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The TExES exam, which stands for Texas Examination of Educator Standards, is a series of exams that are offered by the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program. The exam may also have been previously referred to as the TExES ExCET test but is mostly referred to as TExES now. The purpose of the TExES exams is to ensure that aspiring teachers are adequately knowledgeable in the subject areas they want to teach and ensure they have the skills to teach certain grade levels. An example of a TExES exam is the Social Studies 7-12 exam; this is a content exam that tests a future teacher's knowledge in social studies topics that are taught in grades 7-12.
The TExES test subjects are divided between pedagogy and professional responsibilities (PPR), core, and content exams. The TExES exam is required for Texas educator certification, which is a requirement to teach in all public schools.
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One type of test is the TExES Pedagogy & Professional Responsibilities (PPR) exam. This exam lasts 5 hours and covers several topics related to teaching early childhood education through 12th grade. The test is designed to assess whether an entry-level teacher has the knowledge and skills necessary for teaching. The questions are selected-response, and there are 100 questions in total.
There are different types of standards that the test will determine if an examinee meets. There are 4 pedagogy and professional responsibilities standards that cover instruction design, positive classroom environment, effective communication, and legal and ethical requirements. There are 6 technology applications standards that cover areas such as using creative thinking for instruction, ability to use digital technologies for instruction, organization, and communication, the promotion of safe, legal, moral, and ethical behavior while using digital technology in the classroom, and the use of critical thinking to make informed decisions and solve problems.
Core subjects are Math, English Language Arts and Reading, Science, and Social Studies. These core subjects are taught from early childhood education through 8th grade. The TExES Core Tests gauge a teacher's knowledge in these subjects to determine if they are able to teach them or not. There are 2 core TExES tests; Core Subjects EC-6, for early childhood through 6th grade, and Core Subjects 4-8, for 4th-8th grade.
The Core Subjects EC-6 exam lasts 5 hours and has a total of 210 questions, and includes fine arts, health, and physical education in addition to the other core subjects. There are 12 standards for English Language Arts and Reading that cover topics such as literacy development, reading comprehension, research, and assessment and instruction. There are 9 Mathematics standards which include mathematical assessment, professional development, and mathematical learning and instruction. There are 10 social studies standards and 11 science standards, which include government, geography, physical sciences, and life sciences. The Core EC-6 exam also has standards for art, music, health, physical education, and theatre.
The Core Subjects 4-8 exam covers the same topics as the Core Subjects EC-6 exam but excludes art, music, health, and physical education. This exam lasts 5 hours and has 200 selected-response questions.
TExES content exams are used to determine an examinee's ability to teach a certain subject, such as math or a foreign language. Unlike pedagogy and core subject tests, the content exams are limited to one subject. So, for example, an aspiring Texas high school biology teacher would take the TExES Content Exam Science 7-12 exam because it tests their ability to teach life science in grades 7-12. The TExES content exam list has many different tests to choose from that cover subjects from history, physical education, and physics to theater, journalism, music, marketing, and more.
A content exam is usually broken up by grade level, so for example, there may be one science content exam for grades 4-8 and another science content exam for grades 7-12. Most content exams are for 4th-12th grades since the curriculum gets more specialized as the grade level advances. Just like the core exams, each content exam will have a set of questions and a set of standards that examinees will need to meet in order to pass.
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Create AccountThe Texas Educator Certification Examination Program is just a part of the Texas certification process for teachers. The Texas Education Agency outlines 5 steps for becoming a public school teacher in Texas. They are as follows:
Those who are seeking alternative certification or a post-baccalaureate educator program can take a Pre-Admission Content Test (PACT) to gain admission. This test is optional but is required if a candidate's GPA is below 2.5 or they have not completed at least 12 semester credit hours in the subject area of the certification they're pursuing.
