Registration Information

TOPT Tests Offered

The TOPT program offers two oral proficiency examinations. The following table lists the tests and the code for each test.

Test Name	Test Code
French	080
Spanish	081

You may register for one or both tests at any scheduled test administration.

Registration Steps

Educator Preparation Program (EPP) Candidates
If you are an EPP candidate, you must have approval to test from your EPP. After you have approval, if you are a first-time testing candidate, you must go to the SBEC website and create an account. When you create your account you will complete an Educator Profile and obtain a TEA ID number. (See Creating Your SBEC Account.) You will be able to view your approved examinations in your Educator Profile under View Examinations.

Once you have done that, go to the ETS TExES online registration system and create an ETS testing account. (See Creating Your ETS Testing Account.) You will register to test through your ETS testing account.

If you have already taken a Texas Educator Certifica-tion Program test and you want to register for a test that you have not previously been approved to take, you must get approval from your EPP to take that test. Once you have approval to test, you can go to your testing account on the ETS TExES website and register to test.

Out-of-State/Out-of-Country Candidates
If you are an out-of-state or out-of-country candidate, you must have your credentials reviewed before you can register to test. To have your credentials reviewed, go to the SBEC website at www.sbec.state.tx.us, create an Educator Profile (see Creating Your SBEC Account), complete an online application for review of credentials, and submit the appropriate documents by mail to TEA. The review process generally takes four to six weeks.

After your credentials have been reviewed, you will be mailed information regarding the tests that you are approved to take. You will be able to view your approved examinations in your Educator Profile under View Examinations to confirm your eligibility to test.

Once you have approval to test, go to the ETS TExES online registration system and create an ETS testing account. (See Creating Your ETS Testing Account.) You will register to test through your ETS testing account.

Certification by Exam Candidates
If you are a Certification by Exam candidate, you already have a certificate to teach in Texas and therefore should already have an Educator Profile on the SBEC website and a TEA ID number. Use your TEA ID number to create an ETS testing account and register for an exam on the ETS TExES website. (See Creating Your ETS Testing Account.) A list of exams that you are eligible to take will be displayed for you in your ETS testing account. This is where you will register to test.

If you don't know your TEA ID number, go to your Educator Profile on the SBEC website to retrieve it. If you can't remember your SBEC user name and password, go to the SBEC Online login screen and select "Forgot User Name and Password." After you supply the information requested, your user name and password will be displayed.

If your teaching certificate was issued before 2002, you will have to create an Educator Profile on the SBEC website to obtain your TEA ID number. (See Creating Your SBEC Account.)

Creating Your SBEC Account

Go to the SBEC website, select the link for SBEC Online, and follow the screens. If you already have an account, review and confirm your information and complete all required fields. Remember: the name you create this account under must match the ID documents you will present on the day of the test; otherwise you may be prohibited from taking the test or your test scores may be canceled after you take the test. Be sure to enter your full name exactly as it appears on your ID.
Complete or update your SBEC Educator Profile, especially your mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address. All updates and corrections to your SBEC Educator Profile must be done on the SBEC website. You should check your SBEC Educator Profile on a regular basis to make sure all of your information is current. See Correcting or Updating Your SBEC Educator Profile.
Your SBEC Educator Profile will contain your assigned TEA ID number. A TEA ID number is used for identification throughout the certification and test registration process.
Print your SBEC Educator Profile so that it will be handy when you register to test.

Creating Your ETS Testing Account

If you register online

When you access the ETS TExES online registration system for the first time, you will be required to create an ETS testing account.
Go to Your Account and follow the guidelines for creating an account in the ETS TExES online registration system. You must create an account in the ETS TExES online registration system. This is where you will register to test. You cannot register to test through your account on the SBEC site.
You will need to provide your TEA ID number, your first and last name, and your date of birth. Charter school candidates will be given a TEA ID number dur-ing the process of creating their testing account.
You may use a different user name and password for your ETS TExES account than you did on your SBEC account; however, all other information must be identical to the information you entered in your SBEC account. Remember: the name you register under must match the ID documents you will present on the day of the test; otherwise you may be prohibited from taking the test, or your test scores may be can-celed after you have taken the test. Be sure to enter your full name exactly as it appears on your ID.

If you register by phone or by mail
If you register by phone or mail, your ETS testing account will be created for you using the information you supply over the phone or on your paper registration form. This information must match the information in your SBEC account. If it does not, your registration cannot be processed.

