This study investigates the relationship between teacher candidates' reading abilities and their performance on the Texas Examination of Educator Standards and Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities. The participants were 150 undergraduate students enrolled in the teacher education program of a university in south Texas. Based on the results, the authors claim that teacher candidates' success on the standardized teacher certification exams is, in part, a measure of their reading and analytical skills. The authors also claim that the colleges of education in Texas could still maintain a very high pass rate on the exiting licensure exam even if they dropped the required score on the THEA Reading exam below 260.