Credit by Examination for Acceleration for Grades K-12
Purpose
Credit by Exam (CBE) allows students to demonstrate proficiency in grade-level or course content, enabling them to accelerate a grade level or earn course credit as outlined in the Texas Education Code (TEC) §28.023.
Eligibility
Students in HEB ISD may take a CBE under the following conditions:
- Acceleration Without Prior Instruction: Students seeking to skip a grade level or earn credit for a course without prior instruction must achieve a minimum score of 80% or higher on the designated CBE.
- Credit Recovery With Prior Instruction: Students who have received prior instruction but did not earn credit may take a CBE and must score 70% or higher to receive credit.
Exam Administration
- Exams are administered by the district, following local policies and guidelines.
- Testing dates and registration windows are determined by the district and communicated to students and families in advance.
Scoring and Reporting
- Scores are reported directly to the school district and/or student.
- TEA does not have access to CBE results and does not maintain records of student scores.
Impact on GPA and Course Credit
- The Texas Education Agency (TEA) requires that the numerical score earned on a CBE for acceleration (if score is 80 or above) to be entered directly onto your official transcript. HEBISD will calculate the numerical grade you earn on a CBE for acceleration into your cumulative GPA on a Tier 1 (maximum 4.0) scale.
Additional Considerations
- Students and parents should consult with school counselors before registering for a CBE to determine eligibility and understand the implications of earning credit through this method.
- HEB ISD follows TEA regulations and maintains high standards for credit-by-exam opportunities to ensure student success and academic integrity.
For more information on Credit by Exam, including registration and test dates, please contact your school counselor.
2025-2026 Credit By Exam/Exam for Acceleration Testing Calendar
- CBE Testing Window for students New to HEB ISD Only
- Application Deadline: August 22, 2025
- Fall CBE Testing Window
- Application Deadline: September 26, 2025
- Winter CBE Testing Window
- Application Deadline: January 9, 2026
- Spring CBE Testing Window
- Application Deadline: April 24, 2026
- Summer CBE Testing Window
- Application Deadline: May 29, 2026
CBE registration forms are available from your campus counselor. Your child must meet with the counselor during the registration window to determine the appropriate CBE to be taken. CBE registration forms will not be emailed or available at the campus office; they must be obtained from the campus counselor during registration.
CBE No-Show and Reimbursement Process
Students who apply and are approved to take a Credit by Examination (CBE) are provided the opportunity to test at no cost to the family. However, each exam incurs a cost to the district.
To ensure responsible use of district resources:
- Students who are approved for a CBE and fail to attend their scheduled testing session will be required to reimburse the district for the full cost of the exam.
- Exceptions may be granted for verified emergencies or extenuating circumstances, subject to review and approval by the Accountability and Assessment Department.
- Students who wish to reschedule after a no-show will not be allowed to test again until the fee is paid.
- Families will be notified of this Process in the CBE application, and a signed acknowledgment will be required as part of the application process.
This document has been developed in accordance with HEB ISD Board Policy and outlines district procedures to support implementation.
See Also:
Kindergarten Acceleration
Qualifications for Testing
The Texas Education Agency mandates that school districts establish their process for grade-level acceleration. The Kindergarten Acceleration Program for HEB ISD assesses students wishing to skip kindergarten and be placed directly into first grade. To qualify for kindergarten acceleration, the student must meet these qualifications:
- The student must be five years of age on or before September 1.
- The student must be registered for kindergarten for the upcoming school year in the HEB ISD.
If both of these qualifications are met, then a parent/guardian may request that his/her child test for placement in first grade. To determine whether testing and possible placement in first grade are the best options, parents/ guardians, students, and staff should consider the following:
- The academic rigor of first grade
- Social and emotional impact
- Effect of skipping a grade level on the student’s overall educational experience
Other Requirements Include:
- A recommendation from the preschool the student has attended.
- A committee consisting of the campus principal, school counselor, kindergarten teacher, first-grade teacher, and the student’s parent or guardian will convene to determine the student’s readiness for acceleration into first grade.
