Texas CBE Schedule by Subject (2026): Biology, Chemistry, Algebra, Geometry, US History
How Texas CBE testing actually works (it's not one test date)
Unlike the SAT or ACT, there is no single statewide date when every Texas student sits for a Credit by Examination. Instead, Texas runs a four-window-per-year framework set by the state, with each school district publishing its own specific test dates inside those windows.
This guide tells you, subject by subject, what the exam tests, who administers it, when you can take it, and what passing looks like. All figures come directly from the University of Texas High School (UTHS) and Texas Tech K-12 study guides, the Texas Education Agency's official Credit by Examination policy, and one Texas district's published 2026 calendar that we use as a verified working example.
Important. Texas CBE™ is an independent test-prep platform. We are not affiliated with UTHS, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech University, the Texas Education Agency, or any school district. Dates and policies are pulled from official sources but change each year. Always verify the current schedule with your campus counselor before relying on any date here.
The four mandatory testing windows (set by TEA)
Under 19 TAC §74.24, every Texas public school district must offer Credit by Exam testing in four windows per year:
- Q1 — January 1 to March 31 (late winter / early spring)
- Q2 — April 1 to June 30 (spring and end-of-year)
- Q3 — July 1 to September 30 (summer — most popular for acceleration)
- Q4 — October 1 to December 31 (fall)
A student may attempt the same exam only once per window, and across a lifetime, no more than two attempts per subject before being required to take the full course. Districts cannot charge a fee for CBE — the cost is paid by the district.
Two providers, two paths
Almost every Texas district sources its CBEs from one of two providers:
| Provider | Format | Where | Cost (if individual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UT High School (UTHS) | Online proctored via Proctorio, grades 3–12 | At home or testing center | $70 per semester exam (with remote proctoring) |
| Texas Tech K-12 | 150+ TEKS-aligned exams | Online proctored or campus | Varies; districts buy in bulk |
If you order an individual UTHS exam yourself, you have 60 days from purchase to complete it (TTU's enrollment window is six months). If your district administers the exam during a scheduled window, the test happens on a specific day at a specific location announced by the district.
Biology — BIO 1A & BIO 1B
The most-requested CBE subject by our families, and the subject most commonly used to skip 9th-grade Biology after a summer of self-study.
- Format: 50 multiple-choice questions, 100 points
- Time limit: 3 hours
- Passing: 80 out of 100 without prior instruction (Exam for Acceleration), 70 out of 100 with prior instruction (Credit by Exam)
- Calculator: Scientific or graphing calculator allowed
- Reference materials: Periodic table provided in-exam
- What's tested (TEKS Chapter 112): Cell structure and function, biomolecules, DNA replication and protein synthesis, genetics and inheritance, evolution and natural selection, classification, ecology, plant and animal systems
- How it splits: BIO 1A covers cells through genetics (semester 1); BIO 1B covers evolution through ecology (semester 2)
- Providers: Available from both UTHS and Texas Tech K-12
Chemistry — CHE 1A & CHE 1B
The most calculation-heavy of the science CBEs, but graphing/scientific calculators are allowed and the Chemistry Formula Chart is provided.
- Format: 50 multiple-choice questions, 100 points
- Time limit: 3 hours
- Passing: 80/100 without prior instruction, 70/100 with prior instruction
- Calculator: Required — scientific or graphing
- Reference materials: Formula chart and periodic table provided in-exam
- What's tested (TEKS §112.35):
- Semester A (CHE 1A): Scientific methods and lab safety (30%), matter and chemical reactions (20%), the periodic table (20%), atoms and atomic structure (10%), chemical bonds (20%)
- Semester B (CHE 1B): The mole and stoichiometry, solutions, thermochemistry, gases, nuclear chemistry
- Providers: Both UTHS and Texas Tech K-12
Algebra I — ALG 1A & ALG 1B
A STAAR end-of-course subject, which means most districts run multiple Algebra I CBE administrations per year.
