Bilingual Education Supplemental

Retiring Sept 1, 2027. The 164 is being replaced by the new BESS 165 (Bilingual Education: Spanish Supplemental), which combines what the 164 and 190 tested separately into one integrated exam. The 164/190 combo can still be taken through August 31, 2027 for new certification; old scores remain valid for certification applications through September 1, 2028.

The Bilingual Supplemental (TExES 164) tests pedagogical and theoretical content needed to teach in a Texas bilingual program:

• Bilingual education foundations — program models, legal framework, biliteracy goals
• First- and second-language acquisition — major theories and instructional implications
• Bilingual content instruction — strategies across subject areas in Spanish and English
• Assessment in bilingual settings — formative and summative practices

Often taken alongside the BTLPT. Many teachers pair the two in a single prep cycle.