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Iowa Test Requirements

The requirements listed here are determined by the Iowa Department of Education. For requirements specific to your college or university, contact your school's program advisor. For out of state applicants, these are a component of Iowa's licensure requirements. Contact the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners office for specific license requirements.

The Iowa Department of Education requires that you take one or more Praxis® Subject Assessments listed below for educator certification. Iowa requires a test in pedagogy and a test in content.

Select your test below and determine the minimum qualifying score. To learn more about a specific test and to access sample content, click the test title. Once you know your test(s), find out how to register for Praxis tests and read the Praxis test retake policy.

In general, unless it is specifically stated that a calculator is permitted or required for a particular test, calculators may not be used on any Praxis tests (see Calculator Use).

Pedagogy Tests Required for All Licensure Areas

For each certification area, choose one of the required test options based on your program advisor's recommendation.

To Be Certified in You Need to Take Test Code Qualifying Score
Pre-K or Pre-K–3 Only (with no other grade level endorsement) PPAT® Assessment (Must use the PPAT Assessment website to register.)   32
or
Principles of Teaching and Learning: Early Childhood 5621 *
K–12 General Education
Note: If you are seeking a stand-alone special education license, you must take a different pedagogy test.		 PPAT Assessment (Must use the PPAT Assessment website to register.)   32
or
Principles of Teaching and Learning: Grades K–6 5622 *
or
Principles of Teaching and Learning: Grades 5–9 5623 *
or
Principles of Teaching and Learning: Grades 7–12 5624 *
K–6 or K–8 General Education PPAT Assessment (Must use the PPAT Assessment website to register.)   32
or
Principles of Teaching and Learning: Grades K–6 5622 *
5–12 General Education PPAT Assessment (Must use the PPAT Assessment website to register.)   32
or
Principles of Teaching and Learning: Grades 5–9 5623 *
or
Principles of Teaching and Learning: Grades 7–12 5624 *
9–12 General Education PPAT Assessment (Must use the PPAT Assessment website to register.)   32
or
Principles of Teaching and Learning: Grades 7–12 5624 *

Content Tests Required for Specific Licensure Areas

Early Childhood Education

Candidates must also pass the appropriate pedagogy test.

praxis testing for Iowa Early Childhood Education
To Be Certified in You Need to Take Test Code Qualifying Score
Early Childhood Teacher – PreK–K (Endorsement 103) Early Childhood Education 5025 *
Note: If candidates are adding this endorsement area (103) to Elementary Classroom Teacher K–6 (Endorsement 102), they do not need to take this exam. Test 5025 is required only for candidates who will only be certified in grades PK–K and/or PK–3.
PreK to Grade 3 Teacher – PreK–3 (Endorsement 106) Early Childhood Education 5025 *
Note: If candidates are adding this endorsement area (106) to Elementary Classroom Teacher K–6 (Endorsement 102), they do not need to take this exam. Test 5025 is required only for candidates who will only be certified in grades PK–K and/or PK–3.
PreK to Grade 3, Including Special Education (Endorsement 100) Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education 5023 *
Note: If candidates are adding this endorsement area (100) to Elementary Classroom Teacher K–6 (Endorsement 102), they do not need to take this exam. Test 5023 is required only for candidates who will only be certified in grades PK–K and/or PK–3.

Elementary Education

Candidates must also pass the appropriate pedagogy test.

praxis testing for Iowa Elementary Education
To Be Certified in You Need to Take Test Code Qualifying Score
Elementary Classroom Teacher K–6 (Endorsement 102) Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (On-screen scientific calculator provided.) 5018 *

Early Adolescence (Grades K–8)

Candidates must also pass the appropriate pedagogy test.

