- The Numbers: What TEA Reports for TExES 238
- Why the TExES 238 Pass Rate Runs Lower Than Other Science Certs
- Where Candidates Lose Points: A Domain-by-Domain Look
- First-Attempt vs. Best-Attempt: What the Gap Tells You
- Registration Mechanics That Affect Your Odds
- A Study Sequence That Closes the Gap
- Who This Data Matters To Most
- Frequently Asked Questions
- TEA reported a 47% first-attempt pass rate and 56% best-attempt rate for TExES 238 in 2024-2025 (N=554).
- That is the lowest pass rate among the major secondary science TExES exams.
- Three domains - Cell Structure and Processes, Heredity and Evolution of Life, and Diversity of Life - drive roughly 60 of the 100 scored questions.
- You get five attempts total, with a mandatory 30-day wait between each.
The Numbers: What TEA Reports for TExES 238
If you're researching the TExES Life Science 7-12 (238) exam, the pass rate is probably the first thing that made you pause. For the 2024-2025 program year, the Texas Education Agency reported a 47% first-attempt pass rate and a 56% best-attempt pass rate for this exam, based on a cohort of 554 test-takers. Those two numbers matter differently: the 47% figure tells you how many people cleared 240 on their very first sitting, while the 56% figure includes everyone who eventually passed after a second, third, or later attempt.
Put plainly, TEA's own data places TExES 238 as the lowest pass rate among the major secondary science content certification exams in Texas. That's not a scare tactic - it's the reason this article exists, and it's the reason so many candidates search for structured prep before they sit down at a Pearson VUE center.
Why the TExES 238 Pass Rate Runs Lower Than Other Science Certs
A few structural features of this specific exam help explain the gap between the first-attempt and best-attempt numbers:
- Breadth of content. The exam is built on the 2019 Life Science 7-12 framework, which defines 20 competencies spread across six domains. Candidates who studied biology broadly in college - but not comprehensively across all six domains - often discover coverage gaps mid-test.
- No calculator, no reference sheet. Unlike some quantitative certification exams, TExES 238 gives you nothing to lean on. Every biochemical pathway, taxonomic relationship, or genetics ratio has to be recalled, not looked up.
- Selected-response format with field-test items. The exam delivers 100 selected-response questions, and some are unscored field-test items mixed in without being labeled. Test-takers can't tell which questions count, so there's no way to strategically skip or rush through sections you assume don't matter.
- Weighted domains concentrate risk. Three domains - Cell Structure and Processes, Heredity and Evolution of Life, and Diversity of Life - are tied at 20% weight each, meaning roughly 60 of the 100 questions come from just those three content areas. A weak spot in any one of them has an outsized effect on your total score.
For a deeper look at how these structural factors combine to make this exam genuinely challenging, see How Hard Is the TExES 238 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Where Candidates Lose Points: A Domain-by-Domain Look
Because TEA doesn't publish domain-level pass data, the most useful way to interpret the pass rate is to look at how the 100 scored questions are distributed and where breadth typically overwhelms candidates who under-prepared for specific competencies.
Domain 2: Cell Structure and Processes (20%)
Covers biomolecules, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structures, transport and homeostasis, photosynthesis and cellular respiration, and the cell cycle with differentiation.
- Candidates frequently underestimate how detailed the biochemistry expectations are at this level.
Domain 3: Heredity and Evolution of Life (20%)
Covers DNA and RNA structure, Mendelian and molecular genetics, mutation, natural selection, speciation, and fossil and molecular evidence for evolution.
- Questions often blend classical genetics problems with modern molecular biology concepts in the same item.
Domain 4: Diversity of Life (20%)
Covers taxonomy, plant and animal systems, homeostasis across organism types, and the biology of behavior.
- The sheer taxonomic range - from microbes to vertebrates - makes memorization-only approaches unreliable.
For the complete competency list inside each of the six domains, including the lighter-weighted Domain 1 (Scientific Inquiry and Processes, 15%), Domain 5 (Interdependence of Life and Environmental Systems, 15%), and Domain 6 (Science Learning, Instruction and Assessment, 10%), review the TExES 238 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 6 Content Areas.
First-Attempt vs. Best-Attempt: What the Gap Tells You
The nine-point spread between 47% (first attempt) and 56% (best attempt) is itself informative. It tells us that a meaningful share of candidates who fail on their first try do eventually pass - but retaking isn't free, fast, or guaranteed.
| Metric | Value | What It Means for You |
|---|---|---|
| First-attempt pass rate | 47% | Slightly less than half of candidates clear 240 on try one |
| Best-attempt pass rate | 56% | Retakes recover some, but not all, initial failures |
| Sample size (N) | 554 | 2024-2025 program year, TEA-reported |
| Wait between attempts | 30 days | A failed attempt costs at least a month before retesting |
| Total allowed attempts | 5 | A TEA test-limit waiver is required beyond five |
Key Takeaway
Every retake costs the $116 exam fee again, plus a mandatory 30-day wait - so treating your first attempt as your real attempt, with full domain coverage, is the highest-leverage decision you can make.
