Becoming a Spanish Teacher in Texas: Certification & Requirements

<h2 id="section---TexasSpanishTeacherCareerInformation">Texas Spanish Teacher Career Information</h2> <p>Spanish teachers who are certified in Texas can teach students of all grade levels, from kindergarten through 12th. The steps you need to take to become certified as a Spanish teacher include completing the required education and passing exams. Renewal of certification is required after earning continuing education credits. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> Education Required </td><td> Bachelor's degree and state-approved educator preparation program</td></tr> <tr><td> Exam Requirements </td><td> TExES Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Spanish EC-12; TExES Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12</td></tr> <tr><td> Certification Renewal Period </td><td> Five years</td></tr> <tr><td> CEU Credits Required for Renewal </td><td> 150 hours of continuing professional education</td></tr> <tr><td> Average Salary (2018) </td><td>$56,520 (Texas elementary school teachers); $56,580 (Texas middle school teachers); $58,190 (Texas high school teachers)*</td></tr> <tr><td> Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026) </td><td> 20.4% (Texas elementary school teachers); 20.5% (Texas middle school teachers); 20.6% (Texas high school teachers)**</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), **Texas Workforce Commission </i></p> <h3 id="section---CompleteEducationRequirements">Complete Education Requirements</h3> <p>To become a teacher in Texas, you must possess at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Most Spanish teachers will have majored in Spanish. This major generally includes coursework in basic to advanced Spanish. Students can also take courses covering topics such as Spanish linguistics, Spanish literature, and Spanish culture. </p> <p>As part of the education requirements, prospective teachers must also complete a state-approved educator preparation program that includes instruction on how to teach students with dyslexia. These programs typically also include coursework in the foundations of education, teaching in diverse settings, and student assessment. As part of the program, students will complete fieldwork as a student teacher in a local school. The fieldwork experience allows students to gain experience teaching and managing their own classroom in a real-world setting. Most students complete this training as part of their bachelor's degree program. </p> <h3 id="section---FulfillCertificationExamRequirements">Fulfill Certification Exam Requirements</h3> <p>Prospective Spanish teachers must pass the TExES Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 and TExES Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Spanish EC-12 exams after receiving approval from an educator preparation program. </p> <p>The TExES Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Spanish EC-12 is a computer-based test that includes 120 selected-response questions, five writing constructed-response tasks, and three speaking constructed-response tasks. The test includes questions related to reading, writing, listening, and oral expression in Spanish. The test also includes questions about cultural understanding. The minimum passing score is 240. </p> <p>The computer-based TExES Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 contains 100 selected-response questions that cover topics such as classroom management, curriculum development, professional responsibilities, and student instruction. The minimum passing score is also 240 for this test. </p> <h3 id="section---SubmitYourApplication">Submit Your Application</h3> <p>After you have completed your bachelor's degree, educator preparation program, and exam requirements, you can submit your certification application to the Texas Education Agency. The Texas Education Agency recommends that you first verify with your educator preparation program that you are eligible to apply. As part of the application process, you will need to complete a criminal background check and have fingerprints on file. </p> <h3 id="section---CompleteRenewalRequirements">Complete Renewal Requirements</h3> <p>The teacher certification in Languages Other Than English is valid for five years. To renew the license, teachers must complete 150 hours of continuing professional education (CPE). The CPE requirement can be fulfilled in several ways, such as by taking additional courses at an accredited college, attending conferences and workshops, or completing professional development courses. The Texas Education Agency keeps an updated list of approved providers for CPE. To receive credit, teachers must keep accurate documentation of their CPE hours.</p>