Implementation: New Certification Requirements and Incentives for Uncertified Teachers page  on the Texas Education Agency website for additional information about the new requirements.

To support school districts in complying with the new Texas HB 2 educator certification requirements, the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program offers a set of in-depth preparation resources that are intended to help teacher candidates prepare for their certification exams. These preparation resources provide exam-specific information that candidates can review to better understand the content knowledge and skills measured on these exams. A list and descriptions of available study materials are provided below.

Preparation Resources for the Texas Educator Certification Examinations

The Texas Educator Certification Examination Program offers a variety of study materials, including preparation manuals, practice exams, and test preparation planning documents, for candidates to review sample exam content, answer sample exam questions, and gauge their readiness to test.

Preparation Manuals and Practice Exams

The free preparation manuals include information about effective test-taking strategies; exam frameworks defining the content covered on the exams; sample selected-response questions with detailed explanations of the correct and incorrect response options; and, for applicable exam fields, sample constructed-response assignments with sample responses, score rationales, and relevant scoring criteria.

Full-length, interactive practice exams are also available to purchase for select exam fields. School districts can purchase practice exam voucher codes to provide candidates with full or partial credit toward fees for practice exams.

Candidates taking the practice exams can familiarize themselves with not only the exam content, but also the user interface and features of the computerized exam. The sample items on the practice exams are distributed across competencies in the same proportions as those on the operational exams. The practice exams also provide candidates with explanations of correct responses as well as comprehensive, immediate feedback on their performance, including showing their competency-level results on the selected-response questions. Candidates have 120 days to access their practice exams, beginning on the date of activation.

The preparation manuals and practice exams provide candidates with the opportunity to review the content and item types that they will find on the operational exams.

Preparation Worksheets

Candidates can create a personalized study plan using the Student Profile and Study Plan worksheets as part of their preparation process. The Student Profile Worksheet guides candidates through a series of questions about their certification and test preparations to help them evaluate their level of preparedness to take an exam. The Study Plan Worksheet helps candidates construct a roadmap to prepare for an exam by having them list the knowledge and skills assessed on an exam, assess where to focus their attention, and identify study materials to aid in their test preparation.

These worksheets provide guidance for candidates’ test preparation, evaluate their preparedness, and, if applicable, analyze their exam results to identify areas for improvement.

The Texas Educator Certification Examination Program is committed to supporting school districts in preparing their uncertified teachers for their certification exams. Through a comprehensive suite of preparation materials, including preparation manuals, practice exams, and other resources, candidates will have access to the tools they need to succeed. By leveraging these resources, school districts can ensure their educators are well-equipped to meet the new certification requirements set forth by Texas HB 2, ultimately enhancing the quality of education for all students.

If you have questions about preparation resources for the Texas Educator Certification Examinations, please email texas.support@pearson.com.