Section 3: Overview and Exam Framework
TX PACT: Health: Early Childhood–Grade 12 (757)
Exam Overview
| Exam Name | TX PACT: Health: Early Childhood–Grade 12 |
|---|---|
| Exam Code | 757 |
| Time | 2 hours and 30 minutes total appointment time
|
| Number of Questions | 100 selected-response questions |
| Format | Computer-administered test (CAT) |
The TX PACT: Health: Early Childhood–Grade 12 (757) exam is designed to assess whether a test taker has demonstrated the requisite knowledge and skills for admission to an educator preparation program. The 100 selected-response questions are based on the Health: Early Childhood–Grade 12 exam framework. Questions on this exam range from grades Early Childhood–Grade 12. Your final scaled score will be based only on scored questions.
Domains and Competencies
| Domain | Domain Title | Approx. Percentage of Exam |
|---|---|---|
| I | Health Throughout the Life Span | 30% |
| II | Health Promotion and Risk Reduction | 40% |
| III | Health Advocacy and Literacy | 30% |
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table above.
The content covered by this exam is organized into broad areas of content called domains. Each domain covers one or more of the standards for this field. Within each domain, the content is further defined by a set of competencies. Each competency is composed of two major parts:
- The competency statement, which broadly defines what an individual should know and be able to do in order to perform effectively in a Texas-approved educator preparation program.
- The descriptive statements, which describe in greater detail the knowledge and skills eligible for testing.
Domain I—Health Throughout the Life Span
Competency 001—Understand principles of human anatomy and physiology and stages of growth and development.
For example:
- Identify basic structures and functions of major body systems.
- Apply knowledge of anatomy and physiology in relation to health, fitness, growth, and development (e.g., anatomical changes that occur during various stages of growth, how the functioning of the immune system affects health).
- Demonstrate knowledge of sequences, stages, and characteristics of cognitive, social, ethical, spiritual, and emotional growth and development across the life span.
- Analyze the effect of interpersonal relationships (e.g., peers, family, school) on the development of personal values and beliefs.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the effect of lifestyle behaviors, environment, and heredity on growth, development, and overall health.
- Identify strategies for encouraging physical, cognitive, social, ethical, spiritual, and emotional growth throughout the life span.
Competency 002—Understand the importance of proper nutrition for maintaining lifelong health.
For example:
- Identify the sources, functions, and effects of nutrients, including the lack or excess of particular nutrients, on body systems, energy processes, physical performance, and body composition.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to find and use nutritional planning tools and guidelines in order to establish, monitor, and achieve personal nutrition goals.
- Evaluate nutritional needs, concerns, and requirements for various ages, fitness levels, health conditions, and purposes.
- Apply knowledge of how to interpret nutritional facts (e.g., food safety, fast food) and labels and how to use this information to make informed health-enhancing decisions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors related to designing, selecting, monitoring, and adjusting a personal nutrition plan.
- Analyze various influences on eating behaviors and how they affect the functioning of the human body and overall health.
- Identify behaviors and effects associated with disordered eating patterns and eating disorders.
- Identify strategies and resources for helping individuals with disordered eating patterns and eating disorders.
Competency 003—Understand principles, components, and benefits of health-related physical fitness.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the components of health-related physical fitness and appropriate activities for addressing these components.
- Describe concepts, approaches, and techniques for assessing personal fitness levels.
- Identify fitness strategies and goals that protect and promote health.
- Analyze ways in which personal health and fitness goals may vary with changing abilities, priorities, and responsibilities.
- Identify principles and methods for designing, accessing, implementing, and monitoring personal fitness plans.
- Demonstrate knowledge of training principles that enhance health-related fitness.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how body and energy systems adapt to short- and long-term physical activity.
- Identify factors that affect physical fitness and health risks associated with inactivity and poor fitness levels.
- Analyze the interrelationships among the dimensions of wellness.
Domain II—Health Promotion and Risk Reduction
Competency 004—Understand the nature, control, and prevention of illness and disease.
For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of types and characteristics of chronic and communicable diseases.
- Identify causative factors, modes of transmission, and signs and symptoms of common illnesses, diseases, and disabling conditions.
- Apply the three levels of disease prevention to reducing the risks of chronic and communicable infections.
- Analyze personal, social, cultural, economic, and environmental risk factors that increase susceptibility to illness and disease.
- Demonstrate knowledge of types, characteristics, stages, modes of transmission, and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
- Describe methods of health screening and early detection used by individuals, public schools, and medical professionals.
- Evaluate the effects of public policies, healthcare resources, medical research, and technology on the prevention and control of diseases.
Competency 005—Understand principles and strategies for reducing risks to personal health.
For example:
- Describe the relationship between healthy behaviors and the dimensions of wellness.
- Identify types, sources, and effects of stress and coping mechanisms related to stress.
- Identify warning signs and symptoms of mental disorders and resources and methods for obtaining assistance.
- Analyze the likelihood or potential severity of illness or injury that may result from engaging in unhealthy behaviors.
- Demonstrate knowledge of techniques, strategies, and activities designed to encourage children and adolescents to avoid high-risk behaviors.
