Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are credit by exams?
The Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.023, allows students in primary grades to accelerate a grade level and students in secondary academic courses to earn credit for a course on the basis of credit by examination. The campus counselor is the best person to provide guidance on whether credit by exam for acceleration is a good option for your student.
Note: Students must be 5 years old by September 1 to be eligible to take a credit by exam.
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2. Who creates and grades credit by exams?
University of Texas High School and Texas Tech University ISD write and score the exams for grades K-12.
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3. What credit by exams are available?
Elementary Entire-Grade Level
Grades 5-12 Single-Subject
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4. When are credit by exams given?
The majority of credit by exams are given in April, June, and July. Online registration for these exams will open on February 3.
See Testing Schedule and Registration Forms
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5. How do I register for a credit by exam?
Online registration forms for April, June, and July credit by exam sessions will be available on this website on February 3.
See Testing Schedule and Registration Forms
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6. What are the deadlines for submitting the online registration for the May, June, and July?
See Testing Schedule and Registration Forms
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7. What if I miss the registration deadline or am not available during the scheduled testing sessions?
If you miss the registration deadline or are not available for the scheduled sessions you may order tests directly from
University of Texas High School or Texas Tech University ISD. Please contact our office for proctoring information.
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8. How will I know the date, time and location of my child's test(s)?
Parents will be notified by email at least two weeks prior to testing. Please ensure that the email address you enter on the application is correct.
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9. What scores are required to test out of grade levels or courses?
Kindergarten
Students wishing to skip kindergarten must score 90% or above on the credit by exam tests in ALL of the following areas. Kindergarten students must also score a minimum of 30 points on an observation checklist.
• English Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
Grades 1-8 Entire Grade Level
Students entering grades 1-8 may advance an entire grade level if they score 80% or above on the credit by exam tests in ALL of the following areas for the grade level they want to skip.
• English Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
Grades 5-8 Mathematics
Students entering grades 5-8 may receive credit for a mathematics course in which they have received no prior instruction if they score 80% or above on the credit by exam(s) for that course.
To skip 5th grade math and be enrolled in 6th grade advanced math, students take the Math 5 credit by exam.
To skip 6th grade advanced math and be enrolled in 7th grade advanced math, students take the Math 6 and Math 7A credit by exams.
To skip 7th grade advanced math and be enrolled in 8th grade advanced math, students take the Math 7B and Math 8 credit by exams.
Note: Credit by exam testing is not necessary for taking calculus as a senior. See question 18 for the sequence of math courses leading to calculus.
Grades 6-12 Single Subjects
Students entering grades 6-12 may take credit by exams for subjects in which they have received no prior instruction. A score of 80% or above is required.
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10. Can students younger than 5 years old take a credit by exam?
Students must be 5 years old by September 1, 2020 to be eligible to take a credit by exam.
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11. Is there a charge for taking a credit by exam?
The district pays for credit by exam testing during the scheduled test sessions. Only students enrolled in College Station ISD may take a credit by exam.
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12. Will I need to bring supplies to the testing session?
All materials are provided for students who take exams during the district testing sessions.
Important Note:
Some exams require that students complete reading and/or project assignments PRIOR to testing. It is the responsibility of the student and parent to check the study guides to ensure that any pretest requirements are met.
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13. How many 3-hour test sessions are required for each grade level or course?
Full Grade Level - Grades K-8
Testing for elementary grade levels requires four 3-hour test sessions, one for each of the subjects listed below.
English Language Arts and Reading
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Mathematics - Grades 5-8
Testing out of 5th grade math requires one test session.
Testing out of 6th grade advanced math requires two test session.
Testing out of 7th grade advanced math requires two test sessions.
Single Subjects other than Math - Grades 6-8
One test session per subject.
Single Subjects - Grades 9-12
Two test sessions for most for full-year subjects (1st and 2nd semester).
One test session for single-semester subjects.
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14. How long does it take to get the credit by exam results back?
15. Are review materials available for credit by exams?
College Station ISD does not provide review materials since we do not write and score the exams.
University of Texas High School and Texas Tech University ISD provide Study Guides for their tests.