There are many types of teachers; from subjects to grade levels, each aspiring teacher will have a slightly different path to certification depending on who and what they want to teach. For example, aspiring art teachers for early childhood through grade 12 would take the Arts EC-12 TExES exam and the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities TExES exam. But aspiring early childhood (preschool through third grade) teachers would take the Early Childhood PK-3 TExES exam, the Science of Teaching Reading TExES exam, and the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities TExES exam. Most aspiring classroom teachers in Texas will need to take the TExES PPR exam since it covers teaching techniques that are applicable to all classrooms, regardless of grade level and subject. TExES educator certification is the most common way to become a teacher in the state of Texas.
Some available certifications, such as English as a Second Language, Gifted and Talented, and Special Education Supplemental, are not considered stand-alone certifications and can only be added if a candidate already has their initial Texas classroom teaching certification.
Standard teacher certification must be renewed every 5 years. This can be done by completing continuing education courses; renewal cannot be done by taking an exam. Classroom teachers must complete 150 hours of continuing professional education by the time their certification expires; otherwise, it will be inactive until they complete them.
Any person who aspires to be a classroom teacher in a Texas public school must take the TExES certification exams. At least one or more TExES tests are required for certification for grade levels K-12 as well as subject areas. For example, an aspiring public school teacher for 3rd grade would take the PPR exam and a core subjects exam. An aspiring public high school English teacher would take the PPR exam and an English language arts and reading exam. Some TExES tests, such as Gifted and Talented, are for supplemental certification, meaning that this test alone does not lead to certification, and another test will need to be taken.
There are many Texas teacher certification areas, all designed for the different grade levels and subjects there are in the K-12 public school system. All K-12 classroom teachers must take the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities exam, however.
Aspiring early childhood through 6th-grade teachers will typically take exams that cover a broad range of teaching content. A few TExES exams that they could take include:
Teachers in 4th-8th grade will take similar exams to EC-6th grade, but with more options for specific content areas. They can include:
Teachers of middle and high school subjects, usually from 6th-12th grade, have content exams. Some include:
Teachers of electives or other subjects that are outside of the core curriculum, such as art, music, and physical education, take content exams for the subject they will teach. Some of these exams are for EC-12th grade, while others are for 6-12th grade or 4-8th grade. A few include:
These are just a few of the common TExES exams that aspiring public school teachers can take.
Typically, you'll want to take the TExES exam close to or after completing your bachelor's degree and teacher preparation program, that way you have time to prepare and study. Taking the exam too early may cause you to be unprepared because the exam may have questions that your degree or preparation program hasn't covered yet. However, it's never too early to start planning for when you should register and take the test.
You can register for the TExES exams online through the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program's website. Before registering, you should make sure that you have been approved to take the exam first. Approval is granted through the program you are in. Types of programs that grant approval include:
Additionally, in order to register, you must:
It is important to schedule your TExES test date late enough that you have adequate time to prepare, but early enough so that you receive your scores in a timely manner. You can schedule your test appointment online after you register. Be sure to pick a time that allows you enough time to properly prepare for and focus on the test. So, for example, don't schedule the test on a workday if you have a job. Test appointments are available year-round.
You will most likely have to take more than one TExES exam. You may also have to take the same test more than once if you do not pass, so this can add to the cost. Each exam costs $116, and additional fees may apply. Many aspiring teachers will have to take the PPG test, plus a content area test, such as Core Subjects EC-6, which adds up to $232, not including fees.
The test is administered electronically through a computer, also known as a computer-administered test (CAT), but it must be taken in person at an approved professional testing center. There are several approved testing centers across the state of Texas, and you can search for them using this test center locator. The search tool uses your address to determine which testing center is closest to you.
The TExES exam passing score is 240. These exams are criterion-referenced, meaning that an examinee's knowledge of certain subjects and topics is determined by their performance on a score-based system. Some tests, such as the Core Subjects EC-6, will have multiple parts to the test, called Subject Exams, that will all require a score of 240 to pass the entire exam. In this case, the results are reported as Passed or Not Passed, not a total score number. Your score is based on how many questions you answer correctly. There is no penalty or score subtractions for incorrect answers.
