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100+ Free TExES Bilingual Ed 164 Practice Questions

Pass your TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental (164) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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A primary advantage of using an authentic, culturally relevant text in a student's first language during reading instruction is that it

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: TExES Bilingual Ed 164 Exam

80

Selected-Response Questions

TExES 164 test page

240

Scaled Passing Score

Texas educator testing program

$116

Current CBT Fee

TExES fees page

5 hours

Appointment Length

TExES 164 test page

4

Competencies in One Domain

TExES 164 exam framework

100%

Single Domain: Bilingual Education

TExES 164 exam framework

1968

Bilingual Education Act (Title VII)

Federal education law history

5-7 yrs

Typical CALP Development Time

Cummins second-language research

For 2026 planning, the official Bilingual Education Supplemental (164) framework is an 80 selected-response computer-administered test with a 5-hour appointment, a 240 scaled passing score, and a $116 fee. All content sits in a single domain, Bilingual Education, organized into four equally important competencies: Competency 001 Foundations of Bilingual Education, Competency 002 Language Acquisition and Development, Competency 003 Literacy Development and Assessment (L1 and biliteracy), and Competency 004 Content Area Instruction in L1 and L2. Spanish-language candidates typically also take the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Test (BTLPT), so confirm your route's required-test chart before registering.

Sample TExES Bilingual Ed 164 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your TExES Bilingual Ed 164 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1The Bilingual Education Act of 1968 (Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act) is historically significant primarily because it
A.provided the first federal funding to support bilingual education programs for language-minority students
B.made bilingual education mandatory in every U.S. public school district
C.required all teachers nationwide to be certified in two languages
D.prohibited the use of any language other than English in classrooms
Explanation: The Bilingual Education Act of 1968 was the first federal legislation to provide funding and recognition for programs serving students whose first language was not English. It encouraged districts to develop bilingual programs but did not mandate them nationwide. This act laid the foundation for later policy and litigation supporting emergent bilingual students.
2In Lau v. Nichols (1974), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a school district's failure to provide meaningful instruction to limited-English-proficient students violated
A.the Tenth Amendment's reservation of powers to states
B.Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
C.the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment
D.the Texas Education Code's bilingual provisions
Explanation: Lau v. Nichols held that providing the same facilities, textbooks, and teachers without addressing students' language needs denied non-English-speaking students a meaningful education, violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The decision required districts to take affirmative steps to overcome language barriers. It is a cornerstone of emergent-bilingual educational rights.
3In Texas, the term "emergent bilingual" (formerly English language learner) is most accurately defined as a student who
A.speaks only English but is enrolled in a foreign-language class
B.has a home language other than English and whose English proficiency limits full participation in an all-English classroom
C.has already attained full academic proficiency in two languages
D.is a native English speaker learning Spanish as an elective
Explanation: An emergent bilingual is a student whose primary or home language is other than English and whose English proficiency is not yet sufficient to participate fully in an English-only instructional setting. The term emphasizes the student's developing bilingualism as an asset rather than a deficit. Texas formally adopted the term "emergent bilingual" in policy.
4A dual-language (two-way immersion) program differs from a transitional bilingual program primarily because the dual-language model
A.aims to develop full bilingualism and biliteracy and maintain the primary language long term
B.uses the primary language only briefly before shifting entirely to English
C.serves only students who are native English speakers
D.delivers all instruction in English from the first day
Explanation: Dual-language (two-way immersion) programs aim for additive bilingualism: students develop and maintain high proficiency and literacy in both languages over many years. Transitional models, by contrast, use the home language temporarily to ease the shift to all-English instruction. The two-way model also typically integrates native English speakers and native speakers of the partner language.
5The distinction between additive and subtractive bilingualism is best described as
A.additive adds a second language while maintaining the first; subtractive replaces the first language with the second
B.additive teaches only academic vocabulary while subtractive teaches only conversational language
C.additive applies to adults and subtractive applies only to children
D.additive uses translation while subtractive forbids it
Explanation: Additive bilingualism occurs when a student gains a new language while continuing to develop and value the home language, enriching the overall linguistic repertoire. Subtractive bilingualism occurs when the new language replaces the first, often leading to loss of the home language and culture. Strong bilingual programs are designed to be additive.
6Under Texas law, when a district enrolls 20 or more emergent bilingual students in the same grade level who share the same home language at a campus, the district is generally required to provide
A.a bilingual education program for those students
B.no special language services
C.instruction exclusively in the students' home language
D.a full English-only immersion program with no support
Explanation: Texas Education Code requires a bilingual education program when a district has an enrollment of 20 or more emergent bilingual students in the same grade level who share the same language classification in elementary grades. Below that threshold, an English as a Second Language (ESL) program is generally required instead. This ensures programmatic support is matched to student numbers.
7A teacher who frames students' home language and culture as resources that enhance learning rather than obstacles to overcome is applying a perspective best described as
A.a deficit orientation
B.an asset-based (additive) orientation
C.a remediation-first orientation
D.an English-only orientation
Explanation: An asset-based orientation views students' linguistic and cultural backgrounds as valuable resources that strengthen learning and identity. This contrasts with a deficit view, which treats the home language as a problem. Asset-based, additive approaches are foundational to effective bilingual education and to advocacy for emergent bilinguals.
8Biculturalism, as a goal of bilingual education, refers to a student's ability to
A.function competently and value the norms, values, and behaviors of two cultures
B.abandon the home culture in favor of the dominant culture
C.speak two languages without any cultural knowledge
D.memorize cultural facts for a standardized test
Explanation: Biculturalism is the capacity to operate effectively within, and appreciate the values and practices of, two cultural systems. It complements bilingualism and supports a strong, integrated identity. Bilingual programs seek to develop both linguistic and cultural competence rather than cultural replacement.
9Research on long-term academic outcomes (e.g., Thomas and Collier) most strongly supports which conclusion about program effectiveness for emergent bilinguals?
A.Well-implemented dual-language and late-exit programs that develop the primary language tend to produce the strongest long-term academic achievement
B.Short-term, early-exit English-only programs produce the highest long-term achievement
C.Program model has no measurable effect on long-term achievement
D.Pull-out ESL with no primary-language support yields the best results
Explanation: Longitudinal research by Thomas and Collier found that programs providing sustained primary-language academic development, such as dual-language and late-exit (maintenance) bilingual programs, yielded the strongest long-term achievement gains. Programs that exit students quickly with little L1 support tended to show weaker long-term outcomes. This evidence supports additive, well-implemented bilingual models.
10In a one-way developmental bilingual program, the students served are
A.primarily emergent bilinguals from the same home-language background developing both that language and English
B.an equal mix of native English speakers and native speakers of the partner language
C.only native English speakers learning a foreign language
D.students with no shared home language
Explanation: A one-way (developmental) bilingual program serves students who largely share the same home language other than English and aims to develop both that language and English over time. By contrast, a two-way immersion program intentionally integrates native English speakers with partner-language speakers. Both are additive, long-term models.