praxis testing for Iowa Early Adolescence (Grades K–8)
To Be Certified in You Need to Take Test Code Qualifying Score
Art K–8 (Endorsement 113) Art: Content Knowledge 5134 *
English/ Language Arts K–8 (Endorsement 119) Middle School English Language Arts 5047 *
Health K–8 (Endorsement 137) Health Education 5551 *
History K–8 (Endorsement 162) Middle School Social Studies 5089 *
Mathematics K–8 (Endorsement 142) Accepted through August 31, 2022
Middle School Mathematics (On-screen graphing calculator provided.)		 5169 *
Accepted beginning September 1, 2021
Middle School Mathematics (On-screen graphing calculator provided.)		 5164 *
Music K–8 (Endorsement 144) Music: Content Knowledge 5113 *
Physical Education K–8 (Endorsement 146) Physical Education: Content Knowledge 5091 *
Reading K–8 (Endorsement 148) Accepted through August 31, 2021Teaching Reading: K–12 5206 *
or
Teaching Reading: Elementary 5205 *
Science – Basic K–8 (Endorsement 150) Accepted through August 31, 2021Middle School Science 5440 *
Accepted beginning September 1, 2021Middle School Science 5442 *
Social Studies K–8 (Endorsement 164) Middle School Social Studies 5089 *
Speech Comm/Theatre K–8 (Endorsement 167) Speech Communication: Content Knowledge 5221 *
or
Theatre 5641 *
Teacher Librarian K–8 (Endorsement 108) Library Media Specialist 5311 *

Secondary Education (Grades 5–12)

Candidates must also pass the appropriate pedagogy test.

praxis testing for Iowa Secondary Education (Grades 5–12)
To Be Certified in You Need to Take Test Code Qualifying Score
American Government 5–12 (Endorsement 157) Government/Political Science 5931 *
American History 5–12 (Endorsement 158) World and U.S. History: Content Knowledge 5941 *
Art 5–12 (Endorsement 114) Art: Content Knowledge 5134 *
Basic Science 5–12 (Endorsement 1541) General Science: Content Knowledge 5435 *
Biology 5–12 (Endorsement 151) Biology: Content Knowledge 5235 *
Chemistry 5–12 (Endorsement 152) Chemistry: Content Knowledge 5245 *
Earth Science 5–12 (Endorsement 153) Earth and Space Sciences: Content Knowledge 5571 *
Economics 5–12 (Endorsement 160) Economics 5911 *
English/ Language Arts 5–12 (Endorsement 120) English Language Arts: Content and Analysis 5039 *
Geography 5–12 (Endorsement 161) Geography 5921 *
Health 5–12 (Endorsement 138) Health Education 5551 *
Journalism 5–12 (Endorsement 141) Accepted beginning September 1, 2021Journalism 5224 *
Language Arts (All) 5–12 (Endorsement 1201) English Language Arts: Content and Analysis 5039 *
Mathematics 5–12 (Endorsement 143) Accepted through August 31, 2022
Mathematics: Content Knowledge (On-screen graphing calculator provided.)		 5161 *
Accepted beginning September 1, 2021
Mathematics: Content Knowledge (On-screen graphing calculator provided.)		 5165 *
Music 5–12 (Endorsement 145) Music: Content Knowledge 5113 *
Physical Education 5–12 (Endorsement 147) Physical Education: Content Knowledge 5091 *
Physics 5–12 (Endorsement 156) Physics: Content Knowledge 5265 *
Psychology 5–12 (Endorsement 163) Psychology 5391 *
Reading 5–12 (Endorsement 149) Teaching Reading: K–12 5206 *
Science (All) 9–12 (Endorsement 185) General Science: Content Knowledge 5435 *
Social Studies (All) 5–12 (Endorsement 186) Social Studies: Content Knowledge 5081 *
Sociology 5–12 (Endorsement 165) Sociology 5952 *
Speech Comm/Theatre 5–12 (Endorsement 168) Speech Communication: Content Knowledge 5221 *
or
Theatre 5641 *
Teacher Librarian 5–12 (Endorsement 109) Library Media Specialist 5311 *
World History 5–12 (Endorsement 166) World and U.S. History: Content Knowledge 5941 *

All Grades (Grades K–12)

