1.1 TExES 391 Exam Structure, Scoring & Test Strategy

Overview & Texas Certification Landscape

The TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (Exam 391) is the primary educator certification examination administered by Pearson on behalf of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). Designed for prospective elementary teachers seeking standard Texas certification, it is the successor to the earlier Core Subjects EC-6 (291) exam. Because the Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading EC-6 certificate also requires the separate STR (293) exam, the 391's ELAR subject exam focuses on literacy in grades 4–6, while foundational reading for EC–3 is tested on the STR.

Teaching elementary grades in Texas public schools requires multidimensional competence. An elementary generalist must guide emergent readers through complex phonetic decoding in the morning, facilitate inquiry-based physical science experiments before lunch, scaffold multi-digit fractional algorithms in early afternoon, and deliver instruction in Texas history, visual arts, and health wellness before dismissal. Because elementary teachers operate across all core academic disciplines, the TExES 391 evaluates both disciplinary subject-matter mastery and pedagogical content knowledge across five distinct domains. Achieving passing scores across this spectrum demands strategic preparation, cognitive flexibility, and deliberate test-taking pacing.

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Comprehensive Five-Subtest Architecture

The TExES 391 is a computer-administered test (CAT) taken in a single 5-hour appointment. Pearson allots 15 minutes for the CAT tutorial and compliance agreement, and the five subject-exam testing times add up to 280 minutes (4 hours 40 minutes) for 210 selected-response questions.

While candidates register for and begin the examination in a single appointment, each subtest functions as an independent, modular assessment with its own distinct question count and time limit.

Pearson states that timing for the 391 is by subject exam rather than by the total exam. Each subject exam has its own time allotment, so minutes left over on one subject exam do not carry over to another. Plan your pacing one subject exam at a time.

Scoring System & Subject-Exam Score Retention

The TExES 391 is a criterion-referenced examination designed to measure candidate performance against established Texas educator standards rather than ranking candidates against one another.

The 240 Scaled Passing Standard

• Scale Architecture: Scores on each subtest are reported on a scaled metric ranging from 100 to 300.
• Passing Standard: The minimum passing standard mandated by the SBEC is 240 on EACH individual subtest.
• Scaled, Not Raw, Scores: Your raw score (the number of scored questions you answer correctly) is converted to the 100–300 scale so that results from different test forms can be compared. Pearson and TEA do not publish a fixed percentage-correct cut for 240, so treat any "you need about X% correct" claim from a third party as a guess, not a rule.
• No Total Score: Pearson reports the 391 as Passed or Not Passed. There is no overall passing score, and a high score on one subject exam cannot make up for a score below 240 on another.
• Unscored Questions: Pearson notes that the exam may include questions that are being evaluated for future administrations and do not affect your score. You cannot tell which items these are, so answer every question with equal care.

How Pearson Keeps Your Best Subject-Exam Scores

• Separate Scores: You receive a score for each of the five subject exams rather than one combined score.
• Best Score Retained: Pearson's retake policy states that the score for your best attempt on each subject exam is retained. A candidate who retakes the overall exam does not need to answer questions in subject exams already passed.
• Single-Subject Retakes: If you pass four subject exams and score below 240 on one (for example, 255 on ELAR 901, 248 on Social Studies 903, 244 on Science 904 and 258 on Fine Arts/Health/PE 905, but 232 on Mathematics 902), you may register for that one subject exam alone ($58). If you did not pass two or more subject exams, you retake the overall 391, and the subject exams you already passed are skipped.
• 291 and 391 Do Not Combine: Passing scores from the retired 291 exam cannot be combined with 391 subject-exam scores, because they are separate exams.

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Retake Rules and the Five-Attempt Limit

Pearson's TExES retake policy, together with the five-attempt limit in Texas Education Code §21.048, sets the following rules for the 391.

The 30-Day Wait

You must wait 30 days after taking the 391 (or one of its subject exams) before you can retake it. You cannot register again until your previous results have posted to the Educator Certification Online System (ECOS). The first available appointment is 30 days after the prior test date. If you are in an educator preparation program (EPP), you also need your program's approval to retest. Pearson and TEA may cancel scores earned in violation of the retake policy.

The Five-Attempt Limit

• Five attempts total: You are limited to five attempts at a certification exam: your first attempt plus four retakes.
• Every session counts: For the 391, each testing session counts as one attempt, whether you take the overall exam or a single subject exam (901–905). Five attempts are not granted separately for each subject exam.
• 291 attempts are separate: Attempts on the retired 291 do not count toward the 391 limit.
• After the fifth attempt: You cannot test again for certification purposes unless TEA approves a test-limit waiver. Waivers are not guaranteed, so prepare thoroughly for every attempt.

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The Certification Triad: Required Companion Examinations

Passing the 391 meets the content-pedagogy test requirement for the Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading: Early Childhood–Grade 6 certificate. TEA's required-test chart also lists the Science of Teaching Reading (293) exam and a pedagogy test: the PPR EC–12 (160), or one of the edTPA options TEA lists as an alternative.

1. Science of Teaching Reading (STR 293)

Texas House Bill 3 (2019) created a standalone Science of Teaching Reading (STR 293) requirement. Since January 1, 2021, TEA has required the STR for five certificates: Early Childhood: EC–Grade 3; Core Subjects with STR: EC–Grade 6; Core Subjects with STR: Grades 4–8; ELAR with STR: Grades 4–8; and ELAR/Social Studies with STR: Grades 4–8.

