HB 4489
bill to certify out-of-state teachers with no Texas exam
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to the issuance of an educator certificate to certain applicants from outside this state.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Foreign degrees count too, plus a deal to join the interstate teacher compact.
The bill lets the State Board for Educator Certification issue a Texas teaching certificate to someone who holds an accredited or equivalent foreign degree and a certificate from another state or country, without first passing a Texas or comparable exam. It also orders the board to set up an agreement so Texas can join the national interstate teacher certification compact and list which outside certificates it accepts. Starting September 1, 2025, out-of-state and foreign-credentialed teachers face fewer hurdles to Texas certification, and several existing subsections of the certification law are repealed.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 12, 2025 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB4489 · 2025-03-12
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the issuance of an educator certificate to certain applicants from outside this state.
WHAT IT DOES
Foreign degrees count too, plus a deal to join the interstate teacher compact.
The bill lets the State Board for Educator Certification issue a Texas teaching certificate to someone who holds an accredited or equivalent foreign degree and a certificate from another state or country, without first passing a Texas or comparable exam. It also orders the board to set up an agreement so Texas can join the national interstate teacher certification compact and list which outside certificates it accepts. Starting September 1, 2025, out-of-state and foreign-credentialed teachers face fewer hurdles to Texas certification, and several existing subsections of the certification law are repealed.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Public Education
FILED UNDER
The bill drops the exam requirement and lets teachers with certificates from other countries get Texas certification through credential reciprocity.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 10, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$22,500.00
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC
$22,500.00
- Cash
- $22,500.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $22,500.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 23, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100987507, 101030051, 101061699, 101072155.
Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee$7,711.42
Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee
$7,711.42
- Cash
- $500.00
- Paid by others
- $7,211.42
- Total
- $7,711.42
Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 26, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100987507, 101030051, 101072150.
Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas$5,000.00
Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
Also funds 53 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Aug 15, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Aug 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100987507, 101072150.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC
$22,500.00
- Cash
- $22,500.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $22,500.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 23, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100987507, 101030051, 101061699, 101072155.
Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee
$7,711.42
- Cash
- $500.00
- Paid by others
- $7,211.42
- Total
- $7,711.42
Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 26, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100987507, 101030051, 101072150.
Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
Also funds 53 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Aug 15, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Aug 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100987507, 101072150.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Mar 12, 2025
04/03/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Apr 3 2025 12:38PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Public Education · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Education--Primary & Secondary--Teachers
Intergovernmental Relations
EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION, STATE BOARD FOR
Text
The text as introduced · 300 words
89R13490 MEW-D By: Morales of Harris H.B. No. 4489 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the issuance of an educator certificate to certain applicants from outside this state. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 21.052(a), Education Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) The board may issue a certificate to an educator who applies for a certificate and: (1) holds: (A) a degree issued by an institution accredited by a regional accrediting agency or group that is recognized by a nationally recognized accreditation board; or (B) a degree issued by an institution located in a foreign country, if the degree is equivalent to a degree described by Paragraph (A); and (2) holds an appropriate certificate or other credential issued by another state or country[ ; and [ (3) performs satisfactorily on: [ (A) the examination prescribed under Section 21.048; or [ (B) if the educator holds a certificate or other credential issued by another state or country, an examination similar to and at least as rigorous as that described by Paragraph (A) administered to the educator under the authority of that state ]. SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 21.0521 to read as follows: Sec. 21.0521. NASDTEC INTERSTATE AGREEMENT. The board shall establish an agreement regarding certification of educators from outside this state for purposes of entering into the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification interstate agreement. The agreement must specify which educator certificates from outside this state are accepted by the board for purposes of issuing a certificate to an educator under Section 21.052. SECTION 3. Sections 21.052(a-1), (c), (d), (d-1), and (e), Education Code, are repealed. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.