- TExES 237 is the Physical Science 6-12 certification exam administered through Pearson VUE for Texas educators.
- The test has 100 selected-response questions across a 4 hour 45 minute testing period within a 5-hour appointment.
- Chemistry carries the heaviest weight at 41%, followed by Physics at 36%.
- A scaled score of 240 is required to pass; the standard fee is $116.
What TExES 237 Actually Is
TExES Physical Science 6-12 (237) is a certification exam developed for the Texas Education Agency and the State Board for Educator Certification, and administered through Evaluation Systems by Pearson at Pearson VUE test centers. It exists to verify that a candidate has the content knowledge needed to teach physical science - chemistry and physics concepts - to students in grades 6 through 12 in Texas public schools.
This is not a generic "science teacher" test. It is a subject-specific exam built around a defined set of competencies that a physical science classroom teacher is expected to know cold: atomic structure, chemical bonding, thermodynamics, mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and the instructional skills needed to teach those topics safely and effectively. If you're wondering exactly how this exam fits into the broader certification picture, the overview at What Is TExES 237? covers the basic identity of the credential, while this article focuses specifically on what "certification" means in practical terms - the process, the format, and what happens after you pass.
Who Needs This Certification
TExES 237 is required for anyone seeking initial classroom-teacher certification to teach physical science at the secondary level in Texas. For most candidates, the path runs through a bachelor's degree, enrollment in an approved educator preparation program (EPP), program approval to test, passing the required certification examinations (including 237 for physical science assignments), submitting a certification application, and completing fingerprint and background checks.
Existing certificate holders who already hold a Texas teaching certificate and want to add physical science as an additional teaching field follow a separate route that doesn't require repeating the full initial-certification process. Both paths, however, converge on the same exam: you still have to pass TExES 237 itself. For a full breakdown of every prerequisite and how the two paths differ, see TExES 237 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
School districts hiring for middle school and high school science positions - particularly physics, chemistry, and integrated physical science courses - look for this certification specifically when the assignment falls in the physical science domain rather than life science or general science. If you're mapping out where this credential can take you professionally, TExES 237 Jobs discusses the kinds of teaching positions that typically require it.
Exam Format and Registration Mechanics
TExES 237 is a computer-administered test (CAT) delivered at Pearson VUE test centers. Here's what the appointment actually looks like:
- Question count: 100 selected-response questions
- Testing time: 4 hours 45 minutes of actual testing time
- Appointment length: 5 hours total, with 15 minutes allotted for the tutorial and compliance agreement before testing begins
- Standard fee: $116
- On-screen resources provided: a scientific calculator, a Periodic Table, and a Definitions and Physical Constants reference
Because the calculator, periodic table, and constants reference are built into the testing software, you don't need to memorize physical constants or bring your own calculator - but you do need to practice using on-screen tools before test day so navigating them doesn't cost you time. A detailed cost breakdown, including how the $116 fee fits into the total path to certification, is available at TExES 237 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. For scheduling specifics and testing windows, check TExES 237 Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Key Takeaway
Budget the full 5-hour appointment mentally, even though only 4 hours 45 minutes is testing time - the tutorial and agreement at the start are non-negotiable and eat into your energy reserves before question one appears.
The Four Domains You'll Be Tested On
TExES 237 is organized around four content domains defined in the current online 237 framework. The weighting tells you exactly where to invest your study hours.
Domain 1: Scientific Inquiry and Processes (14%)
Covers the nature of science, lab safety, experimental design, data analysis, and the process skills that underlie both physics and chemistry instruction.
- Designing controlled experiments and identifying variables
- Lab safety protocols and equipment use
- Interpreting graphs, data tables, and measurement uncertainty
Domain 2: Physics (36%)
The second-largest domain, covering mechanics, energy, waves, electricity, and magnetism at a depth appropriate for secondary instruction.
- Newtonian mechanics: forces, motion, momentum
- Work, energy, and power relationships
- Waves, sound, light, and basic electromagnetism
Domain 3: Chemistry (41%)
The largest single domain on the exam, so it deserves the largest share of your preparation time.
- Atomic structure, periodicity, and bonding
- Stoichiometry and chemical reactions
- Thermochemistry, solutions, and acid-base chemistry
Domain 4: Science Learning, Instruction and Assessment (9%)
The pedagogical domain - how to plan, deliver, and assess physical science instruction for grades 6-12.
