If you hold a Texas standard certificate, you need continuing professional education (CPE) hours to renew it every five years. The rules are not complicated, but the details, such as how many hours you need, what counts and what records to keep, are easy to lose track of in a busy school year.
This guide summarizes the Texas CPE requirements for classroom teachers and educational diagnosticians based on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the State Board for Educator Certification rules. Rules can change, so always confirm the current requirements on TEA’s website before you renew.
How many CPE hours do Texas teachers need?
Texas standard certificates are valid for five years. To renew, you complete a set number of CPE clock hours during that five-year period:
| Certificate | CPE hours every 5 years |
|---|---|
| Classroom teacher | 150 hours |
| Educational diagnostician | 200 hours |
| Counselor, librarian, reading specialist, principal, superintendent | 200 hours |
| More than one type of certificate (for example, teacher and diagnostician) | 200 hours total |
If you hold several classroom teaching certificates, they are renewed together and you complete one set of 150 hours.
Required topics
All educators
Every educator must complete CPE on educating students with disabilities, including information about students with dyslexia. Educators who teach students with dyslexia must also complete training on new research and practices in dyslexia education.
Classroom teachers
Your CPE should relate to your certificate and cover content-area knowledge and skills as well as professional ethics and standards of conduct. TEA also identifies topics such as collecting and analyzing classroom data, recognizing early warning signs of dropping out, digital learning and technology integration, educating diverse student populations, and appropriate educator-student boundaries. For renewals on or after September 1, 2023, teachers cannot be required to earn more than 25% of their hours in those specific topics.
Educational diagnosticians
The rule does not list additional topic mandates for diagnosticians beyond the all-educator disabilities and dyslexia requirement and the general requirement that CPE relate to your certificate. In practice, that means assessment, eligibility, special education law and evaluation practice are natural fits.
What counts as CPE?
- Workshops, conferences, in-service and district professional development
- Online courses and webinars from approved providers
- College coursework (one semester credit hour equals 15 CPE hours)
- Independent study, up to 20% of your total hours
- Teaching or presenting CPE, up to 10% of your total hours
- Mentoring another educator, up to 30% of your total hours
- Curriculum development and similar professional work
You do not have to be employed by a Texas school district to earn CPE, but hours must come from TEA-approved CPE providers. Approved providers include TEA and the State Board for Educator Certification, accredited colleges and universities, regional Education Service Centers, Texas school districts and charter schools, and other organizations that meet TEA requirements. Before you take a course for CPE, check that the provider is approved.
Keeping records
You do not upload your CPE certificates when you renew. Instead, you attest that you completed the required hours. TEA can audit renewals, so keep your documentation, such as certificates of completion, transcripts and attendance records, for at least five years. A simple folder or spreadsheet with the date, provider, title and hours for each activity makes an audit easy.
How to renew your Texas standard certificate
- Log in to your TEA Login (TEAL) account.
- Select View My Educator Certification Account to open ECOS.
- Verify your profile information and continue.
- Choose Applications, then Renew a Standard Certificate.
- Complete the questions, attest to your CPE hours and pay the renewal fee.
TEA sends a reminder about six months before your certificate expires, but you are responsible for renewing on time even if you don’t receive it. If your certificate expires, it becomes inactive. You can still renew it later without retaking certification exams, but a late fee applies.
Tips for earning CPE hours without the stress
- Track as you go. Add every training to your log the day you finish it.
- Spread hours out. About 30 hours a year covers the 150-hour teacher requirement; about 40 hours a year covers 200 hours.
- Choose training you will use. CPE is most valuable when it solves a real problem in your classroom, such as behavior, attendance or supporting students with disabilities.
- Use self-paced options for flexibility. Online, self-paced courses let you earn hours on your own schedule, as long as the provider is approved for Texas CPE.
Sources
- Texas Education Agency: Standard Certificate Renewal and Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Information
- 19 Texas Administrative Code §232.11: Number and Content of Required Continuing Professional Education Hours
This article is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with TEA.