Important Note:
Some exams require that students complete reading and/or project assignments PRIOR to testing. It is the responsibility of the student and parent to check the study guides to ensure that any pretest requirements are met.
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16. How are high school credit by exam scores recorded on the student’s transcript?
Credit by exam scores are entered on the transcript but are not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.
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17. Will I need to provide transportation for my child to take a higher level course if that course is not offered on his/her home campus?
Families are responsible for transportation if the course is not offered at their campus.
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18. Can a student take calculus in high school without taking a math credit by exam?
Students can take calculus their senior year of high school without taking a math credit by exam. If a student takes 6th grade advanced mathematics during their 6th grade year, he/she is on track to take calculus during the senior year without taking credit by exams. The chart below shows the most frequently taken math course progression that leads to calculus in grade 12. (Also note: Students who do not take advanced math courses in intermediate and middle school may take geometry and Algebra II concurrently in high school to be able to take calculus in grade 12.)
Grade Level Math Course
Grade 6 6th grade Advanced Math (covers all of 6th and half of 7th grade math requirements)
Grade 7 7th grade Advanced Math (covers the remaining 7th and all 8th grade math requirements)
Grade 8 Algebra I or Algebra I Pre-AP
Grade 9 Geometry or Geometry Pre-AP
Grade 10 Algebra II or Algebra II Pre-AP
Grade 11 Pre-Calculus or Pre-Calculus Pre-AP
Grade 12 AP Calculus AB or AP Calculus BC
(AP Statistics is also offered and is often taken during the same year as Pre-Calculus.)
Math Flow Charts for Intermediate, Middle, and High School Math Courses
Intermediate and Middle School Math Sequence Flowchart
High School Math Sequence Flowchart
Interesting Thoughts on Mathematical Acceleration
Mathematics Learning: A Journey, Not a Sprint
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19. Will my child “run out” of math courses to take in high school if he/she advances via credit by exams?
Students who have completed AP Calculus BC and have scored either a 4 or 5 on the AP exam will have the opportunity to take Calculus 3 and Linear Algebra though Blinn College. This course will be taught at College Station High School for qualifying CSHS and AMCHS students. Please talk to your high school counselor about how to register and the costs associated with these courses. Students may also register to take university level mathematics off campus.
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20. If my child is enrolled in a course above his/her grade level, what STAAR test is taken?
Students are required to take the STAAR test that matches the level of instruction. For example, if a student is in grade 5 and is enrolled in grade 6 advanced math, the student will take the grade 6 STAAR mathematics test and the grade 5 reading and science STAAR tests. Students taking 7th grade advanced math take the 8th grade STAAR math test since the course covers all of the 8th grade math standards.
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21. My child has already skipped a grade level of math through credit by exam. Does s/he need to take another credit by exam to continue the accelerated path?
A student does not need to take additional credit by exams to continue on the accelerated path unless s/he desires to test out of a higher level course. For example, if your child tested out of 5th grade math and is currently enrolled in 6th grade advanced math, no additional testing is needed to take 7th grade advanced math next year. The flow charts below show which credit by exams are required for specific courses.
Intermediate and Middle School Math Sequence Flowchart
High School Math Sequence Flowchart
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22. Are students permitted to retest if they do not pass a credit by exam?
Yes, with the following restrictions:
July 1 - September 30 (Students testing in this window cannot retest until October 1.)
October 1 – December 31 (Students testing in this window cannot retest until January 1.)
January 1 - March 31 (Students testing in this window cannot retest until April 1.)
The Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.023, allows students in primary grades to accelerate a grade level and students in secondary academic courses to earn credit for a course on the basis of credit by examination. The campus counselor is the best person to provide guidance on whether credit by exam for acceleration is a good option for your student.
Note: Students must be 5 years old by September 1 to be eligible to take a credit by exam.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Who creates and grades credit by exams?
University of Texas High School and Texas Tech University ISD write and score the exams for grades K-12.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What credit by exams are available?
Elementary Entire-Grade Level
Grades 5-12 Single-Subject
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. When are credit by exams given?
