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TExES Exam Overview
If you have decided to become an educator in the state of Texas, you are required to pass one or more TExES exams. Traditionally, the TExES exams are taken after earning your degree, however they can also be taken when you enroll in a certification program (with the programs consent), when you are a college graduate (but have not enrolled in a certification program/are completing an alternative teaching program), or after you have become a certified teacher.
What Is the TExES Exam?
The TExES or The Texas Examinations of Educator Standards program was developed by the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 230.21 ruling that all Texas educators should be required to pass comprehensive exams testing their content and professional knowledge as an entry level educator. TExES refers to not one, but all of the content tests offered by the state of Texas. Individual test content was developed by elementary, secondary, and postsecondary educators, community members, expert contributors, and professional educator organizations. There are 61 unique exams offered by the TExES program. These encompass elementary, middle, and high school core and individual subject examinations. There are also special education, English as a second language (ESL), and bilingual education exams. To become a teacher in Texas, you must pass the TExES Pedagogy & Professional Responsibilities (PPR) EC-12 exam as part of the certification process.
How Many Questions Are on the TExES?
Each TExES exam has a different number of questions, but all exams must be completed within the 5 hour time frame. Questions can be formatted as selected-response (multiple choice) or constructed-response (short answer or essay). Tests are computer-delivered, unless there are special circumstances in which you need an alternative testing arrangement. Selected response questions can be formatted in the following ways:
Select one or more correct answers by checking a box or oval
Clicking parts of a picture or graphic
Clicking on sentences or parts of sentences
Dragging and dropping answers to a targeted point on the screen
Selecting options from a drop down menu
Constructed-response questions will have an entry box for you to type out your short response or essay answer. It is important to read each question and instructions carefully. Pay extra attention to words like NOT, LEAST, MORE, etc. Questions can be presented singularly (one question about one stimulus) or clustered (multiple questions about one stimulus). An example of clustered questions would be reading a longer excerpt from a book and answering 5 questions about that excerpt.
TExES Pedagogy & Professional Responsibilities (PPR)
The TExES Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 (PPR exam code 160) assesses your entry-level skills, specifically the methods you use to teach and your application of professional standards. This exam has 100 selected-response questions and must be completed in 5 hours. The table below outlines the standards and domains assessed:
Domain
Domain Title
Standards
Approximate Percentage of the test
I
Designing Instruction and Assessment to Promote Student Learning
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC through 12: I
34%
II
Creating a Positive, Productive Classroom Environment
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC through 12: II
13%
III
Implementing Effective, Responsive Instruction and Assessment
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC through 12: I, III; Technology Applications: I through VII
33%
IV
Fulfilling Professional Roles and Responsibilities
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC through 12: IV
20%
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Before beginning the registration process, you should first ensure that you have met the approval to test requirements. These can include permission from your education preparation program, or Texas Education Agency approval for out of state, certification by exam, intensive pre-service, charter school, or specialized skill/experience candidates.
Exemptions for individuals with hearing impairments may also be required. Once you have received approval to test, you can start gathering material about your test, reviewing rules/policies, and testing/score reporting dates. This will help you register for the correct test and schedule a TExES exam for a time that will meet your program requirements. You can use the test locator tool before registration to check seat availability for time, date, and location most convenient for you.
How Do You Register for the TExES?
There are four simple steps to register for a TExES exam:
Step 1: Create an online account on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) site. Once you have created your account, you will receive a TEA ID. This ID is important and should be kept in your records.
Step 2: Register for your online Pearson account on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website. When creating this account, it will request your TEA ID. This site is where you will register for, schedule, reschedule, and access score information for the TExES exams.
Step 3: Register for a specific exam. You will select your exam, ensuring you have the correct authorization to take said exam, answer background questions, and complete the proper documentation for alternative testing arrangements including but not limited to physical, learning, or cognitive disabilities. After registering for your exam, you will have 170 days to schedule a testing appointment.
Step 4: Schedule a testing appointment. This is different from registering for an exam, as it is selecting your slot on a particular day and time.
How Do You Reschedule or Cancel a TExES Exam?
If you need to reschedule or cancel your testing date, you can do so at no charge up to 48 hours before the scheduled exam. Rescheduling an exam does not result in any additional charges and you will be able to select a new testing appointment. If you wish to withdraw from your exam, you will be refunded your registration payment, minus $25. Rescheduling and withdrawal can both be completed on your online Pearson account at the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website. If you have used Texas.gov funding to register for your exam, this will not be refunded to you upon withdrawal.
How Much Does it Cost to Take the TExES exam?
The registration fee for TExES exams is $116, although additional fees may apply. For test codes 801-809 the registration fee is $58. Cash and check payments are not accepted. Your registration is valid for 170 days after the date of issue. If you do not schedule the exam within this time frame, your registration will expire and you will not be issued a refund. If you are a veteran, active duty military member, or an active duty military spouse, $11 of your testing fees for TExES exams will be waived. To apply for this waiver, you will submit a written request to TEA including your TEA ID, last four of your social security number, and a copy of the front and back of your military ID and state issued ID. If you are a spouse, you will also have to submit your marriage license. If you are a veteran, you will need to include your DD-214 certification.
Where Can I Take the TExES Exam?
