Alabama Educator Preparation Program Approach
For Those Applying Based on the Completion of an Alabama State-Approved Educator Preparation Program at an Alabama College or University
General testing information for all applicants may be found in the Overview of Alabama Testing Requirements.
Individuals should contact the Certification Officer at the Alabama college or university where they are enrolled for additional information regarding program entry requirements and test implementation dates according to current Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) policies. Individuals who choose to test without advisement from a Certification Officer at an Alabama college or university according to current ALSDE testing policies do so at their own risk.
TEST CHANGES and SCORE INCREASES are effective for tests taken and applications received in the Educator Certification Section of the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) on or after September 1, 2023. The score earned on the date a test was taken MAY or MAY NOT be deemed as "passing" when the test taker's application is received in the Educator Certification Section of the ALSDE. Additional information regarding testing may be found in the Educator Assessment Policies Manual A and Manual B on the Alabama Teacher Certification page at the Alabama State Department of Education website.
Traditional Class B (Bachelor's degree-level) Programs
Individuals applying for the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate based on the completion of a Traditional Class B Program must successfully complete the current Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) requirements:
- Pass the required Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests) as indicated in the charts below.
- Pass the required Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA). Information pertaining to specific Alabama required handbooks and scores can be found in the Educator Assessment Policies Manual A and Manual B in the Alabama Teacher Certification page of the Alabama State Department of Education website.
- A passing score on Foundations of Reading 190 (offered by Pearson Education) is required for initial certification in early childhood education (P–3), elementary education (K–6), and collaborative teacher (K–6).
- A passing score on the PLT will continue to be required for the teaching fields of Computer Science, Gifted Education, Health Science and Technical Education program areas as an edTPA Handbook is not available.
Alternative Class A (Master's degree-level, initial preparation) Programs
Individuals applying for the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate based on the completion of an Alternative Class A Alabama State-approved Program must successfully complete the current Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) requirements:
- Pass the required Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests) as indicated in the charts below.
- Pass the required Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA). Information pertaining to specific Alabama required handbooks and scores can be found in the Educator Assessment Policies Manual A and Manual B in the Alabama Teacher Certification page of the Alabama State Department of Education website.
- A passing score on Foundations of Reading 190 (offered by Pearson Education) is required for initial certification in early childhood education (P–3), elementary education (K–6), and collaborative teacher (K–6).
Traditional Class A (Master's degree-level) or Traditional Class AA (Sixth-year level or Educational Specialist) Programs
Individuals applying for the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate in an initial area and/or grade level, based on the completion of a Traditional Class A or Traditional Class AA Alabama State-approved Program, must pass the current AECAP Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests) as indicated in the charts below.
Find your certification area below to determine which test(s) you need to take. For test prep materials, click the test title. Once you know which tests you should take, schedule your test.
Unless it’s specifically stated that a calculator is permitted or required for a particular test, you can’t use a calculator on any Praxis tests (see Calculator Use).
Tests required for all teaching fields
Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT)
The PLT test is required for the teaching fields of Computer Science, Gifted Education, Health Science, and Technical Education program areas as an Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) Handbook is not available. The edTPA is required for all other teaching fields. Information pertaining to specific Alabama required handbooks and scores can be found in the Educator Assessment Policies Manual A and Manual B at the Alabama Teacher Certification page of the Alabama State Department of Education website.
The chart below only applies to Traditional Class B or Alternative Class A State-Approved Program Completers, as indicated above. In addition, refer to the required Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests) following this PLT chart.