You can take a TExES exam a total of 5 times, meaning you have 4 chances for a retake. If you need to retake a test, you must wait at least 30 days from the date of the last exam. However, you cannot register for a retake until scores from the previous exam have been posted. Each TExES exam has its own retake limit; for example, if you need to take both the PPG and Life Science 7-12 exams, then retaking one will not affect the re-take limit of the other.
Some exams, such as the Core Subjects EC-6 exam, have separate Subject Exams that all need to be passed in order to pass the overall exam. In this case, if you fail one or more of the Subject Exams, you don't have to retake the entire Core Subjects exam. You would just retake the Subject Exam that you failed. However, in cases like this, retaking a Subject Exam does count towards the 5-exam retake limit.
No matter how many times you retake an exam, the highest scores you earn are the ones that are used for your teaching certification, even if your highest score was not earned on your last retake. If you have exceeded the 5-exam limit, you may not take any more exams unless given a waiver by the Texas Education Agency.
The TExES exam does allow for special accommodations requests to be made. This is known as requesting alternative testing arrangements. Candidates with disabilities, candidates with health-related needs, and candidates who are nursing mothers may apply for alternative testing arrangements. Some accommodations, such as wheelchair accessibility, visual enhancement features, and comfort aides such as earplugs, are available at testing centers and do not need pre-approval.
Candidates must register and pay for an exam before submitting their approval request; during registration, they should declare their intent to request alternative testing. They will need to provide documentation that supports their need for alternative testing accommodations. After submitting their request form, candidates should wait for an approval email before scheduling their exam at a test center that can meet their needs. The process should be started in a timely manner so that candidates can take their tests when they need to.
If you're wondering how to pass the TExES exam, you're not alone. It takes time and dedication, but you can pass the TExES exam through timely preparation and study. The first step is to know which exams you will need to take, and you'll want to do this well in advance so that you have plenty of time. Depending on the subject and grade you want to teach, you will most likely have to take more than one exam. Once you've figured this out, you can move on to finding the proper study materials.
While your educator preparation program should teach you about working in a classroom, you'll still want to dedicate extra time to study the teaching methods, professional practices, and subject(s) that you want to teach. Giving yourself plenty of time to study can help alleviate some of the pressure. Keeping in mind the score you'll need to pass, which is 240, dedicate time to taking practice tests so you can see what your score could be. Leading up to, and on the day of, the test, take time to relax and focus your mind.
Texas test preparation and practice are an important part of ensuring that you'll pass. Among the TExES resources to help you pass is the preparation manual for each exam, which can be found on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website, the same website you use to register for the test.
Preparation for the test involves gathering TExES study guides, planning and organizing your time, and developing a study plan. Following these steps can ensure you have the right materials and content to study, are allowing yourself enough time to learn the material, and are able to understand which areas you're good at and which areas you need to focus more on.
TExES study materials include practice tests. Practice tests can be a great way to prepare for the actual day of the exam, allowing you to simulate the experience and see what your score may be. Interactive practice exams are available on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website and give you constructive feedback on your performance. The practice exams have similar questions to the real exams. Taking practice tests can help you develop your test-taking skills as well as mentally prepare you for the real exam. Allow yourself enough time to retake practice exams as many times as you need to.
Study guides are another great tool for preparing to take the TExES exam. Depending on where you get them, they can be free or available for purchase. Study guides include valuable materials such as practice tests and the ability to view the correct answer and review why it is the correct answer so you can learn. You should only get study guides from trusted sources so you can ensure you are reviewing the appropriate material. The TExES preparation manuals offer practice questions with explanations for the correct answers that can be helpful study materials. Study guides can help you develop your memorization skills as well as improve your ability to think critically when answering questions.
Amy Lopez, M.A. is a high school teacher with over 8 years of experience teaching Family Consumer Science Education. She has passed the TExES PPR exam and the Praxis Family and Consumer Science Exam. Amy completed a B.S. in Family Consumer Sciences from Tarleton State University, an M.A. in Teaching from Grand Canyon University, and an Education Specialist degree from Northcentral University.
