The Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) Science 7-12 exam is used to assess the skills and knowledge of prospective entry-level Science teachers for 7th-12th graders in Texas public schools.
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TExES Science 7-12 Exam Outline
The TExES Science 7-12 exam contains a total of 140 selected-response questions, and you will be given 4 hours and 45 minutes to complete it.
Teaching Standards
The exam is aligned with the 11 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
Standard I: You are expected to manage the classroom, field, and lab activities to ensure student safety and the ethical care and treatment of specimens and organisms.
Standard II: You are expected to understand how to use materials, technologies, equipment, and tools correctly.
Standard III: You are expected to understand scientific inquiry and its role in science instruction.
Standard IV: You are expected to have practical and theoretical knowledge about teaching science and how students learn science.
Standard V: You are expected to know the appropriate assessments to monitor the learning of science.
Standard VI: You are expected to understand the history and nature of science.
Standard VII: You are expected to understand how science affects daily life and how science interacts with societal and personal decisions.
Standard VIII: You are expected to understand the science content appropriate to teach physical science in the state of Texas.
Standard IX: You are expected to understand the science content appropriate to teach life science in the state of Texas.
Standard X: You are expected to understand the science content appropriate to teach Earth and space science in the state of Texas.
Standard XI: You are expected to know the unifying processes and concepts that are common among all sciences.
Exam Domains
The exam is split into 10 domains, each of which covers one or more of the 11 standards mentioned above.
| Domain | Percentage of Exam | Standards Used |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scientific Inquiry and Processes | 10% | I-III, VI, VII, and XI |
| 2. Physics | 20% | VIII |
| 3. Chemistry | 20% | VIII |
| 4. Cell Structure and Processes | 8% | IX |
| 5. Heredity and Evolution of Life | 8% | IX |
| 6. Diversity of Life | 8% | IX |
| 7. Interdependence of Life and Environmental Systems | 6% | IX |
| 8. Earth’s History and the Structure and Function of Earth Systems | 9% | X |
| 9. Components and Properties of the Solar System and the Universe | 6% | X |
| 10. Science Learning, Instruction, and Assessment | 5% | IV and V |
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- The nature of science
- The process of scientific inquiry
- Selecting and managing learning activities to ensure student safety
- Correctly caring for and using natural resources, materials, technologies, organisms, and equipment
- Unifying concepts that are common among all sciences
- The history of science
- The interactions and influences of science on societal and personal decisions
- The impact of science on daily life
2. Physical Science
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- Motion in one and two dimensions
- The laws of motion
- The concepts of gravitational and electromagnetic forces in nature
- Applications of electricity and magnetism
- The conservation of energy and momentum
- The laws of thermodynamics
- The characteristics and behavior of waves
- The fundamental concepts of quantum physics
3. Chemistry
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- The characteristics of matter and atomic structure
- The properties of gases
- The properties and characteristics of ionic and covalent bonds
- Chemical equations and chemical reactions
- Types and properties of solutions
- Energy transformations that occur in physical and chemical processes
- Nuclear fission, fusion, and reactions
- Oxidation and reduction reactions
- Acids, bases, and their reactions
4. Cell Structure and Processes
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- The structure and function of biomolecules
- Specific functions of parts of cells
- How cells carry out life processes
- The growth and development of specialized cells, organs, tissues, organ systems, and organisms
5. Heredity and Evolution of Life
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- The structures and functions of nucleic acids in the mechanisms of genetics
- The continuity and variations of traits from one generation to the next
- The theory of biological evolution
- Evidence for evolutionary change during Earth’s history
6. Diversity of Life
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- Similarities and difference between living organisms
- Processes by which organisms maintain homeostasis
- The relationship between biology and behavior
7. Heredity and Evolution of Life
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- The relationships between abiotic and biotic factors of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, habitats, and biomes
- The interdependence and interactions of living things in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
- The relationship between carrying capacity and changes in populations and ecosystems
8. Earth’s History and the Structure and Function of Earth Systems
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- The structure and function of the geosphere
- Processes of plate tectonics, weathering, erosion, and deposition that change Earth’s surface
- The formation and history of Earth
- The structure and function of the hydrosphere
- The structure and function of the atmosphere
- The effects of natural events and human activity on Earth systems
9. Components and Properties of the Solar System and the Universe
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- The implications of Earth’s placement and orientation in the solar system
- The role of the Sun in the solar system
- The characteristics of planets and other objects that orbit the Sun
- Composition, history, and properties of the universe
- The history and methods of astronomy
10. Science Learning, Instruction and Assessment
For the questions in this domain, you will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- Research-based theoretical and practical knowledge about teaching science, how students learn, and the role of scientific inquiry in science instruction
- Monitoring and assessing science learning in lab, field, and classroom settings
Reference Materials
You will have access to a basic copy of the periodic table and a list of definitions and physical constants during the exam to reference at any time:
Periodic Table of Elements
Definitions and Physical Constants
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TExES Science 7-12 Exam Registration
To register for the Science 7-12 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 15-30 minutes before your scheduled appointment to allow enough time for the check-in process. Once 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 TExES Science 7-12 Exam is Scored
The TExES Science 7-12 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 247 will be more difficult than a question marked 187).
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 Science 7-12 exam?
A
There are 140 selected-response questions on the exam.
Q
How long is the TExES Science 7-12 exam?
A
The time limit for the exam is 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Q
What is the passing score for the TExES Science 7-12 exam?
A
To pass the exam, you must achieve a minimum scaled score of 240.
Q
How much does the TExES Science 7-12 exam cost?
A
The examination fee is $116
