Unofficial practice for TExES Educational Diagnostician (253): federal evaluation rules, Texas timelines and score interpretation, each answer with its source.
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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the Texas Education Agency or Pearson. Bank checked October 15, 2026.
A behavior rating scale reports T-scores. How far from the mean is a T-score of 70?Wikipedia, Standard score, T-score. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 003
A campus tells a parent that her son must complete twelve weeks of Tier 2 intervention before he can be referred for a full individual and initial evaluation. What does the Texas rule on referral say?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1011(a), Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 001
A diagnostician finishes the written report of a full individual and initial evaluation. Under the Texas rule, by when must the parent receive a copy?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1011(h), Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 003
A diagnostician needs to know how a student's reading compares with that of same-age students across the country. Which kind of test yields an estimate of a person's position in a defined population?Wikipedia, Norm-referenced test. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 002
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Identification and assessment, continued
A parent hands the campus principal a written request for a full individual and initial evaluation. By when must a Texas district respond with prior written notice and either an opportunity to consent or a refusal?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1011(b), Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 001
A referral names only reading, but during the first session the diagnostician begins to suspect a hearing problem as well. What do the federal evaluation procedures require about the scope of the evaluation?34 CFR 300.304(c)(4), Evaluation procedures (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 002
A report states that a student's reading score has a percentile rank of 16. How should the diagnostician explain that figure to the parent?Wikipedia, Percentile rank. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 003
A student whose home language is Vietnamese is referred for evaluation. In what language do the federal evaluation procedures say the assessments are to be given?34 CFR 300.304(c)(1)(ii), Evaluation procedures (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 002
A student's overall score on an individually administered cognitive test is more than two standard deviations below the mean, with the standard error of measurement considered. What else does the Texas rule require before the student meets the criteria for intellectual disability?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040(c)(5), Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 003
A technical manual reports that students who took a test twice, two weeks apart, earned nearly the same scores both times. Which property of the test does that evidence describe?Wikipedia, Reliability (statistics). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 002
A third grader who arrived last year from another country reads far below grade level. The team finds that limited English proficiency is the determinant factor. What does the federal eligibility rule require?34 CFR 300.306(b), Determination of eligibility (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 001
Every Friday a student completes a two-minute spelling probe, and the teacher plots the score to see whether an intervention is working. Which assessment approach is this?Wikipedia, Curriculum-based measurement. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 002
The federal Child Find rule names two groups that must not be overlooked. One is children suspected of a disability even though they are advancing from grade to grade. Which is the other?34 CFR 300.111(c), Child find (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 001
Federal regulations require each State to collect and examine data on the identification, placement and disciplinary removal of children with disabilities. What are States looking for in that data?34 CFR 300.646(a), Disproportionality (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 001
In interpreting results for a student suspected of a specific learning disability, must a Texas team find a significant variance between cognitive function and academic achievement?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040(c)(9)(C), Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 003
Modern IQ tests transform raw scores to a normal distribution with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. About what share of the population scores below 70 on that scale?Wikipedia, Intelligence quotient. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 003
On a subtest with a mean of 49 and a standard deviation of 8, a student earns a raw score of 37. What is the student's z-score?Wikipedia, Standard score. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 003
Reviewers examine every item of a mathematics achievement test to judge whether the items cover a representative sample of the skills the test claims to measure. Which kind of validity are they examining?Wikipedia, Validity (statistics), Content validity. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 002
Scores on a standardized test follow an approximately normal distribution. About what share of the scores fall within one standard deviation of the mean?Wikipedia, 68–95–99.7 rule. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain I, competency 002