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To become a certified classroom teacher in Texas, you must first earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, then complete an approved educator preparation program. After you have fulfilled the educational requirements, you must pass all required certification exams, submit an application to the state, and get fingerprinted in order to pass a background check.
There are more than 50 TExES exams in all, and the specific exam(s) that are required as a part of teacher certification will depend on both the subject and level one plans to teach. Aspiring elementary educators are required to pass the Core Subject EC-6 exam, which consists of five subtests (English Language Arts; Mathematics; Social Studies; Science; and Fine Arts, Health, and P.E.), as well as the Science of Teaching Reading exam. Future high school teachers, in comparison, are required to pass exams that correspond directly to the subject they wish to teach. Tests in subjects from mathematics to life science and social studies are among the many offered.
The maximum number of times a prospective teacher may take any TExES exam is five. If, after five attempts, a teacher candidate is unable to pass a given exam, they must apply to the Texas Education Agency for a test-limit waiver.
I earned my Bachelor's degree and teaching certification at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a focus on English education. I taught everything from Kindergarten, to 7th Grade English, to reading intervention. My Master's is from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Educational Psychology, and my Ph.D. is from the University of Texas at Austin in Curriculum and Instruction. After that, I spent two years working as a Postdoctoral Research scholar at the University of Iowa. I have published over 25 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and policy briefs in the fields of literacy and science teacher education.
It's important to experience a wide range of grade levels, content areas, and school settings, but it's even more important to give yourself time to step back and think about how those experiences matched or clashed with your expectations. I would also add to this question that it's important to figure out if you like being a generalist who teaches all subjects or a specialist who prefers to teach the same content area several times per day. The amount and type of preparation and planning that these roles require is dramatically different and will impact how you feel toward your work. Another way to increase the impact of field experiences is to be open and vulnerable when working with mentor teachers in these spaces. Most mentor teachers will tell you that there are grade levels and content that they love to teach, and others where they would never feel happy or successful. Learning to express these preferences in a professional way is key to getting the most out of these interactions.
The first piece of advice I have is always to keep certification exams in perspective. They are required for state certification, and they are important measures of your professional knowledge. However, I encourage prospective teachers to ask around and see for themselves if hiring managers and school administrators in their area will ask how someone scored on their certification exams when considering their application for a job. After nearly a decade in teacher preparation, I have yet to hear of a single instance of this happening! Certification exams are huge hurdles, but like real life hurdles, once you clear them, they will stay behind you. My second piece of advice is to leverage all of the things you already know about how to perform well on a high-stakes test. In all likelihood, if you've made it to college, you have taken important tests before. Whatever you did to master that content will probably work for you again on certification exams.
Your teacher education program is the time to stop thinking like a student and start thinking like a teacher. In the field, you will not get external recognition for each great lesson that you teach. Instead, you will need to be the judge of your own efficacy and reflect on ways you can improve. To me, the transition to becoming a teacher is about letting go of the fixation on grades, gold stars, and kudos that many of us have become accustomed to, and about finding ways to feel validated by your own estimation of your teaching. I think this is why so many great teachers will tell you that they love the feeling of seeing the proverbial lightbulb come on when a student figures out something new. To an educator, that's like getting an A+ on your teaching.
Classroom management is one of my favorite courses to teach because in some ways, a new teacher's ability to use what they have learned in all of their other methods courses depends on their ability to create a cohesive, functional classroom community. One strategy that was a lifesaver for me as a Kindergarten teacher was 'Ask three and then me.' I taught my students that when they had a question, they should ask three of their peers their question before coming to me as the teacher for an answer. Usually, someone else in our classroom had the answer, which built their sense of agency and interdependence. On occasion, when I had not made something clear, a student would not get an answer from three peers. This was a sign to me that I needed to explain a procedure or process again, and in a new way, to ensure my students understood. 'Ask three and then me' is an amazing strategy, but it's not possible for everything about classroom management to be reduced to tips and tricks. Ultimately, forming a classroom community that works for all its members is about sharing the belief that each of us matters and the willingness to act on that belief in every moment.
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