The majority of credit by exams are given in April, June, and July. Online registration for these exams will open on February 3.
See Testing Schedule and Registration Forms
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. How do I register for a credit by exam?
Online registration forms for April, June, and July credit by exam sessions will be available on this website on February 3.
See Testing Schedule and Registration Forms
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What are the deadlines for submitting the online registration for the May, June, and July?
See Testing Schedule and Registration Forms
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. What if I miss the registration deadline or am not available during the scheduled testing sessions?
If you miss the registration deadline or are not available for the scheduled sessions you may order tests directly from
University of Texas High School or Texas Tech University ISD. Please contact our office for proctoring information.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. How will I know the date, time and location of my child's test(s)?
Parents will be notified by email at least two weeks prior to testing. Please ensure that the email address you enter on the application is correct.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. What scores are required to test out of grade levels or courses?
Kindergarten
Students wishing to skip kindergarten must score 90% or above on the credit by exam tests in ALL of the following areas. Kindergarten students must also score a minimum of 30 points on an observation checklist.
• English Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
Grades 1-8 Entire Grade Level
Students entering grades 1-8 may advance an entire grade level if they score 80% or above on the credit by exam tests in ALL of the following areas for the grade level they want to skip.
• English Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
Grades 5-8 Mathematics
Students entering grades 5-8 may receive credit for a mathematics course in which they have received no prior instruction if they score 80% or above on the credit by exam(s) for that course.
To skip 5th grade math and be enrolled in 6th grade advanced math, students take the Math 5 credit by exam.
To skip 6th grade advanced math and be enrolled in 7th grade advanced math, students take the Math 6 and Math 7A credit by exams.
To skip 7th grade advanced math and be enrolled in 8th grade advanced math, students take the Math 7B and Math 8 credit by exams.
Note: Credit by exam testing is not necessary for taking calculus as a senior. See question 18 for the sequence of math courses leading to calculus.
Grades 6-12 Single Subjects
Students entering grades 6-12 may take credit by exams for subjects in which they have received no prior instruction. A score of 80% or above is required.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Can students younger than 5 years old take a credit by exam?
Students must be 5 years old by September 1, 2020 to be eligible to take a credit by exam.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Is there a charge for taking a credit by exam?
The district pays for credit by exam testing during the scheduled test sessions. Only students enrolled in College Station ISD may take a credit by exam.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. Will I need to bring supplies to the testing session?
All materials are provided for students who take exams during the district testing sessions.
Important Note:
Some exams require that students complete reading and/or project assignments PRIOR to testing. It is the responsibility of the student and parent to check the study guides to ensure that any pretest requirements are met.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
13. How many 3-hour test sessions are required for each grade level or course?
Full Grade Level - Grades K-8
Testing for elementary grade levels requires four 3-hour test sessions, one for each of the subjects listed below.
English Language Arts and Reading
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Mathematics - Grades 5-8
Testing out of 5th grade math requires one test session.
Testing out of 6th grade advanced math requires two test session.
Testing out of 7th grade advanced math requires two test sessions.
Single Subjects other than Math - Grades 6-8
One test session per subject.
Single Subjects - Grades 9-12
Two test sessions for most for full-year subjects (1st and 2nd semester).
One test session for single-semester subjects.
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14. How long does it take to get the credit by exam results back?
- University of Texas (UTHS) - Results within 2 days for tests that can be graded online. Results for UTHS tests with written components that cannot be graded online take 2-4 weeks. (See these links for which courses can be scored online - Elementary Entire-Grade Level or Grades 5-12 Single-Subject )
- Texas Tech (TTUISD) - Results returned in 3-7 weeks.
15. Are review materials available for credit by exams?
College Station ISD does not provide review materials since we do not write and score the exams.
University of Texas High School and Texas Tech University ISD provide Study Guides for their tests.
- Use the University of Texas High School Study Guides for all exam except Math 7A, Math 7B, and Latin.
- Use the Texas Tech University ISD Study Guides for Math 7A, Math 7B, and Latin.
