TExES 164 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

The TExES 164 Passing Score, Explained

If you're preparing for the TExES Bilingual Education Supplemental (164), the number that matters most is 240. That's the passing score on a scaled range of 100 to 300, and it's the single figure that determines whether Texas will move your Bilingual Education certification forward. Everything else - your study schedule, your practice test targets, your review priorities - should be built around reaching that number, not around a vague sense of "feeling ready."

Because exam 164 is a supplemental certification, this score doesn't stand alone. For Spanish-target candidates, it works alongside the BTLPT 190, and both scores are needed before TEA will recommend you for the Bilingual Education supplemental credential. Understanding exactly what 240 represents - and how it's calculated - helps you avoid over-studying areas that don't move your score and under-studying the ones that do.

How the 100-300 Scale Actually Works

The 240 passing score sits on a 100-300 scaled score range, not a raw percentage of the 80 questions you answer. Selected-response exams like this one are typically scaled so that questions of varying difficulty contribute proportionally to your final number - meaning you don't need to answer every question correctly to reach 240, but you do need consistent performance across the tested content rather than strength in just one area.

This matters practically: a candidate who is excellent at first- and second-language acquisition theory but weak on biliteracy assessment can still fail, because the scaled score reflects your overall command of the single Bilingual Education domain, not your best subject. If you want a deeper walkthrough of how the scoring interacts with question difficulty and content coverage, the TExES 164 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt goes further into pacing your prep around the scale.

One Domain, Four Competencies: What Gets Scored

The official TEA framework for exam 164 defines a single domain - Bilingual Education - weighted at 100%. That domain covers Bilingual Education Standards II-VI and is subdivided into four competencies that your score report will break out individually, even though your pass/fail decision rests on the total scaled score. Those four competencies map to:

For a competency-by-competency breakdown with sample question angles, see the TExES 164 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 4 Content Areas. Because your score report itemizes performance by competency, reviewing a missed practice section immediately tells you which of these four areas needs more attention before your real appointment.

Question Format and the 5-Hour Appointment

Exam 164 consists of 80 selected-response questions, administered at Pearson-run computer-administered testing sites across Texas and nationwide. You're given a 5-hour appointment window, which includes check-in time, so the actual testing time is shorter than the full window but still generous relative to 80 questions. Some of the questions you see may be unscored field-test items TEA uses to evaluate future exam content - you won't be told which ones, so every question should be treated as if it counts toward your 240.

Selected-response questions on this exam tend to present classroom scenarios, student work samples, or program-design situations and ask you to identify the best next instructional step or the underlying principle at play. This format rewards candidates who can apply bilingual education theory to realistic classroom decisions rather than just recall definitions. If you're still uncertain how challenging this format feels in practice, How Hard Is the TExES 164 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 walks through the difficulty in more depth, and reviewing recent outcome trends in TExES 164 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows can help calibrate your expectations.

Registration, Fees, and the HB 2 Waiver

Exam 164 is governed by the Texas Education Agency and the State Board for Educator Certification, and registration runs through Pearson Evaluation Systems. The standard exam fee is $116. However, under House Bill 2, signed June 4, 2025, eligible Bilingual Education certification candidates get their first attempt at exam 164 fee waived, along with the separate $78 certification application fee. This is a meaningful cost consideration if you're weighing whether to take a diagnostic-style first attempt or wait until you feel fully prepared - since a first attempt gone wrong under the waiver still counts toward your five-attempt limit, even though it didn't cost money.

Before registering, confirm you're approved to test by an educator preparation program, or that you qualify through an out-of-state, charter, or certification-by-exam route. The TExES 164 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify article covers eligibility pathways in detail, and TExES 164 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown lays out the full cost picture beyond just the exam fee itself.

Attempt Limits and What Happens If You Miss 240

TEA limits candidates to five attempts on a certification exam, with a mandatory 30-day wait between attempts. If you need to test again after five attempts, you must obtain a test-limit waiver from TEA before scheduling another appointment. This limit is exactly why treating your first attempt as a real, prepared effort - rather than a free trial - matters, even when the HB 2 waiver removes the financial risk of a first try.

If you score below 240, your report still shows performance by competency, which is the most useful diagnostic tool you'll get. Instead of re-studying everything, compare your competency breakdown against the four domains above and concentrate your 30-day wait period on the one or two areas where you scored weakest.

A Focused Plan to Hit 240

Because all 80 questions draw from one weighted domain split into four competencies, your prep time is best spent rotating through those four areas in a deliberate sequence rather than jumping randomly between topics. A short, focused review cycle tied to the actual competency structure of exam 164 tends to outperform generic "study more hours" advice.

A practice-test platform like our TExES 164 practice tests is useful here specifically because it can show you performance by competency the same way your official score report will, letting you rehearse the diagnostic process before it counts. Running a full practice session under realistic time constraints on the main practice site also helps you gauge pacing across all 80 questions within the 5-hour window.

Why the Retirement Timeline Matters for Your Score Strategy

TEA is retiring the 164/190 pathway. The replacement, TExES 165 Bilingual Education Spanish Supplemental, launches September 1, 2026. August 31, 2027 is the last day candidates can sit for exam 164 or the BTLPT 190, and September 1, 2028 is the last day TEA will accept certification applications or recommendations based on 164 and 190 scores. If you're planning your prep timeline around hitting 240, this retirement schedule should factor into when you register, especially if you anticipate needing a second or third attempt.

Candidates who wait too close to the 2027 cutoff risk running out of eligible attempts if their first score falls short of 240, since the mandatory 30-day wait between attempts eats into your remaining window. Building in buffer time for at least one retake, if needed, is a more realistic strategy than assuming a single attempt will be enough. For the full testing calendar and how these deadlines interact with registration windows, see TExES 164 Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.

It's also worth remembering that a passing score on exam 164 is one piece of a larger certification and career picture. If you're still deciding whether this credential fits your career plans, Is the TExES 164 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and TExES 164 Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis cover the broader context, while a condensed reference like the TExES 164 Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts can serve as a final-week refresher once you've worked through the four competencies in depth.

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