When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
LaoziLeander ISD
Closes August 21 · September 2026, testing Sep 14–25 · 30 more by December
Four courses, split the way the exam scores them, so you practise the section that is costing you points.
See SAT & PSAT →Calculus AB and BC, Physics 1, Computer Science A and more, written to the exam as it is scored today.
See AP courses →Problems sit where they sit on the real paper, so an easy one early and a hard one late feel like the contest.
See AMC prep →Texas Credit by Exam (CBE) testing dates and registration deadlines, 2026–2027
When each Texas school district holds Credit by Examination and Exam for Acceleration testing, when the parent application is due, and how to apply through your campus counselor. 27 districts, from their own calendars.
How this works →Independent · not affiliated with any district.
Deadlines closing soon
August first, then the rest of the next four months.
| Apply by | District | Window | Testing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21 in 6 days | LE Leander ISD | September 2026 K + high school courses | Sep 14–25 |
| Aug 28 in 13 days | AL Allen ISD | Autumn EOA Elementary and middle school — Exam of Acceleration. | Oct 1–7 |
| Aug 31 in 16 days | CY Cypress-Fairbanks ISD | September 2026 grades 6-12 · all types | Sep 15 |
| Aug 31 in 16 days | HU Humble ISD | Fall II — all CBE All CBE pathways: acceleration, verification, retrieval | Nov 9–13 |
| Aug 31 in 16 days | HU Humble ISD | Fall I — all CBE All CBE pathways: acceleration, verification, retrieval | Sep 28–Oct 2 |
| Sep 1 in 17 days | LE Lewisville ISD | First Fall Testing grades 1-12 | Sep 21–25 |
| Sep 4 in 20 days | CO Conroe ISD | Fall window Registration window August 24 - September 4, 2026. Two sittings: Saturday 3 October and Saturday 17 October. | Oct 3–17 |
| Sep 4 in 20 days | MA Mansfield ISD | Cycle 1 · October 2026 without prior instruction · not for mid-year promotion | Oct 6–7 |
| Sep 23 in 39 days | NO Northside ISD | October 2026 administration ES/MS grade level · MS math · HS course acceleration, recovery, validation | Oct 24 |
| Sep 24 in 40 days | CO Coppell ISD | Fall window Registration window September 14 - September 24. | Nov 12 |
| Sep 28 in 44 days | CY Cypress-Fairbanks ISD | October 2026 grades 6-12 · all types | Oct 20 |
| Oct 1 in 47 days | NO Northwest ISD | October 2026 elementary whole grade · HS courses · world languages | Oct 8 |
| Oct 2 in 48 days | AL Allen ISD | Autumn CBE High school — Credit by Exam, without prior instruction only. | Nov 14 |
| Oct 9 in 55 days | KA Katy ISD | November 2026 grades 1-12 · home campus | Nov 16–20 |
| Oct 13 in 59 days | LE Lewisville ISD | Second Fall Testing grades 1-12 | Nov 9–13 |
| Oct 16 in 62 days | HO Houston ISD | CBE #2 grades 9-12 only · advance in a course | Nov 9–13 |
| Oct 16 in 62 days | PR Prosper ISD | Autumn window High school with prerequisites met; middle school 7th-8th AVANT only | Nov 9–20 |
| Oct 17 in 63 days | LE Little Elm ISD | Autumn session High school CBE and second-semester LOTE. Not for elementary acceleration. | Nov 3–21 |
| Oct 23 in 69 days | GE Georgetown ISD | Autumn window | Nov 2–13 |
| Oct 26 in 72 days | CY Cypress-Fairbanks ISD | K-8 grade acceleration · November 2026 K-8 · grade level acceleration | Nov 16 |
| Oct 30 in 76 days | LE Leander ISD | December 2026 high school courses only | Dec 7–18 |
| Oct 30 in 76 days | PF Pflugerville ISD | Winter 2026 grades 6-12 · one-semester and high school courses ONLY | Nov 9–Dec 11 |
| Nov 1 in 78 days | RR Round Rock ISD | Middle of year — November Secondary only. | — |
| Nov 2 in 79 days | CY Cypress-Fairbanks ISD | November 2026 grades 6-12 · all types | Nov 17 |
| Nov 13 in 90 days | MA Mansfield ISD | Cycle 3 · May 2027 (AP exams only) AP exams only · registered at the high school campus | May 3–14 |