Curriculum, instruction and intervention 13
A diagnostician collects rating scales from a parent and a teacher on a student's self-care, home living and use of community resources. Which domain is being assessed?Wikipedia, Adaptive behavior. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 005
A diagnostician is asked whether a student may be moved from the general education classroom to a separate class. Under the federal least restrictive environment rule, when may that removal occur?34 CFR 300.114(a)(2)(ii), LRE requirements (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 004
A diagnostician's report shows that a student's behavior keeps him and his classmates from learning. Which special factor does the federal rule then require the IEP team to consider?34 CFR 300.324(a)(2)(i), Development, review, and revision of IEP (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 005
A manifestation determination finds that the conduct behind a disciplinary removal was a manifestation of the student's disability. A behavioral intervention plan was written for him last year. Under the federal discipline rule, what happens to that plan?34 CFR 300.530(f)(1)(ii), Authority of school personnel (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 005
A parent asks which settings a district must be able to offer a student with a disability. Which of these is named in the federal continuum of alternative placements?34 CFR 300.115(b)(1), Continuum of alternative placements (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 004
A student leaves his seat dozens of times a day. Before writing a plan, the team wants to learn what the behavior gets or avoids for him. Which assessment is designed to answer that?Wikipedia, Functional behavior assessment. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 005
A team evaluating a student for autism asks whether a medical diagnosis is needed before the student can be found eligible. What does the Texas eligibility rule say?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040(c)(1), Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 005
A Texas evaluation finds that a student meets the criteria for emotional disability. What must the written report of evaluation include under the eligibility rule?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040(c)(4), Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 005
A Texas evaluation identifies a student with dyslexia. How must the result be recorded so that the ARD committee can plan instruction?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040(c)(9)(G)(iv), Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 004
An ARD committee has written a measurable annual goal for reading fluency. Under the federal rule, which description must the IEP also contain about that goal?34 CFR 300.320(a)(3), Definition of individualized education program (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 004
For a student with reading difficulties, a school replaces the assigned novel with a shorter, easier book. How is this change classified?Wikipedia, Special education, Instructional strategies. Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 004
On an ABC record of a student's outbursts, an observer writes "teacher said to start the worksheet" just before each one. Which part of the record is that entry?Wikipedia, Antecedent (behavioral psychology). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 005
The Texas eligibility rule lists eight areas in which a student with a specific learning disability does not achieve adequately. Under which of those areas does the rule say dyslexia may fall?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040(c)(9)(B)(ii), Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain II, competency 004
Professional responsibilities 13
A district intends to refuse a parent's request to move her son to another placement. Under the federal rule on prior notice, what must the district give the parent?34 CFR 300.503(a), Prior notice by the public agency (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 007
A parent asks to inspect and review the evaluation records in her son's eligibility folder before next week's ARD meeting. By when does the federal access rule require the district to comply?34 CFR 300.613(a), Access rights (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 006
A student with an IEP will graduate in May with a regular diploma. What does the federal rule require as eligibility ends?34 CFR 300.305(e), Additional requirements for evaluations and reevaluations (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 006
A student, promoted each year, was last evaluated in the fall of grade 3. The parent and the district have not agreed that a reevaluation is unnecessary. Under the federal rule, by when must one occur?34 CFR 300.303(b), Reevaluations (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 006
A Texas district receives written consent for an initial evaluation 40 school days before the last instructional day of the year, and the student is not absent. By when must the written report be provided to the parent?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1011(e)(1), Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 006
A Texas district receives written consent for an initial evaluation. During the next weeks the student is absent on four school days. How does that affect the 45-school-day deadline for the written report?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1011(d)(1), Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 006
