FREE GUIDE · TEXES 165
The 165 Transition Guide
The 164 and 190 retire, the new BESS 165 launches September 1, 2026, and every Texas bilingual educator faces the same question: which exam do I take? This free guide answers it — every key date, every major change, one page.
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What's inside
- The full transition timeline, Spring 2026 through August 2028, including the last day your 164/190 scores can be applied toward certification.
- A subtest-by-subtest breakdown of the 165 — the four 2-minute speaking tasks, the single 40-minute writing response, and the multiple-choice pedagogy subtest.
- The retake rules: five attempts per subtest, best scores retained, and a fresh counter even for candidates with prior 164/190 attempts.
- A decision helper matched to your test date, so you know which exam to prep for and when to switch.
Who it's for
- Candidates mid-prep for the 190 or 164 who want to know whether to finish the combo or switch to the 165.
- New candidates deciding where to start.
- District bilingual and multilingual coordinators planning cohorts for 2026–27.
From Dorian
“I took the hard path to bilingual certification so you could take a shorter one. I've rebuilt my entire prep program around the 165's new structure, and this guide is the map I wish every candidate had in hand today.”