| Nov 13 in 90 days | RI Richardson ISD | December administration | Dec 8–9 |
| Nov 16 in 93 days | LU Lubbock-Cooper ISD | Winter window Following grade level | Dec 7–17 |
| Nov 30 in 107 days | CY Cypress-Fairbanks ISD | December 2026 grades 6-12 · course content | — |
| Dec 7 in 114 days | CY Cypress-Fairbanks ISD | K-8 grade acceleration · January 2027 K-8 · grade level acceleration | Jan 5–11 |
| Dec 11 in 118 days | CO Conroe ISD | Spring window Registration window November 30 - December 11, 2026. Two sittings: Saturday 23 January and Saturday 6 February. | Jan 23–Feb 6 |
| Dec 11 in 118 days | NO Northwest ISD | January 2027 HS courses · world languages | Jan 4 |
A district deadline is rarely the only one a family is tracking. The exams above the CBE run on their own calendars, and we build for those too.
Browse everything →A district deadline is rarely the only one a family is tracking. SAT, PSAT, AP and AMC run on their own calendars, and we build for those too.
Browse everything →More families are testing every year
Middle-school credit-by-exam sittings through UTHS, one of the two vendors Texas districts buy from. Volume is up 66% in five years. This is a floor on the state total, not the total itself — Texas Tech sittings and district-written exams are not counted here.
29% passed
29% passed
32% passed
30% passed
35% passed
Sittings are the six series UTHS publishes — maths and science at grades 6, 7 and 8 — added together. The pass rate shown is for 8th-grade maths, the largest single series, at the 80% bar. See the five-year breakdown →
Every district we cover
27 districts, 18 of them with dates we have read from the district's own calendar. Where a card says ask the campus, that district publishes its calendar through counsellors rather than on its website. Not surveyed yet means we have not read it at source — we would rather say so than guess.
DFW North
All 6 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 28 | Oct 1–7 | Elementary and middle school — Exam of Acceleration. |
| Oct 2 | Nov 14 | High school — Credit by Exam, without prior instruction only. |
| Jan 22 | Feb 20 | High school — Credit by Exam, without prior instruction only. |
| Jan 29 | Mar 3–10 | Elementary and middle school — Exam of Acceleration. |
| Apr 30 | Jun 7–10 | All levels — high school CBE, middle school EOA/CBE, elementary EOA. |
| May 21 | Jul 14–20 | All levels. Sittings are July 14-15 and July 19-20 — the days between are not testing days. |
How to apply in Allen
Two different tests. EOA (Exam of Acceleration) is the elementary and middle school route; CBE is the high school one, and the autumn and winter high school sittings take students WITHOUT prior instruction only. The student must be enrolled in Allen ISD. Registration is approved on the campus — the Campus Intervention Specialist at elementary, the counsellor at secondary.
All 5 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 13 | Sep 9–10 | Registration window July 27 - August 13. For students new to the district only. |
| Sep 24 | Nov 12 | Registration window September 14 - September 24. |
| Jan 7 | Feb 4 | Registration window November 30 - January 7. |
| Mar 4 | May 4–27 | Registration window February 22 - March 4. Sittings are split by campus: May 4 CMS North, May 5 CMS East, May 6 CMS West, and May 27 for day two. |
| May 19 | Jul 7–28 | Registration window May 3 - May 19. Two sittings, July 7 and July 28. |
How to apply in Coppell
Forms go to the campus counsellor by NOON on the deadline day — the registration window opens earlier and the row records its closing date. Whenever the exam is taken, placement into the new course happens only at the start of a school year, or at the semester for a one-semester course.
