Anyone applying for a first-time teaching certificate in Texas must pass the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) EC-12 exam. This exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions that evaluate whether you have the necessary knowledge and skills to teach in public schools, grades EC–12.
What is the Exam Format?
The exam is computer-based. You will be given five hours to complete the exam. Out of the 100 exam questions, 90 are scored. The remaining 10 questions are being tested for future exams. They appear randomly throughout the exam. Therefore, you should answer every question. There is no penalty for an incorrect answer, so make your best guess on every question.
What Is a Passing Score?
The exam is scored on a 100-300 scale. A minimum score of 240 is needed to pass. You can access your score report online on a designated date.
How Do I Register for the Exam?
You must create an online account to register for the exam. With this account, you can also reschedule or cancel your registration and view your score report. The PPR exam is offered continuously. You must register at least 2 days before the test date you choose. You will need to print an admission ticket and bring it with you to the testing center. It will include information about your reporting time and test center location.
The exam fee is $131.
You will be eligible to retake the exam 45 days after your exam date. You may retake the exam up to five times.
What Should I Bring on Exam Day?
You will need your admission ticket and appropriate photo identification. Personal items including cell phones and other electronic devices are not allowed in the exam room.
What Is the Exam Content?
Exam questions are distributed among the following domains to assess your knowledge and skills related to the following content areas:
- Designing instruction and assessment to promote student learning (34 percent)
- Demonstrating knowledge of human development and student diversity in the design of teaching and testing tools that create incentives for students, are appropriate for their needs, and recognize differences among students
- Demonstrating knowledge of the processes by which teachers design lesson plans and exams to meet appropriate learning goals and objectives
- Demonstrating knowledge of how students learn and the factors that influence learning
- Creating a positive and productive classroom environment (13 percent)
- Demonstrating knowledge of strategies to establish an organized, efficient, and safe classroom setting in which to manage student behavior and facilitate learning, fairness, and achievement
- Implementing effective and responsive instruction and assessment (33 percent)
- Demonstrating knowledge of effective communication strategies to keep students interested and engaged across teaching and learning contexts
- Demonstrating knowledge on how to best use technology in the classroom
- Understanding how to best track student performance and achievement and provide effective feedback
- Fulfilling professional roles and responsibilities (20 percent)
- Demonstrating knowledge on how best to communicate with families and foster family involvement in learning
- Understanding the importance of professional growth through participation in activities in the school and professional communities
- Demonstrating knowledge of the legal and ethical standards for teachers and the Texas educational system
How Should I Prepare for the PPR Exam?
The PPR exam is critical to your ability to secure a teaching position in Texas. You will want to be as prepared as possible on exam day. This means things like getting a good night’s sleep, eating a healthy meal, dressing comfortably, and having reliable transportation to arrive at the test center on time. It also means having a professional, research-backed strategy to guide your study sessions. The experts at Mometrix have created the tools you need to excel on test day. The TExES Secrets Study Guide and The TExES Flashcards Study System, including practice test questions, are designed to reinforce the knowledge content, concepts, and skills that you will need to draw on to achieve a passing score. They also include valuable test-taking strategies and tips to help you quickly understand the kinds of questions you’ll see on the PPR and how to apply what you know to choose the correct answers.
