TExES 115 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

What the Passing Score of 240 Actually Means

Every candidate sitting for TExES Mathematics 4-8 (115) is chasing the same number: 240. That's the passing score on a 100-300 scaled range, and it's the only number on your score report that determines whether you move forward toward certification or schedule another appointment with Pearson VUE. The TEA and the State Board for Educator Certification set this cut score, and Pearson (Evaluation Systems) administers the exam as a computer-administered test at testing centers across Texas and nationwide.

It's worth pausing on what 240 is not. It is not a percentage - you don't need to answer 240 out of anything. It is not "80% correct" or any other tidy fraction. It's a scaled score built from your raw performance on scored items, converted through a psychometric process that accounts for item difficulty. That's why two candidates who each miss a different handful of questions can both land above or below 240 depending on which specific items they missed.

How 100 Questions Become One Scaled Number

Your appointment includes 100 selected-response questions, but not every one of them counts. Some are unscored field-test items that Pearson and TEA use to evaluate future exam forms - you won't be told which questions are which, so every item deserves your full attention. Only the scored questions feed into your 100-300 scaled score.

The entire appointment runs 5 hours: 15 minutes upfront for the CAT tutorial and compliance agreement, then 4 hours and 45 minutes of actual testing time. That's a generous window for 100 questions, which means the passing score isn't really a speed problem - it's a content-mastery problem. Most candidates who fall short of 240 don't run out of time; they run into competencies they never fully learned.

If you want the mechanics of how raw performance and scaled scoring interact with statewide outcomes, the TExES 115 Pass Rate 2026 data breakdown puts the 57% first-attempt and 64% best-attempt figures from the 2024-2025 program year (N=1,034) into context.

Domain Weights and Where Points Are Won or Lost

The 2021 Mathematics 4-8 exam framework organizes content into 19 competencies across six domains aligned to Mathematics Standards I-VIII and the TEKS. Not every domain carries equal weight, and understanding that weighting is the single most efficient way to plan a path to 240.

Patterns and Algebra and Geometry and Measurement tie for the heaviest weight at 21% each, meaning roughly 42 of your 100 questions come from those two domains combined. That's nearly half the exam concentrated in two content areas - which means weak preparation in either one makes 240 much harder to reach, no matter how strong you are elsewhere.

For a full breakdown of all six domains with competency-level detail, see the TExES 115 Exam Domains 2026 complete guide. And if you're still deciding how much runway to give yourself before test day, How Hard Is the TExES 115 Exam? walks through difficulty factors domain by domain.

What's on Screen With You (and What Isn't)

Reaching 240 depends partly on knowing exactly what support you'll have - and won't - during the appointment. The exam provides a Definitions and Formulas page and an on-screen scientific calculator built into the testing interface. Both are available throughout the test, which changes how you should prepare: you don't need to memorize every formula cold, but you do need to know which formula to reach for and how to apply it under a specific problem's constraints.

What you cannot bring is your own calculator. Personal calculators are prohibited for this test code, full stop. If your practice routine has leaned on a personal graphing or scientific calculator, you need to rebuild that muscle memory using an on-screen tool before test day, not during it.

If You Miss 240: Retakes, Waivers, and Fees

Not everyone clears 240 on the first try, and the registration mechanics matter if you're planning a second attempt. Candidates get five attempts total, with a required 30-day wait between each attempt. If you need to test a sixth time, you must obtain a TEA test-limit waiver first - this isn't automatic, so don't assume you can simply keep registering indefinitely.

A few other logistics worth knowing before you commit to a testing date:

• The exam fee is $116, with no member or non-member pricing tiers to navigate.
• Registration stays valid for 170 days, giving you a real window to schedule rather than a narrow deadline.
• If you withdraw, your refund equals the exam fee minus a $25 processing fee.
• Scores post at 10:00 p.m. Central on the published score report date - not immediately after you finish testing.

For a complete accounting of every dollar involved - retake fees, prep materials, and certification costs beyond the exam itself - see the TExES 115 Certification Cost 2026 pricing breakdown. If you're mapping out when to test relative to a hiring deadline or program requirement, the TExES 115 Exam Dates 2026 scheduling guide covers testing windows and appointment timing.

Turning the Score Target Into a Weekly Plan

Because 240 is a fixed target on a known scale, and because you know exactly how many questions come from each domain, you can build a study calendar around weight rather than guesswork. This is the one place where a general study framework - spaced review, timed practice, weak-area drilling - actually earns its keep, but only when it's mapped onto TExES 115's specific domain percentages.

For a step-by-step version of this plan with more granular resources, see the TExES 115 Study Guide 2026. You can also run domain-weighted practice questions on our TExES 115 practice test platform to see exactly where your raw scores are trending relative to the 240 benchmark before test day.

What Clearing 240 Actually Unlocks

Passing TExES Mathematics 4-8 (115) is a gateway requirement, not a standalone certificate. Candidates must be approved to test by an educator preparation program or by TEA before they can even register, and a first Texas classroom certificate also requires passing the PPR EC-12 (160) pedagogy exam. So 240 clears one required hurdle among several on the path to a standard certificate.

Once certified, Texas standard certificates remain valid for five years and renew through ECOS with 150 CPE clock hours for classroom teachers - a detail worth knowing now so you're not caught off guard by renewal requirements years down the line. If you're weighing whether the entire certification pathway is worth pursuing before you even schedule your exam, Is the TExES 115 Certification Worth It? lays out the full return-on-investment picture, and TExES 115 Requirements 2026 covers every eligibility step surrounding the exam itself.

Districts hiring math teachers for grades 4-8 rely on this passing score as a hard gate - there's no partial credit or provisional pass. Once you clear 240, you've demonstrated the content command that TEA and hiring districts expect for a middle-grades math classroom, and you can move on to the pedagogy exam and program-specific certification steps with that piece finished. If you want a broader orientation to what the credential covers before diving into score mechanics, TExES 115 Certification is a good starting reference, and you can practice under realistic conditions anytime at our practice test hub.

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