All 5 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 1 | Sep 21–25 | grades 1-12 |
| Oct 13 | Nov 9–13 | grades 1-12 |
| Feb 2 | Feb 22–26 | grades 1-12 |
| Mar 23 | Apr 12–23 | grades 1-12 |
| May 11 | Jun 7–10 | grades 1-12 |
How to apply in Lewisville
Request testing by 4:00pm on the deadline. Student must be enrolled and attending in LISD to be eligible.
All 4 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 3 | Jul 22–Aug 3 | Not for first-semester courses or elementary acceleration. By appointment. |
| Oct 17 | Nov 3–21 | High school CBE and second-semester LOTE. Not for elementary acceleration. |
| Feb 26 | Mar 22–Apr 2 | all |
| Apr 23 | May 3–28 | For first-semester classes starting August 2027. |
How to apply in Little Elm
70% passes with prior instruction, 80% without. Two attempts per course. Testing is free, but registering and not sitting draws a fine equal to the cost of the exam. Exams come from Texas Tech, UT, or another instrument the superintendent approves.
All 5 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 | Oct 8 | elementary whole grade · HS courses · world languages |
| Dec 11 | Jan 4 | HS courses · world languages |
| Mar 5 | Mar 22 | HS courses · world languages |
| May 13 | May 25–29 | elementary/middle whole grade · MS math acceleration · HS · languages |
| Jun 24 | Jul 13–15 | elementary/middle whole grade · MS math acceleration · HS · languages |
How to apply in Northwest
Vendor: Texas Tech University. Registration closes at noon. Location: NISD Administration Building.
All 8 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| May 20 | Jul 20–Aug 7 | Exams for Acceleration all grades; AVANT language 7-12; high-school credit recovery |
| Jul 29 | Aug 4–10 | Kindergarten acceleration only |
| Oct 16 | Nov 9–20 | High school with prerequisites met; middle school 7th-8th AVANT only |
| Jan 8 | Feb 1–26 | High school with prerequisites met; middle school 7th-8th AVANT only |
| Apr 16 | May 4–18 | Elementary: all CBEs. Middle school: all CBE and AVANT (7-12) |
| Apr 16 | Apr 27–May 21 | High school: all CBE and AVANT |
| May 20 | Jul 26–Aug 6 | Elementary: all CBEs. Middle school: all CBE and AVANT (7-12) |
| — | Jul 20–30 | High school: all CBE and AVANT |
How to apply in Prosper
Registration closed at NOON on 20 May 2026 — the district specifies the hour, so a form sent that afternoon was late. This window has now passed; it is kept because it shows the shape of the year: the summer sitting is the widest of the seven, the only one open to every grade for Exams for Acceleration. ═══ DISTRICT-WIDE, from the Prosper ISD CBE page read in full 2026-08-09. Governing policy: EHDC(LEGAL) and EHDC(LOCAL). WHO PAYS. "While there is no charge to parents when the student takes an Exam for Acceleration, there is a cost for the exam. Students who register for an exam and do not take the exam will be required to pay for the cost. ($25 per exam)." Sitting it is free; booking it and not turning up is $25 each. For a year-long course that is two exams, so a no-show costs $50. DOES IT COUNT IN THE GPA? This is where Prosper differs from most districts, and it differs WITHIN Prosper: - High school: the exam score goes on the transcript but is "not computed in GPA or class rank". - Middle school: the same, EXCEPT "for class of 2031 and beyond, the exam score will be computed in GPA or class rank". A high-school family here is therefore not making the trade that Midland families make, where the CBE grade lands in the GPA unweighted. A middle-school family in the class of 2031 or later is. TWO SEMESTERS, BOTH AT 80. Secondary students sit an exam for EACH semester of a course and must earn 80% on BOTH. "The exam scores will not be averaged together" — 85 and 75 is a fail, not an 80. GRADES 1-5. Four exams — English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies — and 80% or higher on ALL FOUR to move up a grade. A district representative must also recommend the acceleration. ATTEMPTS. Twice per exam, ever, and never twice inside the same testing window. THE RULE THAT DECIDES THE TIMING. "Once a student has begun a grade level or course, the student is no longer eligible to take the corresponding Credit by Exam for Acceleration." Combined with "mid-year acceleration is not permitted", this means the decision has to be made BEFORE the course starts — for a year-long course, in the summer window. PRACTICALITIES. All tests are ordered online and proctored by Prosper staff. The campus schedules the date, time and location and notifies the family at least one week ahead. The district provides no study guides, textbooks or materials; it points parents at the University of Texas and Texas Tech review packets. KINDERGARTEN. One administration a year, before school starts, online and proctored. The child must be five by 1 September (state law) and already enrolled — Prosper board policy does not allow early admittance.
