Overview of Virginia Testing Requirements

How to Qualify for Licensure

Individuals interested in applying for initial licensure in Virginia, must earn a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and should review the following documents for more specific details regarding Virginia's licensure process and procedures:

• Routes to Licensure in Virginia — Virginia provides multiple routes to licensure, including college and university programs approved by the Board of Education, reciprocity for educators licensed by other states and alternative routes for qualified candidates and career switchers.
• Virginia's approved educator preparation programs or educator preparation programs listed by endorsement area.
• The Praxis Series™ test for selected endorsement areas and/or other approved professional teachers' assessment requirements, as applicable.
• Application for a Virginia license form with the appropriate fees and documentation.

Find further online licensure assistance at the Teach Virginia website, which includes details on obtaining or renewing a license, applications, assessments, endorsements and routes to licensure.

Important Information

• If you test in Virginia, your scores will be sent automatically to the Virginia Department of Education. If you test outside of Virginia, you must select the Virginia Department of Education (state code 8425) as a score recipient, either when you register or on an additional score report request.
• Even though your scores are electronically submitted, Virginia requests that applicants for licenses submit a copy of all official score reports because scores may not be loaded due to discrepancies in identifying information.

• 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
  • Earth and Space Sciences: Content Knowledge (5571) — October 2012
  • Family and Consumer Sciences (5121) — December 2012
  • Music: Content Knowledge (5113)* — February 2013
  • Physics: Content Knowledge (5265) — September 2012

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

Who Must Take the Tests?

Praxis I® tests are accepted for entry assessment to Virginia approved programs of educator preparation.

Prior to licensure, you must achieve passing scores on other Virginia Board of Education-approved professional teachers' assessments.

Praxis II® tests are required for specific licensure and endorsement areas.

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