0.1 TExES STR (293) Structure, Scoring, & Policies

0.1 TExES STR (293) Structure, Scoring, & Policies

Quick Summary: The Texas Examination of Educator Standards (TExES) Science of Teaching Reading (293) is a 5-hour computer-administered certification examination mandated under Texas House Bill 3 (HB 3). Comprising 90 selected-response questions and 1 constructed-response analysis (Domain IV, weighted at 20% of the exam), candidates must achieve a scaled score of 240 on a 100–300 scale to earn standard educator credentials in elementary and early childhood literacy.

Legislative Foundation: Texas House Bill 3 (HB 3)

The TExES Science of Teaching Reading (293) examination was established by the 86th Texas Legislature in 2019 under House Bill 3 (HB 3). Lawmakers enacted HB 3 as a sweeping school finance and literacy reform bill designed to improve early reading outcomes across Texas public schools. A central statutory requirement mandated that all candidates seeking certification to teach prekindergarten through grade 6 demonstrate pedagogical proficiency in evidence-based reading instruction.

Before HB 3, educator preparation in Texas frequently relied on whole-language or balanced literacy methodologies featuring incidental phonics and contextual guessing. HB 3 codified reading pedagogy grounded in cognitive science and neuroscience, ensuring educators deliver explicit, systematic instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, orthographic mapping, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

To achieve this systemic transformation, HB 3 established a dual mandate:

• Pre-Service Certification Requirement (TExES STR 293): Mandated that all new educator candidates seeking certification in EC-3, EC-6, and 4-8 pass the standalone TExES Science of Teaching Reading (293) examination before earning standard licensure.
• In-Service Professional Development (Texas Reading Academies): Mandated that all practicing Kindergarten through Grade 3 general education teachers, special education teachers, and campus administrators complete the comprehensive, year-long Texas Reading Academies (TRA) training to align classroom practice with evidence-based reading science.

Administrative Governance: TEA, SBEC, and Pearson

Three entities oversee the governance, standards, and delivery of the STR examination:

• Texas Education Agency (TEA): The state administrative agency overseeing public education. TEA implements legislative mandates, oversees Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs), and manages the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum standards.
• State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC): The statutory board governing educator credentials. SBEC adopts the educator standards the exam is built on, approves exam frameworks, and sets the rules that govern retakes and attempt limits. SBEC does not set the passing score by itself: a committee of Texas educators recommends a cut score through a standard-setting study, TEA forwards the recommendation, and the Commissioner of Education makes the final determination.
• Pearson (Evaluation Systems): The testing vendor contracted to administer the TExES program. Pearson manages the computer-administered testing (CAT) platform, trains scoring evaluators, and delivers score reports.

Required Certification Fields

Passing the STR (293) is legally required for five specific Texas teaching credentials:

1. Early Childhood: Prekindergarten–Grade 3 (EC-3)
2. Core Subjects: Early Childhood–Grade 6 (EC-6)
3. Core Subjects: Grades 4–8
4. English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR): Grades 4–8
5. English Language Arts and Reading / Social Studies: Grades 4–8

Secondary candidates (such as 7–12 Math) and non-instructional personnel are exempt from the STR. However, for elementary and middle school literacy educators, passing the STR is mandatory and cannot be waived.

Test Appointment and Session Logistics

The STR testing appointment spans 5 hours (300 total minutes) at a Pearson VUE test center or approved proctored site. The testing fee is $136, and Pearson notes that additional fees may apply (for example, alternative testing arrangements or score-report services).

Exam feature — the headset. Pearson lists a headset under the exam's features because the STR (293) includes a listening question. You will put on a headset and respond to audio rather than printed text for that item, which is why the exam framework repeatedly stresses phoneme perception and oral language. Complete the computer-administered testing tutorial for this feature before test day so the audio interface is not the first surprise of your appointment.

The 5-hour appointment window includes two distinct segments:

• 15-Minute Administrative Tutorial: Candidates complete the non-disclosure agreement and review testing software functions.
• 4 Hours and 45 Minutes (285 Minutes) Net Testing Time: Candidates independently allocate this testing pool between the selected-response and constructed-response sections.

Unscheduled restroom breaks are permitted; however, the test clock continues to run without pause. Candidates should reserve 60 to 75 minutes for the constructed-response essay.

| Appointment Segment | Duration | Timer Status | Candidate Focus | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Tutorial & NDA | 15 minutes | Untracked | Interface familiarization; security acceptance | | Selected-Response | ~180–210 minutes | Active (285m pool) | Complete 90 items (~2 to 2.2 min per question) | | Constructed-Response | ~60–75 minutes | Active (285m pool) | Analyze four tabbed exhibits; draft the 400–600 word case-study response |

Question Composition and Exam Blueprints

The exam consists of two question types:

• 90 Selected-Response Items (Domains I, II, and III): Pearson states only that "your final scaled score will be based only on scored questions." That wording confirms that some items on any given form are unscored field-test items used to validate future forms, but the exam owner does not publish how many of the 90 items are scored. Unscored items are indistinguishable from scored items while you are testing, so treat every question as if it counts. Be skeptical of third-party prep sites that quote an exact scored-item count; that number is not published by TEA or Pearson.
• 1 Constructed-Response Question (20% of Scaled Score):
  • Assesses Competency 013 (Domain IV: Analysis and Response).
  • Candidates analyze four assessment exhibits for a student (e.g., fluency data, phonics screener, spelling inventory, comprehension sample).
  • Candidates author a 400–600 word response identifying one foundational reading weakness, one comprehension weakness, exhibit evidence, targeted instructional strategies, and developmental rationales.
  • Scored holistically on a 0–4 rubric by two independent evaluators (summed to an 8-point raw scale).

Scoring Scale, Cut Scores, and Retake Policies

The exam uses a criterion-referenced scoring scale:

• Score Range: 100 to 300 points.
• Passing Standard (Cut Score): A scaled score of 240. The cut score is recommended by a committee of Texas educators in a standard-setting study and finally determined by the Commissioner of Education.
• Equating: Raw scores are statistically equated to account for minor variations in form difficulty.
• Score Reporting: Official score reports are released within 28 calendar days due to human scoring of the constructed-response essay.

Retake Waiting Period and Five-Attempt Lifetime Rule

• 30-Day Waiting Period: Candidates who fail must observe a mandatory 30-calendar-day waiting period from the test date before retesting.
• Five-Attempt Lifetime Limitation: Under Texas Education Code §21.048, candidates are limited to five lifetime attempts per certification exam. Voided tests, cancellations, and completed attempts all count toward this limit.
• TEA Waiver: Candidates who exhaust all five attempts must apply for a waiver from TEA, requiring verification of formal remediation from an approved Educator Preparation Program.