TExES 4x Waiver Request

No one wants to fail their TExES or PPR exam once, let alone multiple times. However, these exams are not easy, and you may need to take them more than once. Are you looking for information about the 4x waiver request for TExES exams? This page is designed to give you a step-by-step overview of the process and how to go about obtaining a waiver to re-take a TExES exam.

What is a TExES Waiver Request?

A person cannot retake a TExES exam more than four times without a waiver from the state of Texas. That means that if a person fails a TExES exam five times, they cannot attempt a sixth attempt without a waiver from the state of Texas.

What is the 4x Waiver?

The 4x waiver request form is a form created by the TEA to formally request permission for a sixth attempt (or fifth retake) of a TExES exam. The waiver must be submitted no earlier than 45 days after the most recent failure.

To be considered for approval for a sixth attempt (or fifth retake) you must complete between 50 and 200 clock hours of educational activities related to areas of deficiency based on your score.

How Many Hours Do I Need?

To determine how many hours you need to complete, visit TEA’s Test-Limit Waiver Information page and download the Request for Waiver form. Use the CSEM attachment on pages 8 and 9 to identify how many CSEM you are away from passing.

The number of educational activity hours required depends on your HIGHEST score to date. Below is the number of hours needed based upon your HIGHEST score.

• 1 CSM : 50 hours
• 2 CSM : 100 hours
• 3 CSM : 150 hours
• 4+ CSM : 200 hours

Example: John Doe failed the CORE Subjects EC-6 Social Studies for the fifth time on March 1, 2016. John’s third attempt of 220 was his highest score to date. John downloads the Texas Average CSEM document and finds that a score of 220 is within 2 CSEM of passing. Because John’s highest score is within 2 CSEM of passing, John needs to complete 100 hours of educational activities BEFORE applying for the 4x Waiver from TEA.

4x Waiver Process: Step-by-Step

Follow the steps below to being the 4x waiver application process:

1. Gather all five score reports
2. Identify how many educational activity hours you need for the waiver
3. Identify deficit competencies (only for the exam or subtest for which you need a waiver)
4. Find appropriate, approved options for educational activities
5. Contact each provider of the educational activity for information and confirmation of activity dates, times, and educational hours provided
6. Complete educational activity (remember that all activities must be completed after the most recent failed attempt).
7. Complete 4x Waiver by TEA and submit the waiver no earlier than 45 days after your most recent attempt along with the $164 application and service fee.. Use the submission form to send your application.

How to get educational activity hours

According to the TEA:

An educational activity would be provided by an approved educator preparation program (EPP) or an approved continuing professional education (CPE) provider or sponsor. Approved CPEs currently include all accredited institutions of higher education, education service centers, Texas public school districts, accredited private schools, and non-profit organizations that have offered professional development in Texas for at least five years. Approved CPEs also currently include private entities and individuals who have been approved by TEA staff to offer CPE activities. An educational activity would need to be directly related to the knowledge and skill competencies in which the candidate answered less than 70 percent of questions correctly on the past five examinations. A competency is a grouping of knowledge and skills on a certification examination that defines what an entry-level educator in Texas public schools should know and be able to do. To provide consistency among candidates when identifying deficit competencies, a candidate would add the number of questions answered correctly in each competency on each of the five most recent examinations, add the number of questions asked for each competency on each of the five most recent examinations, and then, for each examination, divide the total number of questions answered correctly by the total number of questions asked. If a candidate did not correctly answer 70 percent of the questions in a competency across the past five examinations, the candidate would identify the competency as a deficit area that should be addressed by an educational activity.

One semester credit hour earned at an accredited institution of higher education would be equivalent to 15 clock-hours. The candidate must have completed and passed all required clock-hours prior to submitting a waiver request. Clock-hours completed before the most recent examination attempt or after a request for a waiver is submitted would not count toward meeting the educational activity required to show good cause for a waiver.

TRANSLATION: To get the required number of educational activity hours, you must participate in an EPP, CPE Provider activity, or take a college class. 240 Tutoring is an approved CPE Provider!

Identify Deficient Areas

On the 4x waiver ,you will be required to identify your deficit areas of knowledge. To identify a deficit:

1. Gather all five score reports from previous exams
2. Add up the total number of questions answered CORRECTLY for each competency
3. Add up the total number of questions possible in each competency
4. Divide the number of questions answered CORRECTLY by the number of questions possible to get the PERCENTAGE ANSWERED CORRECT
5. Any area where the percentage answered correctly is less than 70% is considered a deficit area.

Educational activities must target competencies deemed “deficit” in order to count toward educational activity hours.

How does 240 Tutoring Help/Work?

240 Tutoring is an approved CPE provider of online study guides for the TExES exams (CPE #: 901-925). Candidates can use 240 Tutoring study guides to obtain “Educational Activity Hours” towards their 4x Waiver application. Take the following steps to utilize 240 Tutoring CPE Study Guides:

1. Choose a study guide from the list below that directly correlates with your exam.
2. Upon successfully subscribing, email 240 Tutoring to let us know you have enrolled in a study guide for the 4x waiver educational activity hours.
3. Once you have successfully completed a 240 Tutoring study guide, we will provide a Certificate of Completion to testify to the educational activity completed.
4. PLEASE NOTE: “Successful Completion” of a 240 Tutoring study guide is deemed as completing the study guide and scoring greater than 80% on the full-length practice test.

Other CPE Providers and Activities

E-Cap : Online – $

Online professional development classes that can be used for CPE credits.

Region 13: Online – $$$

Reviews for the TExES exams. These are online and vary in the number of hours. Prices range from $75 to $520.

Region 10: In-Person – $$$

In person reviews. $150 per six hours of credit.