• Structure: A computer-administered test with 90 selected-response questions and 1 constructed-response question in a 5-hour appointment (4 hours 45 minutes of testing). It includes a listening item that requires a headset. The fee is $136 and the passing score is 240.
• Focus: The foundations of reading: oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and the alphabetic principle, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and the assessment that guides reading instruction.
• Relationship to the 391: The 391's ELAR subject exam (901) frames its competencies for grades 4–6, while the STR covers the full science of teaching reading, including early literacy. A strong ELAR score on the 391 does not replace the STR requirement.

2. Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR EC-12 160)

The PPR EC-12 (160) assesses professional pedagogical standards, classroom culture, and legal obligations across all grade bands:

• Structure: 100 selected-response questions in a 5-hour appointment (4 hours 45 minutes of testing); fee $116; passing score 240.
• Competencies: Designing coherent instruction, establishing positive classroom culture, engaging diverse learners through responsive instruction, monitoring student progress through valid assessments, and fulfilling legal and ethical educator obligations (such as Texas Educator Code of Ethics, student confidentiality under FERPA, mandatory child abuse reporting under Texas Family Code §261, ARD committee responsibilities, and parent-teacher communication).

3. The 391-to-491 Transition

TEA's certification announcements list the 391 as a test to be discontinued. TEA's required-test chart (May 2024) shows the 391 content test last offered in August 2027. The last date to apply and be recommended for the certificate with 391 scores is August 31, 2028. A new certificate, Core with the Science of Teaching Reading: EC–Grade 6, pairs the STR (293) with a new Core Subjects EC–6 (491) exam that will start no earlier than September 1, 2027. TEA notes that these timelines are still subject to SBEC and legislative action. If you plan to test near these dates, confirm the current chart and your EPP's guidance before you register.

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Computer-Administered Testing Tactics & Pacing Strategy

Navigating a five-hour computer-administered test demands mental pacing, cognitive discipline, and physical endurance.

Subtest Pacing Breakdown

Because each subtest has distinct question-to-time ratios, candidates must recalibrate their mental pace for each subject:

• ELAR 901 (70 min / 45 Qs = ~1.55 min/item): ELAR items frequently feature extended literary passages, student writing samples, and multi-part comprehension questions. Candidates should skim the question stem and answer options first to establish a targeted reading purpose before reading dense stimulus passages.
• Math 902 (70 min / 40 Qs = 1.75 min/item): Allocates the most time per question, but multi-step calculations still consume minutes quickly. The 391 test page lists no on-screen calculator or formula reference, unlike some other TExES math exams. Practice computing efficiently by hand and use estimation to check reasonableness before finalizing answers.
• Social Studies 903 (50 min / 40 Qs = 1.25 min/item): Focuses on historical chronologies, geographic concepts, economic terminology, and primary source excerpts. Candidates should pace quickly through direct recall items to preserve time for analyzing historical maps, political cartoons, and tables.
• Science 904 (55 min / 45 Qs = ~1.22 min/item): Requires analyzing laboratory experimental setups, data tables, hypothesis formulations, and inquiry scenarios. Candidates should immediately isolate independent, dependent, and controlled variables when reviewing experimental questions.
• Fine Arts, Health, and PE 905 (35 min / 40 Qs = ~0.875 min/item or ~52.5 seconds): The most time-critical section on the exam. Candidates must recognize core definitions, artistic media, vocal classifications, locomotor movements, and health guidelines instantly without overthinking.

The Three-Pass Flag-and-Review Protocol

The Pearson testing interface includes an on-screen "Flag for Review" feature and an overview dashboard displaying answered, unanswered, and flagged questions. Candidates should execute a structured three-pass protocol for each subtest:

1. Pass 1 (Immediate Resolution): Move steadily through the subtest, answering all high-confidence questions immediately. If an item requires lengthy reflection or multi-step trial and error, enter a preliminary best guess, flag the item, and advance.
2. Pass 2 (Targeted Re-examination): Open the review screen to access flagged items. Re-examine the stimulus with fresh focus, eliminate obvious distractors, and finalize selections.
3. Pass 3 (Zero-Blank Audit): Confirm that every question on the subtest has an answer recorded before the timer expires.

Zero Penalty for Guessing

There is no penalty for incorrect answers. Your score is based on the number of scored questions you answer correctly. Leaving a question blank guarantees zero credit, whereas selecting an answer option—even on a pure guess—provides a 25% statistical chance of earning the point. With two distractors eliminated, the probability increases to 50%. Candidates must never leave any question unanswered.

Cognitive Endurance Management

A five-hour testing session causes physical and mental fatigue. Successful candidates utilize systematic endurance techniques:

• The 20-20-20 Visual Reset: Every 20 minutes, look away from the computer screen at a distant corner for 20 seconds to relieve ciliary eye muscle tension.
• Postural and Respiratory Breaks: Between subtests, pause for 30 to 60 seconds to take deep diaphragmatic breaths, roll shoulders, and shake out hand tension.
• Sustained Focus: Maintain an encouraging internal mindset, treating each new subtest as a completely fresh evaluation independent of the previous section.