TExES Core Subjects EC-6 Social Studies Practice Test (903)
Original 903 social studies questions, with an explanation for every answer.
The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s mainly sought to
65 original TExES 903 questions with explanations · 6 free drills: every competency group plus a mixed set · 40 questions in the full practice test, on the real 50-minute clock
TExES 903 exam format
Practice the Social Studies subject exam of Core Subjects EC–6 with original questions on Texas, U.S. and world history, geography and culture, economics, government and citizenship, and how to teach social studies. The full practice test runs 40 questions on the real 50-minute clock.
Core Subjects EC–6: Social Studies (903). Elementary (EC–6) teacher candidates in Texas, who take all five Core Subjects subject exams and the Science of Teaching Reading (293).
- Questions
- 40 selected-response questions; a few ask you to choose more than one answer
- Testing time
- 50 minutes for this subject exam; the full 391 appointment is 5 hours
- Answer choices
- 4 on single-answer questions
- Fee
- $58 (or $116 for all five 391 subject exams)
- Passing score
- 240 on a scale of 100 to 300, on each subject exam
- Delivery
- Computer-administered test (CAT) by appointment, year round, at Pearson VUE test centers in Texas and nationwide
- Score scale
- Scaled scores from 100 to 300; the passing score is 240. Only scored questions count, and an exam may include unscored questions being tried out for future use
- Retakes
- Wait 30 days after an attempt. You are limited to five attempts at a certification exam (the first and four retakes); candidates in a preparation program need its approval to retest
- Score reporting
- Scores post at 10:00 p.m. Central time on the published score report dates
What’s on the TExES 903
The competencies in the TEA exam framework. TEA lists them without weights, so we group them into drill sets and our practice test spreads its 40 questions evenly across the competencies. Every competency group has a guide and a free ten-question drill with an explanation after every answer; each drill’s first attempt is free.
| Competencies | In our practice test | Guide | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science InstructionCompetency 001 | 8 questions | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
| HistoryCompetency 002 | 8 questions | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
| Geography and CultureCompetency 003 | 8 questions | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
| EconomicsCompetency 004 | 8 questions | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
| Government and CitizenshipCompetency 005 | 8 questions | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
What TExES 903 tests
- Five competencies: social science instruction, history, geography and culture, economics, and government and citizenship. TEA does not publish weights for them.
- Texas history and government appear alongside U.S. and world content.
- The pace is the tightest of the five subject exams: 40 questions in 50 minutes.
Practice for a 240
40 questions on the real 50-minute clock, with a score by competency group and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillHow to take the TExES 903
- Confirm which TExES exams your certificate requires. If you are in an educator preparation program, it approves you to test.
- Register with Pearson on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website for Core Subjects EC–6: Social Studies (903) and pay the fee ($58 (or $116 for all five 391 subject exams)). Choose a test center and an appointment.
- Prepare with the 5 competency groups above: Social Science Instruction; History; Geography and Culture; Economics; Government and Citizenship.
- Sit the exam: 40 questions, 50 minutes.
- Scores post at 10:00 p.m. Central time on the score report date. If you need to retake, wait 30 days; each certification exam allows five attempts in total.
Common questions
How many questions are on the TExES 903?
40 selected-response questions in 50 minutes. It is one of the five separately timed subject exams of Core Subjects EC–6 (391); the full 391 appointment is 5 hours.
Can I take the TExES 903 by itself?
Yes. Each subject exam can be taken separately for $58, or all five together as the full 391 for $116. If you take the full exam and fail one subject, you can retake that subject alone; if you fail two or more, you retake the full exam, and your best score on each subject is kept.
What score do you need to pass the TExES 903?
240 on a scale of 100 to 300. TEA does not publish how many questions you must answer correctly; the scaled score comes from the scored questions only.
How soon can I retake the TExES 903?
You must wait 30 days after your attempt, and you can register only after the earlier result has posted. Every certification exam is limited to five attempts in total, and candidates in an educator preparation program need the program’s approval to retest.
Are these official TExES questions?
No. TEA and Pearson do not release live exam questions. These are original practice questions written to the competencies in the official TExES exam framework, in the exam’s own question formats, with an explanation for every answer.
Ready for test day?
40 questions on the real 50-minute clock, with a score by competency group and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillMore TExES practice
One TExES pass covers every practice test and drill below.
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 ELAR Practice Test (901)
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 Math Practice Test (902)
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 Science Practice Test (904)
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 Fine Arts, Health and PE Practice Test (905)
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 Practice Test (391)
- TExES PPR Practice Test (160)
- TExES Science of Teaching Reading Practice Test (STR 293)
- TExES practice tests: every exam
Exam formats, frameworks, fees, retake rules and passing scores checked November 2026 on the Texas Education Agency’s and Pearson’s TExES pages: Pearson TExES: Core Subjects EC–6 (391) test page · TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391) preparation manual, Section 3: exam framework · Pearson TExES: Retake Policy · Pearson TExES: sample score report (scale 100–300, passing 240).
TExES is a trademark of the Texas Education Agency. Original independent practice questions written to the published TExES exam frameworks; not affiliated with or endorsed by the Texas Education Agency or Pearson.