Registration Mechanics That Affect Your Odds
Pass-rate data doesn't exist in a vacuum - how you register and schedule can influence how prepared you actually are on test day. A few mechanics from the current TExES 238 registration process are worth planning around:
- You need approval first. Candidates must be approved to test by an educator preparation program or by TEA directly before they can schedule an appointment.
- Registration is valid for 170 days. That window gives you flexibility, but it also means procrastination has a real deadline attached to it.
- Total appointment time is 5 hours - 15 minutes for the CAT tutorial and compliance agreement, plus 4 hours 45 minutes of actual testing. Pacing across 100 selected-response questions in that window is itself a skill worth practicing.
- Withdrawal refunds the fee minus $25. If you're not ready, canceling ahead of time is cheaper than sitting for an exam you're likely to fail.
- Scores post at 10:00 p.m. Central on the published score report date - plan your certification timeline around that, not around when you think you'll "just know."
The full fee structure, refund rules, and what the $116 exam fee does and doesn't cover are broken down in TExES 238 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. And if you're still confirming you meet the approval requirements before you can even register, check TExES 238 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
A Study Sequence That Closes the Gap
Given that Domains 2, 3, and 4 carry the most weight, a study sequence that front-loads those three areas - while still leaving real time for Domains 1, 5, and 6 - tends to match the actual scoring stakes better than a generic "study everything equally" plan.
Cell Structure and Processes
- Biomolecules, membrane transport, and homeostasis
- Photosynthesis and cellular respiration pathways
- Cell cycle regulation and differentiation
Heredity and Evolution of Life
- DNA/RNA structure and molecular genetics
- Mendelian genetics problem sets
- Natural selection, speciation, and fossil evidence
Diversity of Life
- Taxonomic classification systems
- Plant and animal organ systems
- Biology of behavior
Domains 1, 5, and 6
- Scientific inquiry and experimental design
- Interdependence of life and environmental systems
- Science learning, instruction, and assessment practices
Once you've moved through content by domain weight, timed practice sets under 100-question conditions matter more than re-reading notes. For a week-by-week framework built specifically around the 240 cut score and this exam's format, see the TExES 238 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and confirm exactly what 240 requires in TExES 238 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Who This Data Matters To Most
The pass rate isn't just an academic curiosity - it directly affects certification timelines for anyone pursuing a Texas secondary science teaching role. Because a first Texas classroom certificate also requires passing the PPR EC-12 (160) pedagogy exam, TExES 238 is often one of two hurdles standing between a candidate and a classroom assignment. A lower first-attempt pass rate means more candidates are budgeting for a possible retake - in both time and the $116 fee - as part of their certification plan.
This is also why demand for structured practice questions around this specific exam runs high: candidates aren't just trying to "pass eventually" through repeated best-attempt cycles, they're trying to avoid the 30-day delay and repeat cost altogether. Working through full-length practice sets on our TExES 238 practice test platform before your registration window closes is one of the more direct ways to convert a 47%-style first attempt into a pass.
If you're trying to decide whether the certification is worth pursuing given this data, Is the TExES 238 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 weighs the pass-rate reality against the career outcomes it unlocks. And once you're certified, TExES 238 Jobs covers where this credential opens doors in Texas classrooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
TEA reported a 47% first-attempt pass rate and a 56% best-attempt pass rate for TExES Life Science 7-12 (238) during the 2024-2025 program year, based on 554 test-takers.
TEA data places TExES 238 as the lowest pass rate among the major secondary science content certification exams in Texas, which is part of why targeted preparation matters for this specific test.
Candidates get five attempts, with a required 30-day wait between each. Beyond five attempts, a TEA test-limit waiver is needed to test again.
Not necessarily. The lower pass rate more likely reflects the breadth of the six-domain framework and the concentration of scoring weight in three demanding content domains, rather than obscure or trick questions.
You must wait 30 days before your next attempt, and each attempt requires paying the $116 exam fee again, so using that time to target your weakest domain is essential.
Cell Structure and Processes, Heredity and Evolution of Life, and Diversity of Life each carry 20% weight and together make up roughly 60% of scored questions, making them the highest-leverage areas to master first.