The TExES exams were developed by elementary, secondary, and postsecondary educators, community members, expert contributors, and professional educator organizations to qualify an individual for TExES Teacher Certification. 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. On the Texas Education Certification Examination website, you can find information about the tests and a list of the available exams. To become a teacher in Texas, you must pass the TExES Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 exam as part of the certification process. Your program or agency may require you to take more than one TExES exam. TExES exams are computer-administered tests (CAT) and are formatted with selected-response (multiple choice) and constructed-response (short answer or essay) questions. Each exam has a different number of questions that must be answered within the 5 hour time frame. 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 program's 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. A TExES exam (Principal as Instructional Leader) must also be completed for principal certification in Texas. After you take an exam, your TExES scores will be stored on your online Pearson account and will remain valid unless you have not yet received certification and the TExES for your certification is significantly revised.
Select a practice test to help you prepare for your upcoming exam.
Start Your Free Practice Test
Access thousands of practice questions so that there are no surprises on the exam
You have answered 0 out of 15 correctly.
The correct answers are highlighted with green below. Create an account to keep studying for the .
Get immediate help for your certification exam.
Get immediate help for the TExES.
Get immediate help for .
TExES exams are reported on a scaled score from 100-300, with 100 being a 0% and 300 being a perfect score (100%). The TExES passing score for most exams is 240. It is important to note that you will not be penalized for wrong answers, so it is appropriate to make an educated guess if you are not sure what the correct answer is. Selected-response (multiple choice) questions are graded on a raw scale with one raw point for every correct answer. The total raw score is the number of correct selected-response answers out of the total number of selected-response questions. Constructed-response questions are graded depending on the number of test takers. For exams with a small number of test takers, a consensus scoring model is used in a review by a group of expert professionals in the content area. For exams with a large number of test takers, an independent double scoring model is used, meaning two experts will review and score your constructed-response. If their review differs, additional reviews will occur. Each professional is trained and monitored to provide fair, accurate scoring.
Your TExES score report will include four sections: total test performance, performance by domain and competency, and holistic (constructed-response) scores.
Section 1. Total Test Performance: This will include your pass/not pass status, as well as, your total scaled scores, scaled score range, and the minimum passing scores.
Section 2. Performance by Domain: The major content areas on the exam will be listed with the number of scored questions and number of scored questions answered correctly in each content area. The number of scored questions in a domain can vary from exam to exam. Use caution when interpreting these scores, as they are on a small scale and cannot accurately represent the entirety of your knowledge in each content area. This section is helpful in interpreting your overall score and does not have an individual pass/not pass scoring.
Section 3. Performance by Competency: This section lists the individual competencies within a domain. Similarly to the performance by domain section, the number of scored questions and correctly answered questions will be listed. Again, be cautious when interpreting these small scale scores. They are intended to help you understand your overall score.
Section 4. Holistic Scores: This section will show a table scale with 4 scoring options: thorough knowledge, general knowledge, limited or no knowledge, and unscorable. Answers will be rated on a number or letter scale based on this table.
To better understand your individual score report, you can find a detailed summary of how exams are scored on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website.
Get a personalized test prep course for the TExES.
Take an assessment and focus on the areas that need the most practice.
After taking the TExES certification exams, you can expect the results to be emailed to you on the TExES score report date (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. 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. If you have taken a paper test, results will be further delayed. There is a score report date tool on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website where you can enter your testing date and see the estimated window in which your scores will become available. Your scores may be delayed if you have taken a newly developed or revised exam or if there are problems with your registration/payment. Scores will be voided if you fail to pay for your exam or do not have approval to test. At the end of the TExES test, you can choose to cancel or report your test scores. If you choose to cancel your TExES scores, they will not be reported and it will not count as a testing attempt. However, you will not be issued a refund, and these scores cannot be reinstated.
Watch concise and engaging video lessons that help with TExES prep.
Master concepts quickly with clips from expert instructors
You get both video lessons and test transcripts
Save time by quickly reviewing video transcripts for essential lesson information
When you register for the exam, there is an option to have your TExES scores sent to your email on the score report date. Your scores will also be available on your Pearson account beginning at 10:00pm Central time on the report date for your exam. Your results are automatically uploaded to your certification profile with TEA and if applicable your program/agency. Although your scores will be available, you will still have to complete the certification application process in order to become certified.
Find self-paced TExES prep courses.
Find a study plan that can get you ready for your certification exam, whether you have six months or six days.
Registering for the TExES exams can be done simply with four easy steps.
Step 1: Create an online account with the Texas Education Agency (TEA). After creating your account, you will receive a TEA ID. This ID is important in completing the registration process, so you should keep it in your records.
Step 2: Register for your online Pearson account on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website. You will need your TEA ID to register for this account. You will use this account to register for, schedule, reschedule, and view your scores for the TExES exams.
Step 3: Register for one or more exams. Before registering for a specific exam, ensure you have the proper authorization from TEA or your program/agency. At TExES registration, you will select the exam, answer background questions, and submit any required paperwork for alternative testing arrangements. You will be given the option to have your test scores emailed to you, and registration is the only time you can select this option. There is a $116 testing fee for all TExES exams, except for exam codes 801-809 where the testing fee is $58. 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. There is a seat availability tool to check the date, time, and location most convenient for you. You can reschedule, cancel, or withdraw from an exam up to 48 hours before the scheduled appointment.
Getting Ready
Once you have registered for and scheduled your testing appointment, you can begin the process of preparing for your TExES exam! There are many resources available to you, especially on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website. Each exam has a unique Preparation Manual, which describes what is on the exam and provides practice questions/tests, tips, and other study plans/materials. To find the Preparation Manual for your specific exam, you can go to the TExES website, select the exam, and click on the preparation materials tab. This will lead you to an array of resources. It is strategic to get a baseline for what information you already know and what you still need to study. You can do this by taking a TExES practice test and then focusing on the things you do not know, leaving review for closer to your testing appointment. Most importantly, trust in yourself and your preparation. It will bring you one step closer to becoming a certified educator and changing the world one student at a time!
Expert Contributor
Amy Lopez
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
How do I find my Pearson VUE test scores?
Upon registration, you will sign up for a Pearson account on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website. Your scores will be sent to your email (if you selected this option when registering) and will be available on your Pearson account on the TExES score reporting date.
How many questions can you miss on the TExES content exam?
The required PPR 160 TExES exam has 100 selected response questions. Some questions may not be graded as they are pretest questions to familiarize you with the testing format. Your total score on a scaled range of 100-300 must be 240 to pass. This means you can miss approximately 20 questions and still pass the exam.
