Austin Drops Minimum Written Score for Sergeant Exams

Austin police promotional candidates can now advance to the assessment center with a failing written score if their combined total reaches 70.

Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Law Enforcement

Austin Drops Minimum Written Score for Sergeant Exams

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Should police departments reduce written test requirements for promotions to sergeant or lieutenant?

The Austin Police Department has eliminated the standalone minimum passing score on written promotional exams for sergeant and lieutenant. Written and assessment center scores are now weighted equally at 50/50, with a combined passing score of 70 out of 100.

Why it matters

The change alters how officers in Austin qualify for promotion, affecting eligibility lists used to fill supervisory roles across the department. The city says the adjustments respond to a 2022 Kroll Associates report that found the written test may have an adverse impact on candidates of color.

The written exam no longer carries a standalone minimum, so candidates who score below 70 on the written test may still advance if their combined score reaches 70. The 2024 agreement governing these rules runs through September 2029.

The players

Austin Police Department

The municipal law enforcement agency serving Austin, Texas, which administers sergeant and lieutenant promotional examinations.

Austin Police Association

The labor union representing Austin police officers, which negotiated the 2024 Meet and Confer Agreement with the city.

Kroll Associates

A risk and investigations consulting firm whose 2022 report, commissioned by the City of Austin, prompted the review of the written promotional test.

The details

The change took effect under the 2024 Meet and Confer Agreement between the City of Austin and the Austin Police Association, which took effect in late October 2024. Candidates who sit for the written exam qualify for the assessment center regardless of their written score, and the eligibility list is built from combined results, with possible additional points for seniority and education.

2022: A Kroll Associates report commissioned by the City of Austin recommended reconsidering promotional test components.
Late October 2024: The 2024 Meet and Confer Agreement took effect with the promotional changes.
May 2025: A Lieutenant Assessment Center notice stated there shall be no minimum passing score for the written examination.
September 2029: The 2024 labor agreement is scheduled to expire.

Legal Context

The change follows the 2022 Kroll Associates report commissioned by the City of Austin, which found the written promotional test may have an adverse impact on candidates of color. It reflects a broader effort by local governments to review civil service exams for disparate effects.

Austin police officers seeking sergeant or lieutenant promotion now have a path forward even with a failing written score, provided their combined result reaches 70. Residents may see changes in department leadership as new eligibility lists are created under the revised scoring.

The takeaway

Promotion rules for public safety agencies can be revised to address documented disparities, and officers should review current exam notices for the scoring weights that apply to them.