All 4 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 16 | Aug 18 | all |
| Nov 13 | Dec 8–9 | all |
| Feb 9 | Mar 9 | all |
| May 5 | — | The district prints "June & July 2027 (specific dates TBD)" — the deadline is set, the sitting is not. Confirm with the campus before relying on it. |
How to apply in Richardson
One attempt per quarter window, and no more than two attempts overall — the second comes from a different exam source (Texas Tech). Grade-level acceleration requires 80 or above on each of the four tests; below that the record shows no acceleration. Preparation materials come from UT and Texas Tech.
DFW
All 4 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 4 | Oct 6–7 | without prior instruction · not for mid-year promotion |
| Nov 13 | May 3–14 | AP exams only · registered at the high school campus |
| Jan 8 | Feb 9–10 | without prior instruction · not for mid-year promotion |
| Jun 4 | Jul 21–22 | without prior instruction · counts for next-year acceleration and promotion |
How to apply in Mansfield
Cycle 1 runs Sept 1 - Nov 30, 2026. Two sittings, Tue Oct 6 and Wed Oct 7, sharing a Sept 4 deadline. The district marks this cycle as not to be used for mid-year promotion.
Austin
All 4 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 14 | Jul 27–Aug 21 | all |
| Oct 23 | Nov 2–13 | all |
| Jan 5 | Jan 19–Feb 5 | all |
| Apr 23 | May 17–Jun 4 | all |
How to apply in Georgetown
Free — the district pays for the exams. Kindergarten through grade 12, for acceleration, verification, or credit recovery. Grade-level acceleration in grades 1-8 requires 80% or higher on all four subjects: maths, language arts, science and social studies. Course exams cover maths through Pre-Calculus, English I-IV, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and the social studies sequence. Exams come from UT High School; languages other than English come from AVANT.
All 4 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 21 | Sep 14–25 | K + high school courses |
| Oct 30 | Dec 7–18 | high school courses only |
| Jan 29 | Feb 24–Mar 5 | grades 1-12 |
| Apr 30 | Jun 8–10 | grades 1-12 |
How to apply in Leander
Vendor: UT High School. Registration window Aug 3-21, 2026.
All 6 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| May 22 | Jul 20–Aug 7 | K-12 |
| Aug 14 | Aug 24–Sep 11 | K-12 |
| Oct 30 | Nov 9–Dec 11 | grades 6-12 · one-semester and high school courses ONLY |
| Jan 22 | Feb 8–Mar 5 | grades 6-12 · one-semester and high school courses ONLY |
| Apr 9 | May 3–27 | K-12 |
| May 14 | Jul 19–Aug 6 | K-12 |
How to apply in Pflugerville
Campus contacts registered students with the testing format and date.
