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Exam Overview
The 217 exam is a computer-administered test taken by appointment at testing centers in Texas and nationwide. The appointment lasts 5 hours: 15 minutes for the tutorial and compliance agreement, and 4 hours 45 minutes of testing time for 90 selected-response questions and 1 constructed-response question.
Key Facts About TExES 217
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | TExES English Language Arts and Reading 4-8 |
| Test code | 217 |
| Questions | 90 selected-response and 1 constructed-response |
| Answer choices | Four (A, B, C, D), one correct answer |
| Appointment time | 5 hours (4 hours 45 minutes of testing) |
| Delivery | Computer-administered at a test center |
| Fee | $136 |
| Score scale | 100 to 300 |
| Passing score | 240 |
| Also required | Science of Teaching Reading (293) |
Domains and Weights
Official Domains and Competencies
| Domain | Weight | Competencies |
|---|---|---|
| I. Foundations of Reading | 27% | 001 to 004 |
| II. Text Comprehension and Analysis | 20% | 005 to 007 |
| III. Oral and Written Communication | 20% | 008 to 010 |
| IV. Educating All Learners and Professional Practice | 13% | 011 to 013 |
| V. Constructed Response | 20% | 014 |
Domain I is the largest single domain, and the constructed response alone is worth about as much as all of Domain II or Domain III. Do not treat the written response as an afterthought.
The Fourteen Competencies
| Competency | Title |
|---|---|
| 001 | Foundations of Teaching Reading |
| 002 | Foundational Reading Skills |
| 003 | Word Analysis Skills and Reading Fluency |
| 004 | Vocabulary Development |
| 005 | Reading Comprehension Development |
| 006 | Reading Literary Texts |
| 007 | Reading Informational and Argumentative Texts |
| 008 | Composition |
| 009 | Inquiry and Research |
| 010 | Listening and Speaking |
| 011 | Differentiation Strategies in Planning and Practice |
| 012 | Strategies to Support Effective Learning Environments |
| 013 | Data-Driven Practice and Formal and Informal Assessment |
| 014 | Constructed Response |
What Kinds of Questions to Expect
Many questions ask for the most appropriate or most effective choice. Often more than one option describes a sound practice; the correct option is the one that fits the specific students, data and goal in the question.
The Constructed Response
The constructed response gives you a grade-level text excerpt and information about the students, and asks you to write a response that plans standards-based, data-driven instruction. A complete response states a learning goal aligned to an ELAR standard, explains how you will assess mastery and identify learning challenges, describes instructional strategies, shows how texts build knowledge and connect to students' experiences, differentiates for all students, and explains how you will measure growth and use the results. Section 5 walks you through each element with two full practice assignments.
How the Exam Is Scored
Your result is reported as a scaled score from 100 to 300, and you need 240 to pass. The selected-response questions make up about 80 percent of the score and the constructed response about 20 percent. Some selected-response questions may be unscored pilot items, and you cannot tell which ones they are, so give every question your best effort. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so never leave a question blank.
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