Elementary Grades 1-6 Credit by Exam for Acceleration
Qualifications for Testing
Placement to a new grade will only occur at the start of a school year, regardless of when a CBE acceleration is taken.
About the Grades 1-6 Acceleration Test
Students seeking grade-level acceleration/advancement must achieve 80% or higher on each of the criterion-referenced tests in the following subjects for the grade level they want to skip:
- Social Studies
- Science
- Mathematics
- Language Arts
Grades 1-6 Acceleration/Advancement tests are administered through the University of Texas High School (UTHS) over multiple days, pending the results of each subject test. Students in Grades 1-6 cannot accelerate a course, but accelerate the whole grade level. Testing should take place to advance a grade level for grades 1-6 during the summer due to the impact on scheduling and loss of instruction in the next grade (if testing is during the school year).
- Assessments are ordered one at a time, and the subsequent assessment will only be ordered after results are received showing that the student passes with a score of 80% or higher.
- Assessments are given following the order listed above, and the time limit is 3 continuous hours per assessment.
- If a student is successful with a score of 80% or higher, the next test in the sequence will be ordered.
- If the student is not successful, the grade acceleration process ends. The student is not eligible to accelerate.
- To accelerate to the next grade level, the student is required to successfully pass all four assessments.
- Determine whether testing and possible placement in the next grade are the best options. Parents/ guardians, students, and staff should consider the following:
- The academic rigor of the next grade
- Social and emotional impact
- Effect of skipping a grade level on the student’s overall educational experience
- The student must be enrolled in HEB ISD. A conference must take place with the student’s school counselor, principal, student, and parents to discuss the acceleration request and determine options in the best interest of the student before exams are ordered and scheduled.
Junior High and High School Grades 7-12 Credit By Exam
Qualifications for Testing
The student must be enrolled in HEB ISD. A conference must take place with the student’s school counselor, principal, student, and parents to discuss the acceleration request and determine options in the best interest of the student before exams are ordered and scheduled.
Credit by Exam Guidelines
- Students must pass the CBE before the start of the school year in which they would normally take the scheduled course.
- Student is limited to earning 1 full course credit per subject within the school year (August 1 - July 31st)
- A student may not attempt to earn credit by examination for a specific high school course more than two times (TAC 74.24 c.6). A student cannot take a CBE twice within the same testing window (TAC 74.24 a.1).
- If a student is given credit in a subject based on a CBE on which the student scored 80% or higher without prior instruction, then the student is not required to take an applicable EOC assessment for the course. (TAC 74.24c.11)
- Credit by Exam assessments cannot be used to determine eligibility for the NCAA Clearinghouse.
Impact on High School GPA and Course Credit
- Credit earned through CBE acceleration will be recorded on the student’s academic transcript.
- CBE scores will be calculated into a student’s overall Grade Point Average (GPA) on the tier 1 (max. 4.0) scale and Class Rank.
- CBE scores through credit recovery will be recorded on the student’s academic transcript as a pass/fail. A CBE for credit recovery will not be included in the overall GPA calculation and Class Rank.
CBE No-Show and Reimbursement Process
Students who apply and are approved to take a Credit by Examination (CBE) are provided the opportunity to test at no cost to the family. However, each exam incurs a cost to the district.
To ensure responsible use of district resources:
- Students who are approved for a CBE and fail to attend their scheduled testing session will be required to reimburse the district for the full cost of the exam.
- Exceptions may be granted for verified emergencies or extenuating circumstances, subject to review and approval by the Accountability and Assessment Department.
- Students who wish to reschedule after a no-show will not be allowed to test again until the fee is paid.
- Families will be notified of this Process in the CBE application, and a signed acknowledgment will be required as part of the application process.
Footnote
This document has been developed in accordance with HEB ISD Board Policy and outlines district procedures to support implementation.
EHDB Alternative Methods for Earning Credit: Credit by Examination with Prior Instruction
EHDC Alternative Methods for Earning Credit: Credit by Examination Without Prior Instruction