Using the seat availability tool, you can search for specific exams, dates, or testing locations to see what is available and most convenient for you. If you are taking more than one exam, it is possible to take them back to back at the same testing location, as long as it is shown as available with the seat availability tool and you add another exam to take the same day when scheduling the testing appointment. If you do not select this option when scheduling your exam, you will not be able to take them back to back.
How Long Do You Have to Wait Before You Can Retake a TExES Exam?
An exam can be retaken after 30 days, as long as the results of the first examination have been posted. You may have to request authorization again to retake the exam, check with your program or agency. On some exams, if you have passed certain sections, you will not have to retake them, rather your score will be retained for that section. You are allotted 5 attempts for TExES certification exams. This means your first attempt and four retake attempts.
Once you have successfully registered for an exam and scheduled an appointment time, you can start familiarizing yourself with the test. There are many resources available to you, including Texas Educator Certification Examination Program materials. Each exam has a unique TExES preparation manual that serves as a one stop shop for all exam prep. It describes what is on the exam, provides practice questions/tests, tips, and other study plans/materials.
How Do You Study for the TExES?
A good starting place to determine what you should study for your TExES exam is assessing what you already know. You can do this by looking over the preparation manual or test description to see what subjects you are comfortable with or you can take a practice test to get a baseline for where you are at. It is strategic to begin studying the things you do not know, leaving the review of subjects you are more familiar with for when you are closer to test day in order to retain the most information. How you study is up to your individual learning style. You can utilize online materials, make flash cards, find resources at your local library, or even find a study partner or group. The most important thing is that you are studying and preparing yourself to the best of your ability for the exam.
How Do You Use Study Guides to Study for the TExES?
There are many free study guides available for the TExES exams. These guides will break down the standards, domains, and competencies into easy to digest sections. You can work through these sections by completing lessons and practice questions to help you feel more confident in individual subject areas. A TExES study guide can also help you to create a study plan, or a plan for what/when you will study leading up to the exam.
When and How Much Should You Study for the TExES?
It is very important to know what will be on an exam, so you can schedule your testing appointment with enough time to prepare to do your best. Creating a study plan is a good way to work studying into your day to day life and ensure you are efficiently preparing for your exam. A study plan provides an outline for what you'll need to do to prepare for the exam. It should have boxes available for what content is covered on the test, how well you know the content, what materials you have (or need to get) to study this content, and the dates you are planning on studying the content. If you look at your study plan like the schedule for a class, you can focus on certain subjects, breaking it down into sections you can handle.
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After taking your exam, you can expect the results to be emailed to you if you selected this option during registration. Scores will also be available on your Pearson account beginning at 10:00pm central time on the report date for your exam. To find the date your TExES scores will become available online, you can use the score report date tool to select your test and see a list of score reporting dates based on when you took the exam. Your score report will indicate your "passed" or "not passed" status. Your results are automatically made available to TEA, SBEC, and your program/agency. Even though the TEA has access to your scores, you will still need to submit a certification application.
How Hard Is the TExES?
While the TExES exams can be intimidating because they are directly correlated with your teacher certification, they are not necessarily difficult exams. While different versions of the exam are offered, each version maintains the same level of difficulty in the field. The purpose of these exams is to produce efficient, classroom ready educators. It is important to give yourself enough time to properly prepare to take the exam, including time to study and take a TExES practice test.
What Score Do You Need to Pass the TExES test?
Total scores are reported on a scale of 100-300, with a score of 240 being the minimum passing requirement for most exams. Your score report will include your pass/not pass status, total test performance, performance by domain and competency, and holistic (constructed-response) scores.
How Long Does it Take to Get the TExES Scores?
On purely selected-response (multiple choice) exams, you can expect to receive your scores in 7-10 business days. Exams with constructed response (essay) questions can take longer to score, as one or more professionals in that field will be grading your responses. These scores are trained and monitored to provide unbiased, accurate rating methods.
How Many Times Can I Retake the TExES?
You can retake a TExES exam 5 times, meaning the original attempt and 4 retake attempts. If you are taking a TExES Core Subjects exam, and you do not pass one section of the subject exams, you are able to retake just that section. However, if you do not pass more than one section, you will need to retake the exam in its entirety.
Can I Request Testing Accommodations for the TExES?
Testing accommodations are offered to individuals with documented physical, learning, or cognitive disabilities. Wheelchair access, visual enhancement features, comfort aids, breaks to use the restroom, take medication, etc. are granted without prior approval. Accommodations beyond these must be approved by the testing site and administration prior to the exam. Upon registration you will be asked if you need alternative testing arrangements. Please select yes if you need any of the previous accommodations or additional accommodations. There will be a spot for you to input additional accommodations for approval during the TExES exam registration process.
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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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the TExES content exam?
There are 61 unique exams offered by the TExES program. These encompass elementary, middle, and high school core and individual subject examinations. There are also special education, English as a second language (ESL), and bilingual education exams. The Texas Pedagogy & Professional Responsibilities (PPR) EC-12 exam is required for certification of all educators in Texas.
How do I prepare for the TExES exam?
You can prepare for a TExES exam by:
Familiarizing yourself with the material
Getting a baseline for what information you know and what information you still need to know
Gathering study materials
Creating a study plan to decide when/what you are going to study
Trust in yourself and your preparation!
How many TExES exams are there?
There are 61 unique exams offered by the TExES program. These cover both grade level and specific subject exams. The PPR EC-12 exam is required for all Texas educators.
