How to Pass the TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391)

To pass the TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391), you need to score at least 240 (on a 100 to 300 scale) on each of the five separately-coded subject exams: English Language Arts and Reading (901), Mathematics (902), Social Studies (903), Science (904), and Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905). Because each subject banks its score independently, a failed attempt only means re-sitting the subjects you missed, so the winning strategy is to drill the biggest sections hardest and use retrieval practice instead of rereading. Just remember the Science of Teaching Reading (293) is a separate required exam on top of the 391.

What is on the TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391)?

The 391 is not one test so much as an umbrella that bundles five distinct subject exams into a single appointment. You answer 210 selected-response (multiple choice) questions total across a roughly 5 hour session that includes a 15 minute tutorial before the timer on the first subject starts. Each subject has its own question count and its own time limit, and each one is scored on its own. Here is how the five break down.

The exam is computer-administered through Pearson VUE by appointment. To lock in the format and pacing before test day, run a full-length TExES Core Subjects EC-6 practice test so nothing about the interface surprises you.

How is the TExES Core Subjects EC-6 scored?

Every one of the five subject exams is scored on a scale of 100 to 300, and the passing mark is 240 on each. There is no averaging across subjects and no way to let a strong section carry a weak one. You pass the 391 only when you have cleared 240 on all five subjects.

The detail that changes everything about how you study is score retention. Your best result on each subject is kept, so if you fail one or two subjects on a first sitting, your retake covers only the subjects you missed. Passing 901, 902, 903, and 905 while missing 904 means your next appointment is Science alone. That is a gift: it lets you pour your prep into a single weak area instead of re-studying material you already own.

Should you take all five subjects at once or split them up?

This is the first real decision, and there is no universally right answer. Sitting all five in one appointment is efficient and cheaper, and it gets the whole thing behind you in an afternoon. The tradeoff is fatigue: by the fourth or fifth section, focus fades and careless errors creep in.

Splitting the subjects across appointments lowers the mental load and lets you go deep on a smaller slice of content at a time. The tradeoff is more scheduling, more trips to the testing center, and a longer overall timeline. A middle path many candidates like: take the whole battery once to see where you actually stand, then use score retention to clean up any misses one subject at a time. Whichever route you pick, remember there is a 30 day wait before any retake, and attempts are capped at 5 without a state waiver.

How should you study for the EC-6 subjects?

Content coverage is wide but shallow, so your study time is better spent on active recall than on passive reading. A few principles carry most of the weight.

Drill the two biggest sections hardest

English Language Arts and Reading (901) and Science (904) each carry 45 questions, the most of any subject, so they move your overall outcome the most. Front-load these. Reading pedagogy, phonics concepts, comprehension strategies, life and physical science basics, and Earth and space topics deserve the deepest passes. Math and Social Studies matter too, but weighting your hours toward the 45-question sections gives you the best return.

Use retrieval practice, not rereading

Rereading a study guide feels productive and teaches you almost nothing. Instead, answer a question, check whether you got it right, and then review the specific reason you missed it. That miss-and-correct loop is what actually moves knowledge into long-term memory. Build a bank of practice questions straight from your own coursework and TEKS-aligned notes so you are testing the exact content Texas expects. You can make practice questions from your study material in minutes and quiz yourself the same day.

Condense as you go

Five subjects is a lot to hold in your head at once. As you review, boil each topic down to its essentials so you can run quick refreshers in the days before the exam. Some candidates find it helps to turn your notes into a study deck they can flip through on a phone during spare minutes, which keeps low-frequency subjects like Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905) fresh without a big time commitment.

Rehearse the clock

The full appointment runs about 5 hours, and each subject has its own limit. Social Studies gives you 50 minutes for 40 questions and the 905 section only 35 minutes for 40, so pacing is tight in places. Practice under timed conditions so you learn to flag a hard question and move on rather than sinking five minutes into one item. Watching the clock is a skill you can build.

Do not forget the Science of Teaching Reading (293)

This trips up plenty of candidates. The Science of Teaching Reading, test 293, is a separate and additional exam required for EC-6 certification. It is not part of the 391 and not one of the five subject codes. You must pass it on its own in addition to passing all five subjects of the Core Subjects exam. Plan for it as a distinct prep block with its own study time; do not assume the reading content inside 901 covers it.

A simple study plan that works

Pull it together like this. First, take a full practice battery to find your weak subjects. Second, rank your study time by question count and by where you scored lowest, giving 901 and 904 the most attention. Third, study in retrieval loops: answer, check, review the miss, repeat. Fourth, condense each subject into a short review set you can run in the final week. Fifth, carve out separate time for the STR (293). Sixth, rehearse under the clock so exam-day pacing feels routine. If you fall short on a subject, score retention means you only re-sit that one, so treat each subject as its own small campaign.

Frequently asked questions

What is a passing score on the TExES Core Subjects EC-6?

Each of the five subject exams is scored from 100 to 300, and you need at least 240 on every one to pass. There is no averaging, so a high mark in one subject cannot offset a fail in another. You must clear 240 on all five subjects to pass the 391.

Can you take the TExES Core Subjects EC-6 subjects separately?

Yes. Because each subject is scored independently and your best attempt is retained, you can pass subjects in different sittings. Many candidates take all five at once, then re-sit only the subjects they missed. There is a 30 day wait before any retake, and attempts are capped at 5 without a state waiver.

How hard is the TExES Core Subjects EC-6?

The challenge is breadth more than depth. You cover five subjects and answer 210 questions in a roughly 5 hour appointment, so stamina and pacing matter as much as content knowledge. Score retention softens the difficulty, letting you focus a retake on a single weak subject instead of the whole exam.

Is the Science of Teaching Reading part of the 391?

No. The Science of Teaching Reading (293) is a separate, additional exam required for EC-6 certification. It is not one of the five subject codes in the 391, and you must pass it on its own in addition to passing all five Core Subjects exams. Budget separate study time for it.

This guide is for study planning only and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Texas Education Agency or Pearson.