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors that influence goal-setting and of decision-making skills used to reduce and prevent sexual health risks (e.g., dating violence, STIs).
- Differentiate between healthy and unhealthy dating relationships, and identify strategies and skills that maintain healthy relationships.
- Analyze the effects of addictive behaviors and substances on body systems and on personal growth and development.
- Demonstrate an understanding of influential risk factors for addictive behaviors.
- Identify issues, laws, and programs related to the use and abuse of addictive substances and behaviors.
Competency 006—Understand factors that influence interpersonal and family relationships and strategies for promoting healthy relationships.
For example:
- Identify the importance of interpersonal skills for supporting individual well-being and positive relationships with others.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to use interpersonal communication skills to develop and maintain healthy relationships.
- Identify factors that contribute to developing, strengthening, and maintaining friendships and social support systems.
- Identify diverse structures of families, types of family roles and responsibilities, characteristics of healthy family relationships, and strategies for coping with dysfunctional families.
- Identify ways in which emotions affect interpersonal and family communication and techniques for expressing needs, desires, and feelings appropriately.
- Analyze causes and effects of positive and negative peer pressure, as well as techniques for resisting and responding to negative peer pressure.
- Identify appropriate strategies, responses, policies, and resources that children and adolescents can use to deal with harassment, bullying, and intimidation.
- Evaluate the consequences of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination; and identify strategies for promoting tolerance, respect, and understanding between and among individuals and groups.
- Identify concepts of family planning.
Competency 007—Understand principles, methods, and techniques for enhancing safety, preventing and treating injuries, avoiding danger, and responding to emergencies.
For example:
- Identify unsafe situations in the home, school, and community and strategies for promoting safety awareness.
- Apply knowledge of principles, rules, and precautions related to traffic and pedestrian safety, fire prevention, water safety, and injury prevention.
- Identify perceptions and behaviors that lead to intentional and unintentional injuries among adolescents and strategies for reducing and preventing risk-taking behaviors.
- Demonstrate knowledge of strategies that children and adolescents can use to recognize and avoid potential risks and dangers at home, school, and in the community.
- Identify procedures for life-threatening respiratory and cardiac emergencies.
- Apply knowledge of principles and procedures for first aid and emergency medical care.
- Recognize sources of help and procedures for obtaining assistance in an emergency or crisis (e.g., severe weather, school violence, accidents).
Domain III—Health Advocacy and Literacy
Competency 008—Understand how to use risk-assessment, conflict-resolution, goal-setting, decision-making, and advocacy skills to enhance health.
For example:
- Analyze influences on health behaviors and strategies for making informed choices about personal, family, and community health.
- Identify methods of assessing personal health risks and the short- and long-term effects of safe, risky, and harmful behaviors.
- Identify strategies and steps for implementing healthy decisions to reduce and avoid health risks.
- Identify strategies for implementing and monitoring attainment of personal health goals.
- Analyze the causes and consequences of conflict in families, schools, and communities.
- Identify steps, techniques, and processes that children and adolescents can use to manage and resolve conflicts.
- Apply knowledge of strategies for improving and maintaining personal and family resources in relation to health, fitness, and physical activity (e.g., making time for family activities, assessing the costs and benefits of fitness equipment).
- Describe strategies and skills that children and adolescents can use to encourage and support peers and others in making positive health choices.
- Identify methods and resources for advocating for personal, family, and community health and ways in which individuals can contribute to the health of the community.
- Identify the principles and practices of cultural competency as it relates to student diversity.
Competency 009—Understand principles and techniques for locating, evaluating, selecting, and accessing information, products, and services to enhance health.
For example:
- Apply knowledge of skills for researching, locating, and accessing valid health-related information, including Web-based information.
- Demonstrate the ability to analyze the accuracy, validity, reliability, and usefulness of health-related information.
- Identify criteria and procedures for evaluating and selecting health-related technology, equipment, products, and services.
- Apply knowledge of the roles of government (e.g., Healthy People, CDC, MyPyramid) and private agencies in providing health promotion and disease prevention services and information.
- Identify characteristics and roles of healthcare providers, agencies, and delivery systems and criteria for evaluating and selecting healthcare providers and insurance plans.
- Recognize laws, regulations, policies, and agencies that protect consumers of health-related products, programs, and services.
- Identify characteristics of community health resources and ways of accessing and using community resources to enhance health.
Competency 010—Understand the influence of society, culture, media, technology, and the environment on personal, family, and community health.
For example:
- Analyze how attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors related to health are influenced by family, peers, and society.
- Describe how the school and community can support personal and family health practices and behaviors.
- Analyze the influence of sociocultural factors (e.g., ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation) on health beliefs and practices and how cultural diversity enriches and challenges health behaviors.
- Analyze ways in which various forms of media send mixed messages (e.g., about attractiveness, sexual activity, the use of addictive substances).
- Identify persuasive methods and techniques used in advertising and how to resist unhealthy messages.
- Analyze the effect of technology on personal, family, and community health.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of environmental problems (e.g., community blight, pollution, global warming) on the health and safety of individuals and communities.
- Identify conservation principles and strategies for protecting the environment (e.g., conserving resources, reducing waste, recycling).
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