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Entrance to Major Testing

The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires that Undergraduate students in all Instructional I teacher certification programs must successfully complete a Basic Skills Assessment.  

  • Elementary and Early Childhood Education
  • Middle Level Education
  • Secondary Education
  • Special Education
  • World Language
  • Agriculture
  • Art Education
  • Kinesiology
  • Music

Testing Requirements for Teacher Certification Programs

  • PK-4— PECT
  • English 4-8— PRAXIS
  • Social Studies 4-8— PRAXIS
  • Biology— PRAXIS Biology: Content Knowledge
  • Chemistry— PRAXIS Chemistry: Content Knowledge
  • Communication— PRAXIS:  Speech Communication: Content Knowledge
  • Earth/Space— PRAXIS Earth Science: Content Knowledge
  • English— PRAXIS English Language Arts: Content Knowledge
  • Environmental— PRAXIS: Environmental Education (PA)
  • General Science— PRAXIS General Science: Content Knowledge
  • Mathematics— PRAXIS Mathematics: Content Knowledge
  • Physics— PRAXIS Physics: Content Knowledge
  • Social Studies— PRAXIS Social Studies: Content Knowledge
  • Special Education PK-8 and Special Education 7-12— ESP Special Education PreK – 8, Modules 1 & 2 and/or PECT Special Education 7 – 12, Modules 1 & 2
  • Special Education PK-12 — PRAXIS Core Knowledge and Applications

For SPLED students who do not currently hold an Instructional Pennsylvania certificate also will need to complete Fundamental Subjects Praxis exam.

  • French— ACTFL French OPI & WPT and PRAXIS Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge
  • German— ACTFL German OPI & WPT and PRAXIS Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge
  • Latin— PRAXIS Latin and PRAXIS Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge
  • Russian—  ACTFL Russian OPI & WPT and PRAXIS Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge
  • Spanish— ACTFL Spanish OPI & WPT and PRAXIS Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge

WF ED students must pass their Occupational Competency Assessment before obtaining their certification.

  • Agriculture — PRAXIS  Agriculture, Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge
  • Art Education — PRAXIS Art: Content Knowledge, Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge
  • Kinesiology — PRAXIS Health & Physical Education: Content Knowledge, Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge
  • Music — PRAXIS Music: Content Knowledge, Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge
  • Pearson PECT
  • ETS PRAXIS
  • PRAXIS -- CORE ALTERNATE SCORING METHOD
  • PRAXIS -- Alternate Scoring Method with a Sliding GPA for all Speciality Tests - Please contact your  academic advisor for clarification of this process.
  • ACTFL

Penn State's Institutional Report to the Pennsylvania Department of Education: In compliance with Title II, Section 207 of the Higher Education Act of 1998 and General Standard for the Institutional Preparation of Professional Educators -- Chapter 354. About Title II