Once your ETS testing account has been created, you will be sent an e-mail that will include a user name for your ETS testing account. To get a password, go to the ETS TExES website at www.texes.ets.org and select "Your Account." Because you already have a user name, you will access your account as an existing user. Go to login and enter your user name; then select "Forgot Password?" A temporary password will be e-mailed to you. You can then log in to your account with your user name and temporary password. You will be prompted to change your temporary password when you log in.

After you create your account
You will be able to return at any time to:

self register for any exam you are eligible to take
view your registration and make changes if needed
reschedule or cancel your registration
print (or reprint) your admission ticket(s)
place orders for services, such as score verification
check the status of previously placed orders
view your score report

You cannot update your SBEC Educator Profile through your testing account in the ETS TExES online registration system. You must go to the SBEC website at www.sbec.state.tx.us to update your SBEC Educator Pro-file. (See Correcting or Updating Your SBEC Educator Profile.)

Be sure to write your logins down and keep them in a secure place for future use. Remember that the information entered in your ETS TExES testing account must match the information in your SBEC Educator Profile. See the Quick Start Guide for New User Account Creation (PDF) and Test Registration Quick Start Guide (PDF) for step-by-step registration directions.

How to Register

Register Online

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, during the regular, late, and emergency registration periods.
Online registrations must be completed and submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central time on the registration deadline dates to be eligible for that registration period. See Test Dates and Registration Deadlines.
There is no extra charge for registering online; however, registration for a TOPT test during the late registration period incurs an additional $35 late registration fee. Registration during the emergency registration period incurs an additional $75 emergency registration fee. See Test Dates and Registration Deadlines.
If you have questions about registering online, call Customer Service at 1-800-205-2626.

Register by Phone

Available only during the emergency registration period.
Call 1-800-205-2626, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Central time, Monday-Friday, excluding holidays.

Register by U.S. Mail

Available only for test takers who do not have access to an electronic mode of payment (credit/debit card) for testing during the regular and late registration periods.
A registration form is available in the TOPT Download Library.
Forms received during the late registration period must include the $35 late registration fee. See Test Dates and Registration Deadlines.
Registration by U.S. mail is not available for emergency registration.
If you have questions about registering by mail, call Customer Service at 1-800-205-2626.

Selecting a Test Session

Test centers may have up to eight sessions scheduled throughout the day to deliver the TOPT exams. If you register online, once you have entered your preference for a morning or afternoon session, you will be presented with the specific times available at that test center for your
selection. If you register by mail, you will be able to indicate your preference for a morning or afternoon session. Please note the following restrictions:

A session request can only be selected when you register.
Some test centers do not offer sessions in both the morning and afternoon.
If you register and select a test session and then make subsequent changes to your test and/or test center selection(s), you will be required to pick from the sessions that are available at the test center at the time of the change.
The session you select at registration cannot be modified on the day of the test.
Although every effort will be made to accommodate your request, session requests are not guaranteed.

Admission Tickets

You will need to print an admission ticket for each test for which you are registered. Your admission ticket will contain information about your reporting time and reporting address. If any of the information on your admission ticket is not accurate or if you have any questions about your test center assignment, call Customer Service immediately at 1-800-205-2626.

You must take your admission ticket with you to the test center on the day of the test. If you do not bring your admission ticket, you may not be permitted to test. Be sure to keep a copy for your records.

Printing Admission Tickets
You can print your admission ticket by accessing your testing account. If you have not already established an account in the system, you will need to do so to print your admission ticket. (See Creating Your ETS Testing Account for details.) You should return to your personal account and view your admission ticket 24 hours before your test to confirm that there have been no changes to your reporting schedule. If there is a test center change (e.g., a different building than originally scheduled), it will be updated in your personal account. If there have been changes, you must print a new admission ticket.

If you have questions or need help printing an admission ticket, call Customer Service at 1-800-205-2626.

NOTE: You will not receive a paper admission ticket in the mail.

Selecting a Test Session

When you register for a test you may request a morning or an afternoon test session. If you register online, you will be asked to make your request after the approved tests are listed. If you register by mail, complete the section that corresponds to the option you are requesting in the "Test Session" section of the registration form.

Session requests are granted on a space-available (first-come, first-served) basis. Every effort is made to grant your request. However, it may not be possible to grant your request due to testing center capacity limits. Session requests cannot be granted on the day of the test. Please note the following restrictions:

A session request can only be made when you register.
Some test centers do not offer both morning and afternoon sessions.
A session request received after the late registration deadline may not be honored.
You will not receive a refund if your session request cannot be honored.
If you register with a session request and make subsequent changes to your test and/or test center selection(s), any previously granted session request may no longer be available.

