The Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) Reading Specialist exam is used to assess the skills and knowledge of prospective entry-level reading specialists in Texas public schools.
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Exam Outline Review
The TExES Reading Specialist exam contains a total of 100 selected-response questions, and you will be given 4 hours and 45 minutes to complete it.
Teaching Standards
The TExES Reading Specialist exam is aligned with the four standards for educators that have been outlined by the State Board for Educator Certification.
Click the button below to see the full list of approved educator standards:
Approved Educator Standards
- Components of Reading: You are expected to understand the interrelated components of reading across all developmental stages of oral and written language.
- Assessment and Instruction: You are expected to utilize appropriate methods and resources to address the varied learning needs of all students.
- Strengths and Needs of Individual Students: You are expected to know how the differing strengths and needs of individual students influence their literacy development.
- Professional Knowledge and Leadership: You are expected to understand the theoretical foundations of literacy; plan and implement a develop-mentally appropriate, research-based reading/literacy curriculum for all students, and take a leadership role in designing, implementing, and evaluating professional development programs.
Exam Domains
The exam is split into four domains, each of which covers one of the four standards mentioned above.
| Domain | Percentage of Exam | Standards Used |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Instruction and Assessment: Components of Literacy | 57% | I |
| 2. Instruction and Assessment: Resources and Procedures | 14% | II |
| 3. Meeting the Needs of Individual Students | 14% | III |
| 4. Professional Knowledge and Leadership | 14% | IV |
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of the following:
- Oral language
- Phonological and phonemic awareness
- Concepts of print
- The alphabetic principle
- Word identification
- Fluency
- Comprehension
- Vocabulary and development
- Written language
2. Instruction and Assessment: Resources and Procedures (14%)
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of the following:
- Assessment
- Instructional methods and resources
3. Meeting the Needs of Individual Students (14%)
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of the following:
- Instruction for English-language learners
- Instruction for students with reading difficulties, dyslexia, and reading disabilities
4. Professional Knowledge and Leadership (14%)
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of the following:
- Theoretical foundations
- Research-based curriculum
- Collaboration, communication, and professional development
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Registration
To register for the Reading Specialist exam, you must create an online NES account via their website. Once your account has been created, you can use it to register for the exam and schedule an exam date.
When you register, you will need to pay the $116 examination fee.
Test Day
You should arrive at the testing center 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment to allow time for the check-in process. When you arrive, you will be asked to sign in and present one form of valid, government-issued photo ID.
After the check-in process, you will be asked to leave all personal items in a locker outside the testing area.
Once you enter the testing room, you will be asked to sign an NDA, and you will be given a brief tutorial on the computer-adaptive testing system. Once the tutorial is complete, the exam will begin.
How the Exam is Scored
The TExES Reading Specialist exam is computer-adaptive. Here’s a look at how it works:
The first question is judged to be of medium difficulty, and depending on your performance, the next question may be easier or harder. If you do well on the first question, the second question will be harder; conversely, if you do poorly on the first question, the second question will be easy.
The questions on this exam are rated on a scale of 100-300. The higher a question is rated, the harder the question is (e.g., a question marked as 270 will be more difficult than a question marked 170).
To pass the exam, your final question must be on or above the 240 mark. If your final question is below this mark, you will not pass the exam, even if you have answered some questions above the 240 mark at some point during the exam. This is because the computer has rated the difficulty of your final question based on how you answered the previous questions.
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FAQs
Q
How many questions are on the TExES Reading Specialist exam?
A
There are 100 selected-response questions on the exam.
Q
How long is the TExES Reading Specialist exam?
A
The time limit for the exam is 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Q
What is the passing score for the TExES Reading Specialist exam?
A
To pass the exam, you must achieve a minimum scaled score of 240.
Q
How much does the TExES Reading Specialist exam cost?
A
The examination fee is $116.