- Format: 50–52 multiple-choice questions
- Time limit: 3 hours
- Passing: 80/100 without prior instruction, 70/100 with prior instruction
- Calculator: Graphing calculator allowed; formula chart provided
- What's tested:
- Semester A: Linear functions, solving linear equations and inequalities, systems of linear equations, exponents and exponential functions
- Semester B: Quadratic functions, polynomial operations, factoring, data analysis, sequences
- Providers: UTHS and Texas Tech K-12
Algebra II — ALG 2A & ALG 2B
- Format: 50 multiple-choice questions
- Time limit: 3 hours
- Passing: 80/100 without prior, 70/100 with prior
- Calculator: Graphing calculator allowed; formula chart provided
- What's tested:
- Semester A: Function transformations, quadratic functions and modeling, square root and rational exponent functions
- Semester B: Polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, sequences and series, conic sections
- Providers: UTHS and Texas Tech K-12
Geometry — GEO 1A & GEO 1B
The CBE most often used by middle-schoolers accelerating into Algebra II early.
- Format: Around 40–57 multiple-choice questions depending on semester
- Time limit: 3 hours
- Passing: 80/100 without prior, 70/100 with prior
- Calculator: Scientific calculator (graphing optional); formula chart provided
- What's tested:
- Semester A: Basics and constructions, parallel lines, triangles and congruence, similarity, right triangles and trigonometry
- Semester B: Quadrilaterals, area and volume, circles, coordinate geometry, transformations, proofs
- Providers: UTHS and Texas Tech K-12
US History — US HIST 1A & US HIST 1B
A STAAR end-of-course subject, typically taken in 11th grade.
- Format: 100 multiple-choice questions (longer than the science/math CBEs)
- Time limit: 3 hours
- Passing: 80/100 without prior, 70/100 with prior
- What's tested:
- Semester A: Reconstruction through the early 20th century — industrialization, immigration, Progressivism, WWI, the Roaring Twenties
- Semester B: Great Depression through the present — WWII, Cold War, Civil Rights, modern era
- Providers: UTHS and Texas Tech K-12
Real-world example: a verified May 2026 testing date
One Houston-area district, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, publishes its full CBE calendar publicly. Their 2026 schedule shows exactly how the four-window framework converts into specific test days:
| Test date | Registration deadline | Window |
|---|---|---|
| February 10, 2026 | January 26, 2026 | Q1 (Jan–Mar) |
| March 3, 2026 | February 16, 2026 | Q1 |
| March 31 & April 1, 2026 (evening) | March 16, 2026 | Q1/Q2 transition |
| May 12 & 13, 2026 (evening) | April 28, 2026 | Q2 — spring |
| June 10 & 11, 2026 | May 18, 2026 | Q2 |
| July 20 & 21, 2026 | June 1, 2026 | Q3 — summer |
If your district uses a similar pattern, the May–June and June–July sittings will be your highest-volume spring/summer windows. Plan to start serious prep at least 30 days before the registration deadline, not the test date — the deadline closes earlier than most families expect.
How to prepare working backward
The single biggest predictor of passing the CBE on the first attempt isn't IQ. It's finishing a full mock exam, scored, at least two weeks before the test date. That lets you see the gaps and patch them before they hurt.
A realistic working-backward plan for our most common subjects:
- 8–6 weeks out — Decide your subject. Confirm your district's test date and registration deadline with your counselor. Order your prep.
- 6–4 weeks out — Work the official TEKS standards for that subject, then take 3+ Texas CBE™ practice mock exams. Identify weakest TEKS categories.
- 4–2 weeks out — Drill weak categories until you can score consistently above 80% on category-focused practice.
- 2 weeks out — Take one final timed mock exam under real conditions (3 hours, scientific calculator, no notes). Treat any score below 80% as a flag to extend prep, not a panic.
- Week of — Light review only. Sleep, formula sheet familiarization, and showing up on time.
Try a free mock exam
Every subject we cover has 10 free practice questions per semester, with full explanations. You can take them now in your browser — no signup required for the first attempt:
- Biology — free practice (BIO 1A & 1B)
- Chemistry — free practice (CHE 1A & 1B)
- Algebra I — free practice (ALG 1A & 1B)
- Algebra II — free practice (ALG 2A & 2B)
- Geometry — free practice (GEO 1A & 1B)
- US History — free practice (1A & 1B)
Sources used in this article: Texas Administrative Code 19 TAC §74.24 · Texas Education Agency CBE policy page · UT High School Credit by Exam program · Texas Tech K-12 Credit by Exams · Cypress-Fairbanks ISD 2026 CBE calendar. Always confirm dates with your district's counselor.