Exam Structure

All exams are criterion-referenced; that is, they are designed to measure a test taker's knowledge in relation to an established standard of competence (a criterion) rather than in relation to the performance of other test takers. The purpose of the exams is to help identify test takers who have the appropriate level of knowledge and skills that have been judged to be important for educators seeking employment in Texas public schools.

The exam frameworks are explicitly aligned with appropriate Texas standards for educators and with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), the mandated state curriculum for students. The Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES) program includes assessments of content-area knowledge and professional knowledge for teachers and administrators. TExES exams correspond in name and level (e.g., 4–8, 7–12, EC–6, and EC–12) with Texas certificates.

The exam frameworks are available as part of the examination preparation manuals.

Because the content of each exam is based on its exam framework, the content of each score report is related to the exam framework as well. Scores are reported to test takers not only as whole-exam (pass/fail) scores but also with domain-level and competency-level raw score information (i.e., number of questions answered correctly) that reflects the test taker's level of performance on groups of exam questions addressing similar content. The correspondence between test takers' exam scores and stated domains and competencies can be especially helpful to administrators as they advise students who are preparing to retake an exam, because it permits advisors to link specific courses and other campus resources to areas of study in which a student may benefit from focused work.

The table that follows illustrates the relationship among domains, competencies, descriptive statements, and exam questions in a typical TExES exam (English Language Arts and Reading 7–12 [331]). The table is followed by a sample page from the English Language Arts and Reading 7–12 exam framework that illustrates each framework element.

Organization of Content within an Exam

Content	Example
Exam Field This is the name and code number of the exam. The exam field corresponds to a particular Texas certification area.	English Language Arts and Reading 7–12 (331)
Domain Each exam is divided into major content domains—broad areas of content within the exam that reflect an organizational principle that is understandable to individuals studying and working in the field.	Domain II Text Comprehension and Analysis
Competency Each domain contains several competencies that define content knowledge that Texas educators determined to be important to the job of an educator in the field. Competencies are conceptual statements that reflect some of the skills, knowledge, and understanding needed by educators in Texas public schools. The number of competencies within each domain may vary depending on the breadth of content contained within the domain.	Competency 004—(Reading Literary Texts): Understand the genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes of diverse literary texts, including works of fiction, poetry, and drama representing diverse time periods and perspectives in American, British, and world literature, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of a range of complex literary texts.
Descriptive Statement Each competency is further elaborated by descriptive statements that provide examples of the range of knowledge and skills included within the competency. The examples that are provided in descriptive statements are not inclusive of all content that may be covered.	(Sample Descriptive Statement for Competency 004) For example: Analyze the effects of word choice and imagery (e.g., controlling images, figurative language, understatement, overstatement, irony, paradox) across a variety of literary forms (e.g., poetry, fiction, drama), and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of the effects of word choice and imagery across a variety of literary forms.
Selected-Response Question Each selected-response question corresponds to one competency and typically presents candidates with introductory information, a statement or question to be answered, and a choice of four or more response options, one or more of which is the best choice of the responses given.	Students in an English II class review the definition of metaphor and then identify examples of metaphor in song lyrics selected by the teacher. Students then listen to songs of their choice and identify metaphors in the lyrics. The teacher asks students to combine the process of drawing with analytical thinking to explore the significance of metaphor in the song lyrics they have chosen. This activity will primarily develop students' ability to: describe personal connections to self-selected texts. use acquired academic vocabulary in appropriate ways. write about the explicit and implicit meanings of texts. interact with various types of texts in meaningful ways. NOTE: The correct response to the sample question, which corresponds to Competency 004, is D.

Sample Exam Framework

English Language Arts and Reading 7–12 (331)

Competencies (Excerpt)

DOMAINS:

Domain	Domain Title	Approx. Percentage of Exam
I	Reading Instruction and Assessment	25%
II	Text Comprehension and Analysis	17%
III	Oral and Written Communication	25%
IV	Educating All Learners and Professional Practice	13%
V	Constructed Response	20%

EXCERPT: DOMAIN II

Domain II—Text Comprehension and Analysis

Competency 004—(Reading Literary Texts): Understand the genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes of diverse literary texts, including works of fiction, poetry, and drama representing diverse time periods and perspectives in American, British, and world literature, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of a range of complex literary texts.

[Descriptive statements intentionally omitted from this excerpt.]

Competency 005—(Reading Informational and Argumentative Texts): Understand the elements and characteristics of informational and argumentative texts, analyze how authors use these elements and characteristics to achieve specific purposes, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of complex informational and argumentative texts.

For example:

Analyze characteristics and structural elements of complex informational texts, such as a clear thesis, relevant supporting evidence, pertinent examples, commentary, summary, and conclusion, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of the characteristics and structural elements of complex informational texts.
Analyze the author's purpose, audience, and message within complex informational and argumentative texts, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of the author's purpose, audience, and message within complex informational and argumentative texts.
Analyze the relationship between author's purpose and the organizational design of an informational text, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of the relationship between the authors' purpose and the organizational design of informational texts.
Analyze characteristics and structural elements of argumentative texts, such as clear arguable claims, appeals, various types of evidence, treatment of counterarguments (e.g., concessions, rebuttals), an identifiable audience or reader, and a convincing conclusion, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to analyze characteristics and structural elements of argumentative texts.
Analyze an author's use of craft (e.g., word choice, use of rhetorical devices) in an informational or argumentative text, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in text-based analyses of authors' use of craft in an informational or argumentative text.

[Additional descriptive statements intentionally omitted from this excerpt.]

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