- Instructional planning aligned to standards
- Formative and summative assessment strategies
- Differentiation and addressing misconceptions in science
Since Chemistry and Physics together account for 77% of the exam, a candidate who spends equal time across all four domains is misallocating effort. For an in-depth breakdown of every competency and skill statement within each domain, see TExES 237 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 4 Content Areas.
Scoring, Retakes, and What Passing Means
TExES 237 uses a scaled-score system, and the passing score is 240. Scaled scores allow results to be compared consistently across different test forms, so 240 doesn't map to a simple "percent correct" - it reflects performance relative to the difficulty of the specific set of items you received.
If you don't pass on your first attempt, you must wait 30 days before retesting. The standard limit is five total attempts, though a waiver process exists for candidates who need to test beyond that limit. Historical Pearson-reported data for the September 2023 through August 2024 period showed 31 passes out of 77 administrations, a 40.26% administration-level rate - this figure reflects all test administrations in that window, not first-attempt performance or any projection for 2026, so it shouldn't be read as a personal probability of passing.
For a closer look at what this administration-level data does and doesn't tell you, read TExES 237 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows. And if you want a plain-language explanation of exactly what 240 means and how scoring works, see TExES 237 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
| Exam Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Question format | 100 selected-response questions |
| Testing time | 4 hours 45 minutes |
| Total appointment | 5 hours (includes 15-min tutorial/agreement) |
| Passing score | 240 (scaled score) |
| Standard fee | $116 |
| Retake wait period | 30 days |
| Attempt limit | 5 (waiver process available) |
After You Pass: The Certificate Itself
It's worth being precise about what passing TExES 237 gets you. Passing the exam is one requirement within the broader initial classroom-teacher certification process - it doesn't itself function as a license with its own five-year clock. Once you complete the full certification process (degree, EPP, program approval, passing exams, application, background checks), the resulting standard classroom-teacher certificate is what carries a renewal cycle: it renews every five years, with 150 continuing professional education (CPE) hours required during that period.
In other words, the exam is a gate you pass through once per certification area, while the certificate that results from clearing that gate is what you actively maintain over time through CPE hours. This distinction matters when people ask whether TExES 237 "expires" - the exam result feeds into a certificate, and it's the certificate's renewal cycle that has a time limit.
To understand how this credential compares against the broader landscape of certification value and career return, see Is the TExES 237 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and TExES 237 Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis.
How to Approach Preparation
Given the domain weighting, a sensible preparation sequence leans into Chemistry and Physics early, then circles back to Scientific Inquiry and the pedagogy domain closer to test day, since those integrate concepts you'll have already reviewed.
Chemistry Foundations (Domain 3, 41%)
- Atomic structure, periodic trends, and bonding
- Stoichiometry and reaction types
- Thermochemistry and solution chemistry
Physics Core (Domain 2, 36%)
- Mechanics: forces, motion, energy
- Waves, sound, and light
- Electricity and magnetism basics
Scientific Inquiry and Processes (Domain 1, 14%)
- Experimental design and lab safety
- Data analysis and graph interpretation
Instruction and Assessment (Domain 4, 9%) + Full Review
- Pedagogy and assessment strategy questions
- Timed practice using on-screen calculator and periodic table
Practicing under realistic testing conditions matters as much as content review, since the format includes tools (the on-screen calculator, periodic table, and constants reference) you won't have used elsewhere. Working through timed sets on our practice test platform before test day helps you get comfortable navigating those on-screen resources without losing pace. For a structured, week-by-week plan built specifically around this exam's domain weights, see TExES 237 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and for an honest assessment of where most candidates struggle, read How Hard Is the TExES 237 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. TExES 237 is one exam requirement within the initial classroom-teacher certification process. Passing it, combined with a degree, an approved educator preparation program, an application, and background checks, leads to a standard classroom-teacher certificate, which is the credential that actually renews every five years.
The exam has 100 selected-response questions, administered by computer at Pearson VUE test centers within a 5-hour appointment that includes 4 hours 45 minutes of testing time.
You need a scaled score of 240. Scaled scoring accounts for slight variations in difficulty between test forms, so it isn't the same as a raw percentage of correct answers.
You must wait 30 days before retesting. The standard limit is five total attempts, with a waiver process available for candidates who need additional attempts beyond that.
Chemistry, at 41% of the exam, is the single largest domain, followed by Physics at 36%. Together they make up 77% of the test, so most study time should go there before moving to Scientific Inquiry and Processes and the instruction/assessment domain.