Mar 6

CORE SUBJECT EC-6 (EXAM CODE 391)

In this article we will share exam purpose, exam basics, and exam content overview. Our study materials will not only help you with a review of content and the knowledge needed to tackle the material, but specific test taking strategies when you encounter a challenge or something you don’t remember or know. to It isn’t a case of IF you pass, it is WHEN you pass here at Learning Liaisons. Let’s take a closer look at the Core Subjects EC-6 exam. 

Exam Purpose:

This exam is part of the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program. This test is intended for candidates who wish to teach Early Childhood through grade six.

Exam Basics:

This is a five-part exam covering English Language Arts and Reading, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, and Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education. All of the exams contain selected-response question. Some exams may also include constructed-response such as essay or oral response. Check with your district certification department or your college or university to ensure this is the exam you need. Also know there may be questions on the test that do not count toward your total score. Several different versions of the same exam exist so you may see different questions if you take the exam more than once. 

The exam is taken as an entire exam initially and then are eligible to retake a single Subject Exam if you pass all other areas. You can take the entire exam again if you do not pass two or more Subject Exams. 


 210 selected response questions 

  • English Language Arts and Reading: 45 selected-response questions
  •  Mathematics: 40 selected-response questions
  •  Social Studies: 40 selected-response questions
  •  Science: 40 selected-response questions
  •  Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education: 40 selected-response questions


    •   Computer Based 


      5 Hours Total 

    •  English Language Arts and Reading: 1 hour and 10 minutes
    •  Mathematics: 1 hour and 10 minutes
    •  Social Studies: 50 minutes
    •  Science: 55 minutes
    •  Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education: 35 minutes 



      Exam dates are first-come, first serve, by appointment, year-round 


      A passing score on this exam is a 240 


      $116 (additional fees may apply) for entire exam or $58 for Subject Exam taken separately

    Exam Content Overview:

    Each subtest consists of standards of content organized into competencies. In the domains you will find a set of competencies composed of two major parts: 

    •  The competency statement defining what a beginning educator in a Texas public school should know and be able to do in the field of the test.
    •   The descriptive statements describing in greater detail the knowledge and skills eligible for testing. 


    The English Language Arts and Reading (901) domain covers 12 standards with 10 competencies and accounts for 21.5% of the total test. The competencies include: 

    •        Oral Language
    •        Word Analysis and Identification Skills
    •        Reading Fluency
    •        Reading Comprehension and Applications
    •        Vocabulary Development
    •        Reading, Inquiry, and Research
    •        Writing Conventions
    •        Written Communication
    •        Viewing and Representing
    •        Assessment of Developing Literacy


    Representing 19% of the five-part test is the Mathematics (902) domain broken into nine standards with six competencies. Those competencies include: 

    •        Mathematics Instruction
    •        Number Concepts and Operations
    •        Patterns and Algebra
    •        Geometry and Measurement
    •        Probability and Statistics
    •        Mathematical Processes


    Social Studies (903) accounts for 19% of the total exam covering 10 standards with five competencies including: 

    •        Social Science Instruction
    •        History
    •        Geography and Culture
    •        Economics
    •        Government and Citizenship


    The Science (904) subject exam accounts for 21.5% of the total exam with 11 standards and 19 competencies that cover: 

    •        Lab Processes, Equipment and Safety
    •        History and Nature of Science
    •        Impact of Science
    •        Concepts and Processes
    •        Students as Learners and Science Instruction
    •        Science Assessment
    •        Forces and Motion
    •        Physical and Chemical Properties
    •        Energy and Interactions
    •        Energy Transformations and Conservation
    •        Structure and Function of Living Things
    •        Reproduction and the Mechanisms of Heredity
    •        Adaptions and Evolution
    •        Organisms and the Environment
    •        Structure and Function of Earth Systems
    •        Cycles in Earth Systems
    •        Energy in Weather and Climate
    •        Solar System and the Universe


    Accounting for the final 19% of the exam is Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905). Art has five standards. Music has 10 standards. Health has four standards. Physical Education has 10 standards. Theater has six standards. The test has five competencies covering: 

    •        Visual Arts
    •        Music
    •        Health
    •        Physical Education
    •        Theatre


    Investing $116 can be daunting and being prepared will ensure your investment is protected. Take time to go through all parts of our exam preparation. We are here to support your journey and celebrate WHEN you pass.