Overview of Mississippi Testing Requirements

How to Qualify for Licensure

For initial certification in Mississippi, all candidates must:

• Earn a baccalaureate degree
• Complete an approved program of teacher education OR an alternate route program
• Pass The Praxis Series™ tests for their certification area

Visit the Educator Licensure home page of the Mississippi Department of Education for comprehensive licensure guidelines.

Important Information

• Beginning with the 2012–13 testing year, ETS is administering a new version of the Latin test. The test will have a new test code: 0601. The new test covers the same content as the previous test. However, scores are reported on a different scale, so requirements will vary from previous versions. All scores for discontinued tests are reportable for 10 years from the date the test was taken. Consult the Test Requirements table for specific score requirements.

• ETS is offering several additional tests in a computer-delivered format that will be introduced throughout the testing year. Visit Test Centers and Dates to find testing centers near you. For tests available in both formats (paper and computer), the computer-delivered versions cover the same content as the paper-delivered versions and are scored on the same scale; however, the computer-delivered tests have different test codes.

  • Art: Content Knowledge (5134) — February 2013
  • Biology: Content Knowledge (5235) — September 2012
  • Business Education: Content Knowledge (5101) — December 2012
  • Chemistry: Content Knowledge (5245) — September 2012
  • Family and Consumer Sciences (5121) — December 2012
  • Library Media Specialist (5311) — February 2013
  • Music: Content Knowledge (5113)* — February 2013
  • Physics: Content Knowledge (5265) — September 2012
  • Professional School Counselor (5421) — February 2013
  • Speech-Language Pathology (5330) — December 2012

• * This test is not available in a paper-delivered format except as required for ADA accommodations.

• Mississippi requires a Social Security number (SSN) in order to process educator certification paperwork. ETS does not require your SSN for its own purposes, but will submit it to Mississippi with your test results. Failure to provide your SSN could delay processing of your certification application.

Who Must Take the Tests?

Teacher candidates or those wishing to become certified must take The Praxis Series tests.

Prior to entering a teacher education program at your college or university, you may be required to take the Praxis I® Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST®) series to demonstrate your qualifications. Alternate route teacher candidates are required to take the Praxis I tests for educator licensure.

Teacher education program graduates for all content areas must pass the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) test that most closely matches the grade levels of the license sought. The PLT test is not required for alternate route candidates.

In Mississippi, both traditional and alternate route candidates must take the appropriate Praxis II® tests for each area of certification sought.

See also:

• About the Praxis™ Tests
• The Praxis Series™ Information Bulletin
• Prepare for a Test
• Register for a Test
• Accommodations for Test Takers with Disabilities