After reading the district's report, a parent tells the diagnostician that she disagrees and wants an outside evaluator, paid for by the district. Under the federal rule, what are the district's two choices?34 CFR 300.502(b), Independent educational evaluation (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 007
Federal regulations list the required members of an IEP team. Which required role does an educational diagnostician most directly fill at an ARD committee meeting?34 CFR 300.321(a)(5), IEP Team (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 006
How often must parents of a child with a disability be given a copy of the procedural safeguards notice under the federal rule?34 CFR 300.504(a), Procedural safeguards notice (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 007
In Texas, who makes the determination that a student is eligible for special education and related services?19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1040(b), Eligibility Criteria (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 007
The parent of a student enrolled in public school does not respond to repeated requests for consent to an initial evaluation. What does the federal consent rule allow the district to do?34 CFR 300.300(a)(3)(i), Parental consent (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 007
To finish before lunch, an examiner shortens the time limits printed in a standardized test's manual. Which federal evaluation requirement does this break?34 CFR 300.304(c)(1)(v), Evaluation procedures (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 007
Which set of requirements does the Texas rule list for the standard Educational Diagnostician Certificate, besides completing a preparation program and passing the examination?19 Texas Administrative Code §239.84, Requirements for the Issuance of the Standard Educational Diagnostician Certificate (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) Domain III, competency 007
How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the exam framework of TExES Educational Diagnostician (253) in Section 3 of the preparation manual on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website, https://www.tx.nesinc.com/Content/StudyGuide/TX_SG_obj_253.htm (copyright Texas Education Agency), read 2026-10-15: 90 selected-response questions and 1 constructed-response question in four domains, Identification and Assessment about 34%, Curriculum, Instruction, and Intervention 23%, Professional Responsibilities 23%, and Analysis and Response (the written response) 20%. This bank holds 45 selected-response questions in the shares of the first three domains: 19, 13 and 13. Each question rests on one public page, named and linked under it and opened 2026-10-15: 34 CFR Part 300, the federal special education regulations, cited by section (Legal Information Institute copies); the Texas commissioner's rules on special education, 19 Texas Administrative Code §§89.1011 and 89.1040, and the certificate rule, §239.84 (Legal Information Institute copies); and Wikipedia articles on the measurement and behavior terms the framework names (norm-referenced test, reliability, validity, percentile rank, standard score, the 68–95–99.7 rule, curriculum-based measurement, functional behavior assessment, adaptive behavior and others). Two answers are arithmetic from a rule the source gives. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.
How it works
A free TExES practice test for the Educational Diagnostician exam (253): 45 questions written for this site across its three selected-response domains. Unofficial, and not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the Texas Education Agency or Pearson.
Read the full guide
Three domains here, one written
Identification and Assessment carries 34% of the exam, Curriculum, Instruction, and Intervention 23% and Professional Responsibilities 23%. Domain IV, 20%, is one written analysis of a student's evaluation data. The 45 questions here split 19, 13 and 13 over the first three.
90 questions and one written response
The real exam asks 90 selected-response questions and 1 constructed-response question in 4 hours 45 minutes. No separate time is published for the questions, so the 45-question run here has no clock.
Federal rule, Texas rule
Nineteen answers cite 34 CFR Part 300 and thirteen the Texas rules on evaluation, eligibility and the certificate. Each explanation gives the paragraph.
Texas counts the evaluation report in school days and the ARD decision in calendar days.
Know the score scales by mean and standard deviation: standard scores 100 and 15, T-scores 50 and 10, z-scores 0 and 1.
Questions and answers
What is on the TExES Educational Diagnostician practice test?
Child Find and referral, evaluation procedures, reliability and validity, derived scores, Texas eligibility criteria, behavior assessment, timelines, parent rights and the certificate rule. The questions follow the seven selected-response competencies of the 253 framework.
Where is the official study guide for the Educational Diagnostician exam?
The Texas Educator Certification Examination Program posts a free preparation manual for Educational Diagnostician (253). Its Section 3 lists four domains and eight competencies, and each answer on this page names the competency it was written to.
Are these real TExES Educational Diagnostician questions?
No. Each was written for this site from one competency of the public framework and one public source. Nothing comes from the exam or from the sample questions in the manual.
What score passes the TExES Educational Diagnostician exam?
240 on a scaled score, by the exam's page. The scale is not a percent and the written response counts toward it, so this page gives a count of right answers and no pass or fail.