All 5 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 10 | — | Elementary and secondary. Early deadline 1 August, late deadline 10 August. |
| Nov 1 | — | Secondary only. |
| Feb 1 | — | Secondary only. |
| Mar 13 | — | Elementary and secondary. Accel II exam for TAG maths students; testing in April or May. |
| Apr 15 | — | Elementary and secondary. Grade-level exam, registered through the campus counsellor. The district prints the testing month as "Mary" — May is meant. |
How to apply in Round Rock
How to apply: talk to the campus counsellor first, then complete the EFA registration form (permission to test) and return it to them — elementary and secondary use different forms. Study guides listing the TEKS covered are published by UT High School and Texas Tech TTU K-12. Passing: 90% in kindergarten; 80% in grades 1-5 and 6-12. The district is explicit that 80% or higher MEANS the student accelerates that course — it advises against sitting the exam "just to see". At most four exams per testing window, and up to two exams a day. Cost: free inside the district's published windows. A second sitting, or any exam taken outside a window, is at the family's expense — parents can order directly from UT High School, though K-2 needs prior approval because campus staff must proctor. Results: the counsellor reports within two weeks, and for the grade 4 and grade 7 language arts tests before school starts. A retake is allowed once, with campus approval. Scores do NOT count towards GPA or class rank. Also worth knowing: a student may not test in a course they are currently enrolled in, and no calculator is allowed for maths in K-7, science in grades 1-7, or Economics.
Houston
All 4 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 4 | Oct 3–17 | Registration window August 24 - September 4, 2026. Two sittings: Saturday 3 October and Saturday 17 October. |
| Dec 11 | Jan 23–Feb 6 | Registration window November 30 - December 11, 2026. Two sittings: Saturday 23 January and Saturday 6 February. |
| Apr 29 | Jun 2–3 | Registration window April 16 - April 29, 2027. A student may register for Summer 1 or Summer 2, but not both. |
| May 21 | Jul 13–14 | Registration window May 10 - May 21, 2027. A student may register for Summer 1 or Summer 2, but not both. |
How to apply in Conroe
Four sittings a year, exams from UT Austin K-12. 80% or higher on an acceleration exam must be given credit and the student must advance — the district states credit may not be refused once earned. Request forms go through the counsellor by the END OF THE SCHOOL DAY on the closing date; late registrations are not accepted. The Assessment Department picks which of the two dates a student sits and notifies them; specific-date requests are not honoured, so a student must be free on both. A registration is tied to its own administration and cannot be moved to another. Some courses require a portfolio, an activity log or set reading beforehand — check the course study guide.
All 7 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 5 | Aug 13 | grades 6-12 · course content |
| Aug 31 | Sep 15 | grades 6-12 · all types |
| Sep 28 | Oct 20 | grades 6-12 · all types |
| Oct 26 | Nov 16 | K-8 · grade level acceleration |
| Nov 2 | Nov 17 | grades 6-12 · all types |
| Nov 30 | — | grades 6-12 · course content |
| Dec 7 | Jan 5–11 | K-8 · grade level acceleration |
How to apply in Cypress-Fairbanks
Arranged through the campus counsellor.
All 5 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| — | — | middle school math placement |
| — | — | all |
| — | — | all |
| — | — | all |
| — | — | all |
How to apply in Fort Bend
Not a testing window — the rule that makes Math CBE matter. 80% on the Grade 8 Math CBE moves a 7th grader into Algebra 1 AAC; 80% on Grade 6 moves a 5th grader to 7th Grade Math AAC; 6th to Algebra 1 needs Grade 7 AND Grade 8. Algebra 1 TEKS 111.39 makes Grade 8 math the prerequisite for Algebra 1 statewide.
