TExES School Counselor (252): Format, Content Areas and Passing Score (2026)

This is the short, sourced answer to the questions candidates ask most about the TExES School Counselor (252): how many questions, how long it takes, what is on it and what you need to pass. Every number below comes from Texas Education Agency (TExES program, administered by Pearson)'s own pages, linked at the end, and was checked on October 10, 2026.

TExES School Counselor (252) at a glance

• Questions: 91 questions
• Format: Computer-administered test, 90 selected-response questions and 1 constructed-response question
• Time: 5 hours total appointment (4 hours 45 minutes of testing time plus a 15-minute tutorial)
• Passing score: 240 (TExES scaled score)
• Fee: $200
• Retakes: Texas allows five attempts per certification exam (first attempt plus four retakes); you must wait 30 days after an attempt before retaking it.

What the TExES School Counselor (252) covers

Texas Education Agency (TExES program, administered by Pearson) lists 4 content areas, with the approximate share of the exam for each:

• Knowledge of Learners: 18%
• The Comprehensive School Counseling Program: 44%
• The Professional School Counselor: 18%
• Analysis and Response: 20%

Spend your study time in proportion: the heaviest areas decide most of the score, but a weak area you ignore can still cost you the pass.

The passing score

240 (TExES scaled score).

Scaled or raw, this is the official standard: plan to clear it with a margin, because exam forms differ in difficulty.

If you need to retake it

Texas allows five attempts per certification exam (first attempt plus four retakes); you must wait 30 days after an attempt before retaking it.

How to use this to plan your preparation

1. Check your starting point by area. Take a mixed set of questions and look at your results per content area, not just the total. The real exam has 91 questions, so practise in blocks that match its pace.
2. Work the weakest area first, in short sessions, and read every explanation, including the questions you got right.
3. Finish with full timed practice that matches the official time (5 hours total appointment (4 hours 45 minutes of testing time plus a 15-minute tutorial)), so the length of the exam is not a surprise on test day.

The test may contain questions that do not count toward the score.

Official sources

• TExES School Counselor (252): official test page
• TExES 252: exam framework and domains
• Texas Education Agency: test-limit waiver information

Verified on October 10, 2026 against the sources above. Exam bodies change formats and fees: if a detail matters for your registration, check the official page before you book.