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
All Applicable 6–12 Teaching Fields |
5624 |
157 |
|
All Applicable P–12 Teaching Fields (Choose one) |
Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K–6 | 5622 |
160 |
or | |||
5624 |
157
|
Tests required for specific certification areas
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
Pre-Kindergarten Education (Birth to Age 4) | 5531 |
155 |
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
Early Childhood Education (P-3)1 | 5025 |
156 |
|
1 The appropriate score on Foundations of Reading 190 is also required for initial certification in Early Childhood Education (P–3). |
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
Elementary Education (K–6)2 | Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Mathematics, Social Studies & Science |
5901 |
3 |
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Mathematics |
5903 |
157 |
|
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Science |
5905 |
158 |
|
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Social Studies |
5904 |
154 |
|
2 To pass the Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Mathematics, Social Studies & Science test you must receive a passing score on each subtest. If you wish to take all three subtests (5903, 5904, 5905) at the same time, select Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Mathematics, Social Studies & Science (5901) when registering. If you wish to take or retake an individual subtest, you may register to take just that subtest. | |||
3 The appropriate score on Foundations of Reading 190 is also required for initial certification in Elementary Education (K–6). |
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
English Language Arts (4–8) |
5047 |
164 |
|
French (4–8) |
5174 |
162 |
|
General Science (4–8) |
5442 |
152 |
|
General Social Science (4–8) |
5089 |
153 |
|
German (4–8) |
5183 |
163 |
|
Health Education (4–8) |
5551 |
154 |
|
Latin (4–8) |
5601 |
152 |
|
Mathematics (4–8) | 5164 | 157 | |
Spanish (4–8) |
5195 |
168 |
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
Biology (6–12) | Biology | 5236 | 154 |
Chemistry (6–12) | Chemistry | 5246 | 146 |
Computer Science (6–12) |
5652 |
149 |
|
English Language Arts (6–12) |
5038 |
167 |
|
French (6–12) |
5174 |
162 |
|
General Science (6–12) | General Science | 5436 | 141 |
General Social Science (6–12) |
5081 |
155 |
|
Geography (6–12) |
5921 |
153 |
|
German (6–12) |
5183 |
163 |
|
Health Education (6–12) |
5551 |
154 |
|
History (6–12) |
5941 |
148 |
|
Latin (6–12) |
5601 |
152 |
|
Mathematics (6–12) | 5165 | 159 | |
Spanish (6–12) |
5195 |
168 |
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
English for Speakers of Other Languages (P–12) |
5362 |
155 |
|
French (P–12) |
5174 |
162 |
|
German (P–12) |
5183 |
163 |
|
Latin (P–12) |
5601 |
152 |
|
Music, Choral |
5113 |
161 |
|
Music, Instrumental (P–12) |
5113 |
161 |
|
Physical Education (P–12) |
5091 |
149 |
|
Reading Specialist (P–12) |
Additional testing may be required for unconditional admission into a Class A Reading Specialist Educator Preparation Program. An individual should contact the Alabama college or university at which unconditional admission is desired for information regarding testing requirements. Individuals who choose to test without advisement from the institution, where they are seeking unconditional admission, do so at their own risk. |
5302 |
165 |
Spanish (P–12) |
5195 |
168 |
|
Theatre (P–12) |
5641 |
154 |
|
Visual Arts (P–12) |
5134 |
158 |
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
Collaborative Teacher (K–6)4 |
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications | 5354 |
153 |
and | |||
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Mathematics, Social Studies & Science |
5901 |
5 |
|
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle —Mathematics |
5903 |
157 |
|
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Science |
5905 |
158 |
|
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Social Studies |
5904 |
154 |
|
4 To pass the Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle—Mathematics, Social Studies & Science test you must receive a passing score on each subtest. If you wish to take all three subtests (5903, 5904, 5905) at the same time, select Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Mathematics, Social Studies & Science (5901) when registering. If you wish to take or retake an individual subtest, you may register to take just that subtest. | |||
5 The appropriate score on Foundations of Reading 190 is also required for initial certification in Collaborative Teacher (K-–6). | |||
Collaborative Teacher (6–12) | Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications | 5354 | 153 |
Early Childhood Special Education (P–3) |
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications | 5354 |
153 |
and | |||
5025 |
156 |
||
Gifted (P–12) |
5358 |
157 |
|
Hearing Impairment (P–12) |
5354 |
153 |
|
Severe Disabilities (P–12) This is an innovative program at UA only. |
5354 |
153 |
|
Visual Impairment (P–12) |
5354 |
153 |
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
Agriscience Education (6–12) |
5701 |
147 |
|
Business/ |
5101 |
154 |
|
Career Technologies (6–12) |
5051 |
159 |
|
Computer Science (6–12) |
5652 |
149 |
|
Family and Consumer Sciences Education (6–12) |
5122 |
153 |
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
Instructional Leadership (P–12) | 5412 |
146 |
To Be Certified in | You Need to Take | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
---|---|---|---|
Library/Media Specialist (P–12) | School Librarian | 5312 | 154 |
School Counseling (P–12) |
School Counselor | 5422 | 159 |
School Psychology (P–12) |
School Psychologist | 5403 | 155 |
TBA: To Be Announced. All TBA scores will be available once the test is required.
This page is a supplement to The Praxis® Tests Information Bulletin (PDF).