All 4 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 10 | Jul 30–Aug 5 | K-8 skip a grade · 6-12 advance in a course · 5th grade DLI only |
| Oct 16 | Nov 9–13 | grades 9-12 only · advance in a course |
| Jan 22 | Feb 8–12 | grades 9-12 only · advance in a course |
| May 14 | Jun 7–11 | K-8 skip a grade · 6-12 advance in a course · 5th grade DLI only |
How to apply in Houston
Parent request window 7/6-7/10 — five days. Campus submissions by CTCs run 7/6-7/17. register_by is the PARENT deadline, which is the one a family can miss.
All 4 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 31 | Nov 9–13 | All CBE pathways: acceleration, verification, retrieval |
| Aug 31 | Sep 28–Oct 2 | All CBE pathways: acceleration, verification, retrieval |
| Jan 29 | May 10–14 | All CBE pathways: acceleration, verification, retrieval |
| Jan 29 | Mar 1–5 | All CBE pathways: acceleration, verification, retrieval |
How to apply in Humble
Shares the 31 August deadline with the September window, so registration for both fall sittings closes on the same day. Texas Tech University K-12 writes and scores the exams. Acceleration 80%, verification and retrieval 70%. One attempt per course per window, two overall, and a no-show counts as an attempt.
All 4 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 9 | Nov 16–20 | grades 1-12 · home campus |
| Feb 5 | Mar 1–5 | grades 1-12 · home campus |
| Apr 16 | Jun 7–10 | grades 1-12 · location TBD |
| May 8 | Jul 12–15 | grades 1-12 · location TBD |
How to apply in Katy
Parent application deadline 10/09/26, campus ordering 10/16/26. Tested at the home campus. Calendar PDF: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1783372123/katyisdorg/jaldt4tqmxdfp8rvyw9x/CBECalendar2026_2027.pdf
San Antonio
All 7 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 10 | Jul 11 | ES/MS grade level · MS math · HS course acceleration, recovery, validation |
| Jul 1 | — | kindergarten · age 5 by Sept 1 |
| Jul 30 | Aug 4–6 | middle school · new to NISD only |
| Sep 23 | Oct 24 | ES/MS grade level · MS math · HS course acceleration, recovery, validation |
| Feb 17 | Mar 20 | ES/MS grade level · MS math · HS course acceleration, recovery, validation |
| Apr 21 | May 22 | ES/MS grade level · MS math · HS course acceleration, recovery, validation |
| Jun 9 | — | ES/MS grade level · MS math · HS course acceleration, recovery, validation |
How to apply in Northside
Saturday sitting. 80% to accelerate, 70% to validate or recover. Vendor: Texas Tech University K12.
West Texas
All 5 windows this year
| Apply by | Testing | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 9 | Aug 3–11 | Upcoming grade level |
| Nov 16 | Dec 7–17 | Following grade level |
| Jan 8 | Feb 1–11 | Following grade level |
| Apr 1 | Apr 28–May 12 | Languages other than English |
| May 4 | Jun 1–10 | Grade level acceleration and credit by exam |
How to apply in Lubbock-Cooper
The only window whose result applies to the year the student is about to start: LCISD states that "students testing during the fall window are eligible to accelerate immediately, while those who test during the winter, spring, and summer windows will become eligible for acceleration the following school year." Deadline is an "inform counselor" date, eight weeks ahead of the test. DISTRICT-WIDE (from the 2026-27 timeline PDF, read 2026-08-09): 80 percent or higher is required on EACH assessment for a CBE without previous instruction. High school courses are tested BY SEMESTER and most courses have two, so a year-long course means two exams. The score is posted to the transcript AND calculated into GPA and class rank where applicable — worth weighing before accelerating past a course that could later be taken for weighted credit. Attempts are capped: one per exam per window, TWO per exam in total, and "cancellations or no-shows may constitute one attempt" — a booked-and-missed test can cost half the allowance. Exams for Acceleration cover grades 1-7. Grades 1-5 sit four separate core exams; grades 6-8 sit two semester exams per subject. The sequence is Math, then Social Studies, then Science, then Language Arts, and a student moves on only after passing the prior subject. LCISD recommends a student be at "Masters Grade Level" on STAAR (grades 4-7) before being considered. Kindergarten testing happens the summer before first grade. Fall, winter and spring exams are taken at the home campus; summer locations are announced later. Study guides are Texas Tech's.