At each test administration, you may take up to two tests, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. If you register for more tests than can be accommodated according to these guidelines, processing of your registration will be delayed.

Test Dates and Registration Deadlines

The TOPT tests are scheduled to be administered three times during the 2008-09 testing year. See TOPT test dates and registration deadlines. The registration deadlines are strictly enforced; exceptions are not made.

Regular Registration Period
Online Registration

Registration must be completed and submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Central time on the deadline date.

Mail-In Registration

Registration forms must be received no later than the regular registration deadline.

Late Registration Period
Online Registration

Registration must be completed and submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Central time on the deadline date.

Mail-In Registration

Registration forms must be received no later than the late registration deadline.
A $35 nonrefundable late registration fee is required for registrations submitted after the regular registration deadline up to the late registration deadline. This is in addition to the standard test fee.

Emergency Registration Period
Online Registration

Registration must be completed and submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Central time on the deadline date.

Phone Registration

Registration must be completed no later than 5:00 p.m. Central time on the deadline date.
A $75 nonrefundable emergency registration fee is required for registrations submitted after the late registration deadline up to the emergency registration deadline. This is in addition to standard test fee.
The emergency registration deadline is the last possible date to register to test or reschedule.

Change Requests

Requests to change your test, test date, or test center can be made:

Online
By calling Customer Service at 1-800-205-2626. You must make the call yourself. No one else will be allowed to request changes for you.
You may also request changes by completing and submitting a Change Request form. Completion and submission instructions are on the form.
Examinees registered for Monday testing or nonstandard testing accommodations cannot reschedule online; they may only reschedule using the Change Request Form.

A test date can only be changed to a date within the current testing year.

To change a test, you must be preapproved by your Educator Preparation Program for the new test you are planning to take.

The deadline for making changes is the emergency registration deadline. Changes in registration will be processed only if seats are available at the requested test center, on the requested date, and at the requested time.

A $15 processing fee is charged for all registration changes during the regular or late registration period; this is in addition to the $82 test fee. Registration changes made during the emergency registration period incur a $70 processing fee in addition to the $82 test fee. If you submit your request by mail, you must include payment for the change fee along with your request. See Fees for Tests and Related Services for payment policies. If you submit your request online, you must pay your change request fee by credit or debit card (American Express, Discover Network, MasterCard, and VISA).

Canceling a Test

You may cancel a test for which you have registered through your ETS testing account. You may also cancel by completing and submitting the Test Cancellation form. Mail or fax the completed form to the address or fax number listed on the form. If you are registered for Monday testing (for military or religious reasons), military testing, or nonstandard testing accommodations cannot cancel online; you may only cancel using the Test Cancellation form. See cancellation deadlines and refund information below.

If the cancellation is processed online or received via mail by the regular registration deadline, the full test fee will be refunded, less a $20 refund fee.
If the cancellation is processed online or received via mail after the regular registration deadline but before the late registration deadline, the full test fee will be refunded, less a $30 refund fee.
Cancellations processed online or received via mail after the late registration deadline will not be eligible for a refund.

Refunds of test fees will be issued based on the original payment method. If your original payment was made by credit/debit card, a refund will be processed immediately to your credit/debit card. Check with your debit/credit card company regarding its processing time for crediting your account. If the original payment was check or money order, a refund will be processed once the original payment has cleared. If you are absent or arrive too late to take the test at the administration for which you are registered, you will not be entitled to any refund. Service fees are nonrefundable.

Test Retake Policy

If you do not pass a TOPT test, you can retake it at any subsequent test administration. If you are affiliated with an EPP, check with your program to see if you need approval to test. Contact them for further information.

Correcting or Updating Your SBEC Educator Profile

Your can update your mailing address, phone number and e-mail address by logging in to your Educator Profile on the SBEC website. To make a name change, you must submit documentation to:

Director of Credentialing Services
1701 N. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701

You may also contact SBEC via e-mail. Go to the "Contact Us" section of the SBEC website.

Name changes must be made in conjunction with your primary ID documents. The name in your Educator Profile must match the identification document(s) you will present at the test center. After updating your Educator Profile, please confirm the changes by logging in to your testing account in the ETS online registration system and clicking on "Edit Your Profile" to confirm that the information retrieved from SBEC is correct.

ExCET - Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas