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100+ Free TExES Early Childhood PK-3 (292) Practice Questions

Pass your TExES Early Childhood: PK-3 (292) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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A teacher uses a visual schedule with pictures for a child with autism who becomes anxious during unexpected changes. This support is MOST effective because it

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to track
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: TExES Early Childhood PK-3 (292) Exam

90 + 1

Selected-Response Plus Constructed-Response Questions

TExES 292 test page

5h / 4h45m

Appointment / Testing Time

TExES 292 test page

240

Scaled Passing Score

Texas educator testing program

$136

Current Exam Fee

TExES 292 test page

25%

Largest Domain Weight (Learning Across the Curriculum)

TExES 292 exam framework

6

Domains on the Exam Framework

TExES 292 preparation manual

292

Current Test Code (Replaced EC-3 105)

TEA required and replacement test chart

293

Science of Teaching Reading Exam Also Required

TEA PK-3 certification requirements

For 2026 planning, the current Early Childhood: PK-3 (292) exam is the active version after the EC-3 (105) test was retired. It has 90 selected-response questions plus 1 constructed-response question, a 5-hour appointment (4 hours 45 minutes of testing), a 240 scaled passing score, and a $136 fee. The official framework weights Domain V Learning Across the Curriculum highest at 25%, followed by Domain VI Analysis and Response at 20% and Domain I Child Development at 19%; Domains II, III, and IV are each 12%. Early-childhood candidates must also pass the Science of Teaching Reading (293) exam for the PK-3 certificate.

Sample TExES Early Childhood PK-3 (292) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your TExES Early Childhood PK-3 (292) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1According to Piaget's theory of cognitive development, a typical 5-year-old in the preoperational stage is MOST likely to struggle with which of the following?
A.Understanding that the amount of water stays the same when poured into a differently shaped glass
B.Using symbols and language to represent objects that are not present
C.Engaging in pretend or make-believe play with peers
D.Forming mental images of familiar objects and people
Explanation: Children in Piaget's preoperational stage (roughly ages 2-7) have not yet developed conservation, the understanding that quantity remains constant despite changes in appearance. Symbolic thought, pretend play, and mental imagery are all hallmarks the child CAN do in this stage.
2A prekindergarten teacher sets up a dramatic-play grocery store, a block area, and a sensory table and lets children choose where to work. This child-initiated, play-based approach is BEST supported by which theoretical view of early learning?
A.Behaviorism, in which learning depends mainly on teacher-delivered rewards and punishments
B.Constructivism, in which children actively build understanding through hands-on experience
C.Maturationism, in which development unfolds on a fixed biological timetable regardless of environment
D.Nativism, in which knowledge is entirely innate and not shaped by experience
Explanation: Constructivist theory (Piaget, Vygotsky) holds that young children construct knowledge actively through direct, hands-on interaction with materials and people. Play-based, child-initiated centers give children the concrete experiences constructivists view as essential to learning.
3Vygotsky's concept of the zone of proximal development is BEST defined as the range between what a child can do
A.before formal schooling and what the child can do after it
B.independently and what the child can do with guidance from a more knowledgeable person
C.in the morning and what the child can do later in the day when tired
D.with concrete objects and what the child can do with abstract symbols
Explanation: The zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the distance between a learner's independent performance and the higher level of performance possible with support (scaffolding) from a teacher or more capable peer. Instruction targeted to the ZPD moves children toward independence.
4A kindergarten teacher notices a child who experienced significant trauma is hypervigilant, has trouble focusing, and reacts strongly to small frustrations. Which response by the teacher BEST supports this child?
A.Removing the child from the classroom whenever distress appears so others can learn
B.Establishing predictable routines and a calm, safe space the child can use to self-regulate
C.Withholding attention until the child independently stops the behavior
D.Assigning extra academic worksheets to keep the child fully occupied
Explanation: Trauma-informed practice emphasizes predictability, safety, and supportive co-regulation. Consistent routines and a designated calming area give a child who has experienced trauma the security and tools needed to manage stress responses and stay engaged in learning.
5Which practice MOST reflects the principle that families are children's first and primary educators and partners in learning?
A.Sending home a one-way newsletter listing rules families must enforce
B.Inviting families to share their goals, languages, and cultural knowledge to inform classroom learning
C.Scheduling conferences only when a child is failing
D.Requiring all family communication to occur in English to maintain consistency
Explanation: Meaningful family engagement is reciprocal and asset-based: teachers invite families to contribute their goals, home languages, and cultural funds of knowledge. This two-way partnership honors families as primary educators and strengthens children's learning.
6A first-grade teacher wants to strengthen students' executive function and self-regulation. Which classroom strategy is MOST appropriate?
A.Teaching a 'stop and think' routine and using visual schedules to support planning
B.Eliminating all transitions so children never have to shift attention
C.Giving immediate tangible rewards for every correct academic answer
D.Speaking only when the entire class is perfectly silent
Explanation: Executive function includes inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Explicit self-talk routines like 'stop and think' and visual schedules that support planning directly build these skills in young children.
7Which scenario BEST illustrates a school-wide framework of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)?
A.Each teacher independently decides on punishments with no common expectations
B.The whole school teaches a small set of positively stated expectations and acknowledges them consistently
C.Misbehaving students are immediately suspended to deter others
D.Behavior expectations are posted but never explicitly taught
Explanation: PBIS is a proactive, tiered framework in which a school explicitly teaches a few positively stated, common behavioral expectations and reinforces them consistently across all settings. This shared, preventive approach reduces problem behavior school-wide.
8A prekindergarten teacher arranges the room with clearly defined learning centers, a posted picture schedule, and labeled materials at children's eye level. The PRIMARY benefit of this environmental design is that it
A.reduces the need for any adult interaction during the day
B.promotes independence, predictability, and smooth transitions
C.guarantees that all children will reach the same skills at the same time
D.minimizes opportunities for child choice to keep order
Explanation: A thoughtfully structured early-childhood environment with defined centers, visual schedules, and accessible labeled materials fosters independence and predictability, helping children navigate the day and transition smoothly with less reliance on constant adult direction.
9Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is BEST described as a framework that
A.provides one standardized lesson that every student must complete identically
B.offers multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression for all learners
C.applies only to students who have a documented disability
D.replaces the general education curriculum with a separate special-education track
Explanation: UDL is a proactive design framework built on three principles: multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action and expression. It builds flexibility into instruction from the start to benefit all learners, not just those with disabilities.
10A student receives a Section 504 plan that allows extended time and preferential seating. The PRIMARY purpose of these accommodations is to
A.lower the learning expectations and content standards for the student
B.provide access so the student can demonstrate learning of the same grade-level standards
C.remove the student from the general education classroom
D.replace the need for any classroom instruction
Explanation: Section 504 accommodations remove barriers so a student with a disability can access and demonstrate the same grade-level content as peers. Accommodations change how a student accesses learning, not what is expected of the student.

About the TExES Early Childhood PK-3 (292) Exam

TExES Early Childhood: PK-3 (292) is the Texas content exam for the Early Childhood: Prekindergarten-Grade 3 certificate. The official framework assesses child development, the instructional setting, educating all learners, data-driven assessment, learning across the curriculum, and an analysis-and-response constructed task. It replaced the retired EC-3 (105) exam.

Questions

90 scored questions

Time Limit

5h appointment (4h 45m testing)

Passing Score

240 (scaled)

Exam Fee

$136 (Texas Educator Certification Examination Program / Pearson)

TExES Early Childhood PK-3 (292) Exam Content Outline

19%

Child Development

Foundations of development birth to age 8, theories (Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner, Erikson), the early learning process and play, stress and trauma, and reciprocal family engagement.

12%

The Instructional Setting

Social and emotional development, executive function, PBIS, classroom management, and safe, linguistically responsive environments with effective routines and groupings.

12%

Educating All Learners

Universal Design for Learning, differentiation and scaffolding, 504 and IEP accommodations, IDEA disability categories, multilingualism, and English-learner supports.

12%

Data-Driven Practice and Assessment

Formal and informal assessment types and purposes, ethics and confidentiality, Response to Intervention, progress monitoring, and using data to guide instruction.

25%

Learning Across the Curriculum

English language arts and early literacy, mathematics, science and technology, social studies, and fine arts, physical education, and health content and pedagogy.

20%

Analysis and Response

The constructed-response task: analyze observational and assessment data, identify strengths and needs, select strategies, and justify instructional decisions with reasoning.

How to Pass the TExES Early Childhood PK-3 (292) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 240 (scaled)
  • Exam length: 90 questions
  • Time limit: 5h appointment (4h 45m testing)
  • Exam fee: $136

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 Early Childhood PK-3 (292) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Prioritize Domain V (25%); review early-literacy components (phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension) plus number sense, inquiry science, and social studies pedagogy
2Prepare for the constructed-response by practicing: cite specific data, name a strength and a need, choose a matched strategy, and explain why it works
3Anchor child-development items to the major theorists (Piaget conservation, Vygotsky ZPD, Erikson stages) and to developmentally appropriate practice
4For EL, 504, and IEP items, choose access and appropriate support first rather than lowering rigor or removing core instruction
5On assessment items, distinguish diagnostic, formative, and summative, and norm- versus criterion-referenced, and favor data that leads to reteaching or regrouping
6Treat play, hands-on materials, and the concrete-to-abstract progression as best practice; reject worksheet-heavy or punitive answer choices

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the TExES Early Childhood PK-3 (292)?

The 292 exam has 90 selected-response questions and 1 constructed-response question, for 91 items total. The appointment is 5 hours, with 4 hours 45 minutes of actual testing time after the tutorial and administrative steps.

What is the passing score for TExES 292?

The passing standard is a scaled score of 240. TExES scaled scores run from 100 to 300, so aim for consistent performance across all six domains rather than targeting a guessed raw-score cutoff.

How much does the TExES Early Childhood PK-3 exam cost?

The current fee for the 292 exam is $136, and additional service fees may apply. Always verify the current fee at registration because Texas educator test fees can change.

Which domain is weighted most heavily on TExES 292?

Domain V Learning Across the Curriculum is the largest at 25%, covering literacy, math, science, social studies, and fine arts/health/PE. Domain VI Analysis and Response is 20% and Domain I Child Development is 19%, while Domains II, III, and IV are each 12%.

Did the TExES Early Childhood PK-3 (292) replace an older exam?

Yes. The current Early Childhood: PK-3 (292) exam is the active version, and the older EC-3 (105) test has been retired. Candidates should prepare for the 292 framework and confirm the current required-test chart before registering.

Do I need any other test for the PK-3 certificate?

Yes. Early-childhood candidates must also pass the Science of Teaching Reading (293) exam, plus complete the pedagogy requirement (PPR EC-12 or edTPA) through a TEA-approved educator preparation program.