TExES Social Studies 4-8 (118)

It is a computer-administered test (CAT) with 100 selected-response questions. You get 4 hours and 45 minutes of testing time inside a 5-hour total appointment; the extra 15 minutes covers the CAT tutorial and compliance agreement. There is no constructed-response or essay section.

The passing score is 240 on the exam's scaled scoring scale. Because it is a scaled score rather than a raw percentage, the number of correct answers needed on any given form is not fixed, so aim comfortably above a bare minimum when you practice.

The exam fee is $116. Additional fees may apply depending on your registration and appointment choices, so review the payment information on the program website before you register. You pay the exam fee again each time you register for a retake.

Exam dates are available by appointment, year round, and appointments are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Computer-administered test sites are located in Texas and nationwide, so you can search for availability near you and broaden your search geographically if your preferred site is full.

Scores are released at 10:00 p.m. Central time on the published score report dates. Check the current score report date schedule for your testing window before you plan anything that depends on your result, such as an EPP deadline or a certification application.

An exam can be retaken after 30 days. You cannot register until the results from your last attempt have posted to ECOS; once they post you may register, and the first available appointment date will be 30 days from your prior attempt's exam date. Candidates affiliated with an educator preparation program must request program approval to retest.

You are limited to five attempts on a certification exam, and those five include the first attempt plus four retakes. If you register again after a fifth attempt, scores will not count toward certification and you assume responsibility for the fees. A test-limit waiver from the Texas Education Agency is the only route past that cap.

Possibly. The program notes that exams may include questions evaluated for future administrations that do not affect a candidate's score. Treat every item as if it counts: skipping or rushing an unscored question costs you nothing, but misjudging a scored one does.

Breadth, not depth, is the usual trap. Candidates over-study one favorite era or region and then meet clusters of map, chart, economic, and civics items they never practiced. Rotate through every discipline on a schedule, and rehearse interpreting documents, graphs, and maps under time pressure rather than only memorizing facts.