- TExES 257 is the Texas Health EC-12 certification exam, administered by Pearson for TEA/SBEC.
- The test has 90 selected-response items plus 1 constructed-response item across five domains.
- Passing requires 240 on a 100-300 scale, with 72 points possible from selected-response and 8 from the written response.
- Domain II, Health Skills for Reducing Risks, carries the heaviest weight at 30%.
What TExES 257 Actually Is
TExES Health EC-12 (257) is the certification examination that qualifies candidates to teach health education to students from early childhood through grade 12 in Texas public schools. It's a subject-specific content exam, meaning it tests mastery of health curriculum knowledge rather than general teaching pedagogy. Candidates pursuing a first Texas classroom certificate also need the separate PPR EC-12 (160) pedagogy exam, but TExES 257 is the one that verifies you actually know the health content you'll be teaching.
If you're just starting your research, our companion pieces on What Is TExES 257? and TExES 257 Meaning cover the naming and basic identity questions in more depth. This article focuses specifically on what the certification involves structurally - governance, format, domains, and logistics.
Who Governs and Administers the Exam
TExES 257 is governed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). The exam itself is developed and administered by Pearson through its Evaluation Systems division. It's delivered as a computer-administered test (CAT) at Pearson VUE testing centers throughout Texas and at additional locations nationwide, available by appointment year round rather than on fixed testing dates.
For specifics on scheduling windows and deadlines tied to educator preparation program timelines, see TExES 257 Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Exam Format and Question Types
The exam consists of 90 selected-response questions plus one constructed-response question, for 91 total scored-eligible items. Some administrations may also include unscored field-test items mixed in to help TEA calibrate future forms - these don't count toward your final score, but you won't know which items are field-tested, so every question deserves full attention.
The full appointment runs 5 hours: the first 15 minutes cover the CAT tutorial and the compliance agreement you must accept before testing, and the remaining 4 hours 45 minutes is dedicated testing time. That's a long sit, and pacing matters - most of your selected-response items should move quickly so you have ample time reserved for the constructed-response prompt near the end.
Key Takeaway
Because the constructed-response answer is hand-scored, official results take longer to post - expect roughly a four-week reporting cycle rather than instant scoring.
The Five Content Domains
TExES 257 content is organized into five domains, each weighted differently on the final score. Understanding these weights should directly shape how you allocate study time - a topic that's covered thoroughly in TExES 257 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 5 Content Areas.
Domain I: Health and Wellness (22%)
Covers foundational knowledge of physical, mental, emotional, and social dimensions of health across the lifespan, including nutrition, physical activity, disease prevention, and personal wellness practices appropriate for EC-12 learners.
Domain II: Health Skills for Reducing Risks (30%)
The largest single domain by weight. It covers alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention; interpersonal and family communication skills; injury prevention; responding to bullying; mandatory reporting obligations; crisis protocols; and building students' personal health efficacy skills.
- Substance abuse prevention strategies appropriate to different grade bands
- Recognizing and reporting signs of abuse or neglect under Texas mandatory reporting law
- Communication and refusal-skill instruction for reducing risky behavior
Domain III: Health Literacy and Health Education (14%)
Focuses on how to teach health content effectively - evaluating health information sources, designing curriculum, and helping students become critical consumers of health messaging and media.
Domain IV: Educating All Learners and Professional Practice (13%)
Addresses differentiated instruction for diverse learners, legal and ethical responsibilities of a health educator, collaboration with families and communities, and professional standards of practice.
Domain V: Constructed Response (20%)
A single written response, 400-600 words, worth 20% of your total score entirely on its own. This makes it the second-heaviest scoring component after Domain II, despite being just one question.
Because Domain II and Domain V together account for half your score, candidates often underestimate how much weight rests outside the multiple-choice-style questions. For a deeper breakdown of what makes this exam challenging relative to other certification tests, read How Hard Is the TExES 257 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Registration, Fees, and Retake Rules
The exam fee for TExES 257 is $136, with no separate member or non-member pricing tiers. Before you can register, you need to be approved to test - either through an educator preparation program (EPP) or directly by TEA, depending on your certification pathway.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam fee | $136 |
| Registration validity | 170 days |
| Withdrawal refund | Fee minus $25 |
| Wait between attempts | 30 days |
| Total attempts allowed | Five (TEA waiver required beyond that) |
If you withdraw from a scheduled appointment, you're refunded the exam fee minus a $25 processing charge. Registration itself stays valid for 170 days, so you have some flexibility in choosing a testing date within that window. Should you not pass on your first try, you must wait 30 days before retesting, and you're capped at five total attempts unless you obtain a test-limit waiver from TEA.
