Guide to the Praxis and Related Testing for Prospective Teachers
Most states require passing test scores to qualify for teacher certification. Some states have developed their own tests, while most use the Praxis series administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS) for some or all of their tests. Read on to learn more about the various testing requirements for teacher certification.
Table of Contents
Basic Skills Tests
Many schools require candidates to pass a basic skills test for entry into a teaching program. The most common basic skills test is administered by Praxis, but some states accept other entry exams to assess the basic skills of prospective teachers, such as the SAT, ACT, or GRE. Even in states that do not require the basic skills tests for educator certification, individual educator preparation programs (EPPs) may require one for entry.
Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Tests
The Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Tests, or the Praxis Core, is used by many schools as an entry exam for teacher preparation programs and is also required in many states to earn teacher certification. The Praxis Core Tests are computer-based and designed to assess basic math, reading, and writing skills. If you are earning a bachelor’s degree at the same time as your certification (the traditional route to teaching), you will take this test early on in your college career. You can register for the Praxis Core by creating an ETS Praxis account.
Subject Tests
Once teacher candidates have completed the coursework and student teaching portions of their EPP, most states require candidates to pass a subject exam for their particular certification area. For instance, if you are applying for certification as a secondary social studies teacher, you will take a subject test in social studies. Candidates applying for more than one certification area will take a subject area test in each content area, and elementary school teacher candidates will need to take tests in multiple subjects.
Praxis Subject Tests
The most common of these tests are the Praxis Subject Tests. There are over 120 Praxis Subject Tests, ranging from Agriculture to World Languages. As with the Praxis Core, the Subject Tests are taken by computer at a test center. You can register for the subject area tests through your ETS Praxis account.
State-Specific Subject Tests
Some states have developed their own set of subject exams used for teacher certification. These states include:
- Arizona: Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA)
- Florida: Florida Teacher Certification examinations (FTCE)
- Georgia: Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE)
- Illinois: Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS)
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL)
- Michigan: Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC)
- New York: New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE)
- Ohio: Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE)
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma Subject Area Tests (OSAT)
- Oregon: Oregon Educator Licensure Assessment (ORELA)
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Educator Certification Tests (PECT)
- Texas: Texas Educator Certification Examination Program (TExES)
- Washington: Washington Educator Skills Tests (WEST)
Other Exams
In addition to the basic skills and subject tests, some states require other exams for teacher candidates.
Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) Tests
The Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) Tests assess beginning teachers’ understanding of student learning and instructional theory. ETS offers PLT Tests in:
Teacher candidates will take the PLT test corresponding to the grade level of their certificate in states that require this exam. Registration can be completed through your ETS Praxis account.
Praxis Content Knowledge for Teaching (CKT) Assessment
Another common test requirement in the Praxis series is the Praxis Elementary Education: Content Knowledge for Teaching (CKT) Assessment. The CKT measures content knowledge for teaching in the elementary grades. As implied by the name, these Praxis tests are only for those who will be teaching at the elementary level. There are four CKT subtests (Reading and Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies). As with the others in the Praxis series, this exam is also taken by computer. You can register through your ETS Praxis account.
Tests for Administrators and Leaders
Not all states require the Praxis exams for teachers, but they may require them for other educational positions such as administrators, speech pathologists, or school psychologists. These states include:
States Without Testing Requirements for Teachers
Not all states require teachers to take a test to become certified. States with no testing requirements for teachers include Iowa, Maine, and Minnesota. States with content competency requirements that can be met through various options, including the option to pass a content-specific test, include California, Colorado, Montana, and Wisconsin.
In addition, some states require tests for only certain teachers, like New Mexico, which requires tests for elementary and special education teachers only. To find out what tests you need to take in your state, visit the department of education website for your state, the Praxis website, or our Teacher Certification guide.