2008-2009 Praxis Series Exams Required For Teacher Licensure in Tennessee

Tests required for licensure are subject to change every September 1.

Applicants seeking initial licensure or additional endorsements must pass all applicable portions of the Praxis Series Exams, developed and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Upon completion of all requirements, the Dean of Education of the college/university shall send a recommendation to the Tennessee Office of Teacher Licensing for issuance of the appropriate license or add-on endorsement.

Please visit the Praxis Exams Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of this website to answer most questions and to help determine exactly which portions of the tests are required.

Out of State applicants should call the Office of Teacher Licensing at (615) 532-4885 prior to signing up for any test. (May meet exemption requirements)

The Office of Teacher Licensing does not administer the Praxis Series tests. To register for Praxis tests you must register online with Educational_Testing_Service for registration materials call ETS at 1-800-772-9476 or 1-609-771-7395. **When registering for any Praxis testing for Tennessee, please provide ETS with your social security number. This will create a file of scores within the Tennessee Department of Education.**

SEE TABLE BELOW FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF ALL TESTS REQUIRED FOR LICENSING PURPOSES

EVERY INITIAL LICENSE APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO TAKE ONE OF THE PLT EXAMS

                   (See notes for endorsements with ** at end of table)

SPECIALTY AREA TESTS

FOOTNOTES TO PREVIOUS LISTINGS:

* Candidates for the Administrator endorsement who do not hold a valid Tennessee Teacher License must also take one of the PLT tests.

** Exemption from Principles of Learning & Teaching (PLT)Tests : Candidates for the following areas are only required to complete the appropriate Specialty Area Test: School Counselor PK-12 , School Psychologist, and Speech/Language Pathologist.

*** Science Endorsements: Candidates who have already completed test modules specified for one of the science area(s), including Earth Science and General Science, will be required to take only the content knowledge exam for endorsement in an additional science area.

****Special Education Endorsements: Candidates who are adding an endorsement in Special Education to a license that has an existing Special Education endorsement need to take only the specialty area test for the Special Education area, not the Education of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge (Test #20353). Candidates adding endorsements 460 Special Education and 461 Special Education Comprehensive to a license with an existing Special Education endorsement are not required to take the core test.

Note: Persons who have been clinically diagnosed as Deaf or Hard of Hearing that are seeking endorsement in Special Education Hearing PreK-12 must take all designated tests but are not required to meet minimum scores on the tests for this endorsement; however, if any other endorsement is requested, minimum scores on all required tests for that area must be satisfied.

Highly Qualified Tests

THE FOLLOWING TABLE ONLY REFLECTS TESTS DEEMED USABLE FOR DETERMING HIGHLY QUALIFIED STATUS IN THE STATE OF TENNESSEE.

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND applies to teachers of subjects in the grades K-12. Early childhood teachers who teach only PreK do not need to meet the requirements.