A full cost breakdown, including how fees interact with EPP enrollment and retake scenarios, is available in TExES 257 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. And if you want to confirm you meet the eligibility criteria before registering, check TExES 257 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Passing Score and What It Takes
TExES 257 uses a scaled score range of 100 to 300, and the passing score is 240. Under 19 TAC 151.1001, for administrations beginning September 2, 2025, the exam's point structure breaks down as follows: the selected-response portion carries 72 points with an average raw cut around 41, and the constructed-response portion carries 8 points with a cut of 5.
Statewide, TEA reported a 95% first-attempt pass rate and a 96% best-attempt pass rate for the 2024-2025 program year (N=294). Those numbers suggest most well-prepared candidates pass, but they're not a substitute for understanding exactly where points come from. For the full numeric picture and how to interpret it, see TExES 257 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows, and for a line-by-line explanation of the cut scores, read TExES 257 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Who Needs TExES 257
TExES 257 is required for anyone seeking to add a Health EC-12 classroom certificate in Texas - most commonly aspiring health teachers, physical education teachers adding a health endorsement, and career-changers moving into school health instruction through alternative certification programs. Once certified, the standard Texas certificate is valid for five years and renews through ECOS with 150 CPE clock hours for classroom teachers.
Districts hiring for health-endorsed positions look for this certificate specifically, since it's tied to state curriculum standards for health education across EC-12 grade bands. If you're evaluating career prospects tied to this credential, our guides on TExES 257 Jobs and TExES 257 Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis go into hiring patterns and compensation considerations. And if you're still weighing whether pursuing the certification makes sense for your career path, Is the TExES 257 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 lays out the tradeoffs.
TExES 157 vs. TExES 257
If you've seen references to "TExES Health EC-12 (157)," that's the exam TExES 257 replaced. TExES 157 was last administered September 1, 2024, and it could no longer be used for certification purposes after September 1, 2025. TExES 257 is the redeveloped replacement - same subject area, updated content structure and domain weighting. Any older study materials, forums, or guides referencing "157" should be treated as outdated; the current and only path to Health EC-12 certification now runs through 257.
Key Takeaway
If your prep materials mention "157," they're describing a retired exam. Confirm any resource you use is aligned to the current 257 domain structure before relying on it.
Building a Domain-Aware Study Plan
Rather than studying every domain equally, allocate time in rough proportion to scoring weight - with extra attention to Domain V's constructed-response format, since it's scored differently from the selected-response items.
Domain II Deep Dive
- Study substance-abuse prevention frameworks and refusal-skill instruction
- Review Texas mandatory reporting requirements and crisis protocols in detail
Domain I and III
- Cover wellness, nutrition, and disease prevention content
- Practice evaluating health information sources and curriculum design scenarios
Domain IV and Constructed Response Practice
- Review differentiation strategies and professional/legal responsibilities
- Draft several 400-600 word responses under timed conditions
For a complete week-by-week plan with practice question strategy and constructed-response scoring rubrics explained, see TExES 257 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. If you want a fast, condensed reference for last-minute review, TExES 257 Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts summarizes the highest-yield facts in one page. You can also start practicing directly with sample questions modeled on the real exam format at our practice test platform, which lets you get comfortable with the CAT interface before test day.
Beyond content review, familiarize yourself with formal training resources - our overview of TExES 257 Training outlines coursework and prep-program options that pair well with self-study, and the main practice test site offers domain-specific question sets aligned to the current weighting structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. TExES 157 was the prior version of the Health EC-12 exam and was retired after September 1, 2025. TExES 257 is its redeveloped replacement and is now the only valid path to this certification.
The exam has 90 selected-response questions plus 1 constructed-response question, for 91 scored-eligible items total. Some forms may also include unscored field-test items.
You need a scaled score of 240 out of a 100-300 range. The selected-response portion is worth 72 points and the constructed-response portion is worth 8 points under current scoring rules.
The exam fee is $136. If you withdraw from a scheduled appointment, you receive a refund of the fee minus a $25 processing charge.
Candidates get five attempts, with a required 30-day wait between attempts. Beyond five attempts, you need a test-limit waiver from TEA.