About the TExES Bilingual Ed 164 Exam

The TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental (164) certifies that an entry-level Texas educator has the knowledge and skills to teach in a bilingual program. The single-domain framework covers four competencies: foundations of bilingual education, language acquisition and development, literacy and biliteracy development and assessment, and content-area instruction in the primary and second languages.

Questions

80 scored questions

Time Limit

5-hour appointment (computer-administered)

Passing Score

240 (scaled)

Exam Fee

$116 (Texas Educator Certification Examination Program / Pearson)

TExES Bilingual Ed 164 Exam Content Outline

Competency 001

Foundations of Bilingual Education

Historical and legal background, global perspectives, program models, LPAC and identification, research, advocacy, and asset-based, additive learning environments.

Competency 002

Language Acquisition and Development

Components of language, BICS/CALP, first- and second-language acquisition stages and theories, ESL methodologies, transfer, and factors affecting L2 development.

Competency 003

Literacy Development and Assessment (L1 and Biliteracy)

L1 and Spanish literacy patterns, orthography, cognates, TEKS and SLAR standards, reading and writing assessment, and L1-to-L2 literacy transfer toward biliteracy.

Competency 004

Content Area Instruction in L1 and L2

Assessing academic language proficiency, content and language objectives, sheltered comprehensible instruction, integrating literacy across content, and differentiation.

How to Pass the TExES Bilingual Ed 164 Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 240 (scaled)
  • Exam length: 80 questions
  • Time limit: 5-hour appointment (computer-administered)
  • Exam fee: $116

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

TExES Bilingual Ed 164 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Memorize the foundational case law and policy: Lau v. Nichols, Castaneda v. Pickard, the EEOA, and the Texas 20-student bilingual program threshold
2Distinguish program models clearly: transitional (early-exit), maintenance (late-exit), one-way developmental, and two-way dual-language immersion
3Internalize BICS vs CALP and the implication that social fluency does not equal academic-language readiness
4Connect Krashen (comprehensible input, affective filter, i+1) and Cummins (CUP, common underlying proficiency, quadrants) to concrete classroom decisions
5For literacy items, choose answers that leverage L1-to-L2 transfer, cognates, and Spanish orthography rather than relearning skills from scratch
6On instruction and assessment items, favor scaffolds and accommodations that keep grade-level rigor while reducing language load, never lowering content expectations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental 164?

The official TExES 164 test page lists 80 selected-response questions. The exam is computer-administered with a 5-hour appointment, and content is organized into a single Bilingual Education domain with four competencies.

What passing score do I need for the TExES 164?

The passing standard is a scaled score of 240 on a 100-300 scale. Because scores are scaled, focus on consistent performance across all four competencies rather than guessing a raw-score cutoff.

How much does the TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental 164 cost?

The current computer-based testing fee for the TExES 164 is $116. Always confirm the current fee at registration because Texas educator testing fees can change.

What competencies are tested on the TExES 164?

All content sits in one Bilingual Education domain with four competencies: Foundations of Bilingual Education (001), Language Acquisition and Development (002), Literacy Development and Assessment including biliteracy (003), and Content Area Instruction in L1 and L2 (004).

Do I also need the BTLPT for bilingual certification in Texas?

Many Texas bilingual certification routes require both the Bilingual Education Supplemental (164) and the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Test (BTLPT) in Spanish. Confirm the current Required Texas Certification Tests chart for your specific certificate.

How should I study for the TExES 164 effectively?

Use scenario-based practice grounded in the four competencies. Prioritize second-language acquisition theory (BICS/CALP, Krashen, Cummins), program models, literacy transfer and biliteracy, and sheltered content instruction with appropriate scaffolds.