Central Texas
Latest updates
When we last checked each district against its own published calendar.
How Texas CBE scheduling works
Under 19 TAC §74.24, a district must offer a testing window in each quarter of the year — January–March, April–June, July–September and October–December — so there are normally four chances a year. A student may sit a given exam once per window, and the rule also says the dates are to be publicized. Every district we have fully surveyed offers a window in all four.
The rule fixes how many windows, not where the quarters fall. Most districts draw them on the calendar year as above; Mansfield ISD runs September–November, December–February, March–May and June–August instead. Both satisfy §74.24, so do not assume two districts’ cycles line up. Some districts also offer more than the minimum — Allen and Pflugerville publish six.
What changes district to district is who may use which window. Some restrict the mid-year windows to one-semester courses, so a year-long course such as Algebra 1 or Geometry can only be taken in summer. Some open only grades 9–12 outside the summer windows. That restriction is in the “Who” column of each district's calendar above.
The deadline that matters is the parent application deadline, not the campus ordering deadline that follows it. A campus cannot order an exam against a request that was never filed, so the later date is not a second chance. Lead times vary widely — Houston ISD gives families a five-day request window; Katy ISD asks five weeks ahead of the exam.
Every date on this page is copied from the district's own published calendar, stamped with the day we last checked it and linked back to the source. Even so, figures and dates here may differ from what your district tells you. Districts revise calendars during the year, some leave last year's schedule published for months, and a few give only a month range or send families to a counselor instead of publishing dates at all — those are marked as such rather than filled in with a guess. Counts on this page describe the districts we have surveyed, not all of Texas, and they change as we add more. Confirm with your campus counselor before you file anything, and treat the district's own page — linked from every entry — as the authority over ours.
Credit by Examination in Texas — common questions
Answered from the 27 districts surveyed on this page, not from the rule alone.
How many times a year can a Texas student take a Credit by Examination?
Under 19 TAC §74.24 a district must offer a testing window in each quarter of the year, so there are normally four opportunities, and a student may sit any given exam once per window. Some districts offer more than the minimum — Pflugerville ISD publishes six.
What score does a student need to pass a Texas CBE?
For credit without prior instruction under TEC §28.023 — the free district route — the standard is 80%. The paid route under 19 TAC §74.24, with prior instruction, is 70%. Districts may also set the bar by purpose rather than by route: Northside ISD requires 80% to accelerate but 70% to validate or recover credit.
Which deadline matters — the application deadline or the campus ordering deadline?
The parent application deadline. The campus ordering deadline that follows it is not a second chance, because a campus cannot order an exam against a request that was never filed. Lead times vary widely: Houston ISD gives families a five-day request window, while Katy ISD asks about five weeks ahead of the exam.
Do all Texas districts use the same testing quarters?
§74.24 fixes how many windows a district must offer, not where the quarters fall. Most draw them on the calendar year — January to March, April to June, July to September, October to December — but Mansfield ISD runs September to November, December to February, March to May and June to August. Two districts’ cycles cannot be assumed to line up.
Do all Texas districts publish their CBE testing dates?
No. Of the 27 districts surveyed here, 18 publish exact dates. The rest give only a month range, or direct families to a campus counselor. Several also leave the previous school year’s calendar published well into the new one, so the year on the page is worth checking.
Who writes the exams a Texas district uses for Credit by Examination?
Most districts order from the University of Texas High School (UTHS) or Texas Tech University K-12. Some split by subject — Carroll ISD uses UTHS generally but Avant for world languages, and Denton ISD lists all three. Richardson ISD requires a student’s second attempt to come from a different vendor than the first.