Important Note:
Some exams require that students complete reading and/or project assignments PRIOR to testing. It is the responsibility of the student and parent to check the study guides to ensure that any pretest requirements are met.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
16. How are high school credit by exam scores recorded on the student’s transcript?
Credit by exam scores are entered on the transcript but are not included in grade point average (GPA) calculations.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
17. Will I need to provide transportation for my child to take a higher level course if that course is not offered on his/her home campus?
Families are responsible for transportation if the course is not offered at their campus.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
18. Can a student take calculus in high school without taking a math credit by exam?
Students can take calculus their senior year of high school without taking a math credit by exam. If a student takes 6th grade advanced mathematics during their 6th grade year, he/she is on track to take calculus during the senior year without taking credit by exams. The chart below shows the most frequently taken math course progression that leads to calculus in grade 12. (Also note: Students who do not take advanced math courses in intermediate and middle school may take geometry and Algebra II concurrently in high school to be able to take calculus in grade 12.)
Grade Level Math Course
Grade 6 6th grade Advanced Math (covers all of 6th and half of 7th grade math requirements)
Grade 7 7th grade Advanced Math (covers the remaining 7th and all 8th grade math requirements)
Grade 8 Algebra I or Algebra I Pre-AP
Grade 9 Geometry or Geometry Pre-AP
Grade 10 Algebra II or Algebra II Pre-AP
Grade 11 Pre-Calculus or Pre-Calculus Pre-AP
Grade 12 AP Calculus AB or AP Calculus BC
(AP Statistics is also offered and is often taken during the same year as Pre-Calculus.)
Math Flow Charts for Intermediate, Middle, and High School Math Courses
Intermediate and Middle School Math Sequence Flowchart
High School Math Sequence Flowchart
Interesting Thoughts on Mathematical Acceleration
Mathematics Learning: A Journey, Not a Sprint
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
19. Will my child “run out” of math courses to take in high school if he/she advances via credit by exams?
Students who have completed AP Calculus BC and have scored either a 4 or 5 on the AP exam will have the opportunity to take Calculus 3 and Linear Algebra though Blinn College. This course will be taught at College Station High School for qualifying CSHS and AMCHS students. Please talk to your high school counselor about how to register and the costs associated with these courses. Students may also register to take university level mathematics off campus.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
20. If my child is enrolled in a course above his/her grade level, what STAAR test is taken?
Students are required to take the STAAR test that matches the level of instruction. For example, if a student is in grade 5 and is enrolled in grade 6 advanced math, the student will take the grade 6 STAAR mathematics test and the grade 5 reading and science STAAR tests. Students taking 7th grade advanced math take the 8th grade STAAR math test since the course covers all of the 8th grade math standards.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
21. My child has already skipped a grade level of math through credit by exam. Does s/he need to take another credit by exam to continue the accelerated path?
A student does not need to take additional credit by exams to continue on the accelerated path unless s/he desires to test out of a higher level course. For example, if your child tested out of 5th grade math and is currently enrolled in 6th grade advanced math, no additional testing is needed to take 7th grade advanced math next year. The flow charts below show which credit by exams are required for specific courses.
Intermediate and Middle School Math Sequence Flowchart
High School Math Sequence Flowchart
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
22. Are students permitted to retest if they do not pass a credit by exam?
Yes, with the following restrictions:
- Texas Administrative Code states that students may not attempt to test out of a course more than two times and may not retest during the same assessment window.
July 1 - September 30 (Students testing in this window cannot retest until October 1.)
October 1 – December 31 (Students testing in this window cannot retest until January 1.)
January 1 - March 31 (Students testing in this window cannot retest until April 1.)
- The cost of the exam(s) and proctoring are not covered by the district when retesting.
- University of Texas High School and Texas Tech University ISD offer retest versions of their exams. NOTE: CSISD will only accept the results of retest versions.
- University of Texas High School Retest Order Form Do not enter a UT EID number as this will be assigned to the student by UTHS.
- Texas Tech University ISD Retest Order Form
- Proctoring can be arranged through Blinn Testing Center or Texas A&M Testing Services. Contact the testing center prior to completing the registration form.
For additional information contact Becky Burghardt, Director for Assessment.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (979)764-5401
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (979)764-5401