Candidates must also pass the appropriate pedagogy test.

praxis testing for Iowa All Grades (Grades K–12)
To Be Certified in You Need to Take Test Code Qualifying Score
ESL Teacher K–12 (Endorsement 104) English to Speakers of Other Languages 5362 *
Reading Specialist K–12 (Endorsement 176) Accepted through August 31, 2021Reading Specialist 5301 *
Accepted beginning September 1, 2021Reading Specialist 5302 *
Talented and Gifted K–12 (Endorsement 107) Gifted Education 5358 *
Teacher Librarian K–12 (Endorsement 174) Library Media Specialist 5311 *

Special Education — Stand-Alone

Please note: The tests listed below are only for those candidates that have a stand-alone Special Education Endorsement and are not certified in any other area. Candidates choosing tests in this section are required to take two tests for a specific licensure area. The second test listed fulfills the pedagogy requirement. Candidates choosing tests in this section are not required to take a Principles of Learning and Teaching test.

praxis testing for Iowa Special Education — Stand-Alone
To Be Certified in You Need to Take Test Code Qualifying Score
Deaf or Hard of Hearing Birth–21 (Endorsement 266) Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge (On-screen scientific calculator provided.) 5511 *
and
Special Education: Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students 5272 *
Early Childhood Education (Endorsement 262) Early Childhood Education 5025 *
and
Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood 5691 *
Instructional Strategist II: BD/LD K–12 (Endorsement 263) Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge (On-screen scientific calculator provided.) 5511 *
and
Special Education: Teaching Students with Behavioral Disorders and Emotional Disturbances 5372 *
or
Special Education: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities 5383 *
Instructional Strategist II: ID K–12 (Endorsement 264) Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge (On-screen scientific calculator provided.) 5511 *
and
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Severe to Profound Applications 5545 *
Instructional Strategist II: Physically Handicapped K–12 (Endorsement 265) Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge(On-screen scientific calculator provided.) 5511 *
and
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications 5354 *
Visually Impaired Birth–21 (Endorsement 267) Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge(On-screen scientific calculator provided.) 5511 *
and
Special Education: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments 5282 *

Career and Technical Education

Candidates must also pass the appropriate pedagogy test.

praxis testing for Iowa Career and Technical Education)
To Be Certified in You Need to Take Test Code Qualifying Score
Agriculture 5–12 (Endorsement 112) Agriculture 5701 *
Business (All) 5–12 (Endorsement 1171) Business Education: Content Knowledge(Calculator allowed.) 5101 *
Family and Consumer Science – General 5–12 (Endorsement 139) Family and Consumer Sciences 5122 *
Industrial Technology 5–12 (Endorsement 140) Technology Education 5051 *
Marketing/Dist Education 5–12 (Endorsement 301) Marketing Education 5561 *
Office Education 5–12 (Endorsement 302) Business Education: Content Knowledge(On-screen scientific Calculator allowed.) 5101 *

World Languages

Candidates must also pass the appropriate pedagogy test.

praxis testing for Iowa World Languages
To Be Certified in You Need to Take Test Code Qualifying Score
Chinese K–8 (Endorsement 121)
or
Chinese 5–12 (Endorsement 122)		 Chinese (Mandarin): World Language 5665 *
French K–8 (Endorsement 123)
or
French 5–12 (Endorsement 124)		 French: World Language 5174 *
German K–8 (Endorsement 125)
or
German 5–12 (Endorsement 126)		 German: World Language 5183 *
Japanese K–8 (Endorsement 127)
or
Japanese 5–12 (Endorsement 128)		 Accepted beginning September 1, 2021Japanese: World Language 5661 *
Latin K–8 (Endorsement 129)
or
Latin 5–12 (Endorsement 130)		 Latin 5601 *
Spanish K–8 (Endorsement 133)
or
Spanish 5–12 (Endorsement 134)		 Spanish: World Language 5195 *

This page is a supplement to The Praxis® Tests Information Bulletin.