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  1. Home
  2. School of Behavioral Sciences and Education
  3. Teacher Education
  4. Teacher Testing

Certification Testing

Teacher education candidates hoping to become certified in Pennsylvania must take the appropriate test(s) upon completion of all related coursework. We recommend taking the test(s) just prior to your student teaching semester. If for any reason you need to retake the test(s), this allows time for that to occur prior to the end of your program.

Official passing scores for the tests may be found at the Department of Education site . Note: PDE does permit certification when the combination of a candidate’s GPA and test score meet a certain minimum. Visit Department of Education site for details. The GPA is the candidate’s final GPA after completing student teaching. No earlier GPA is considered for this sliding scale - only the final GPA.

If you are planning to seek teacher certification in any other state or country, please see Ms. Ort for information on testing requirements outside of Pennsylvania.

Elementary Education

  • PreK-4 - PECT PreK-4, Modules 1, 2, and 3  (#8006. 8007, 8008)
  • English 4-8 - Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Core Assessment, plus Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: English Language Arts (#5153, 5154, 5155, 5156)
  • Math 4-8 - Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Core Assessment, plus Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: Mathematics (Calculator allowed) (#5153, 5154, 5155, 5158)
  • Social Studies 4-8 - Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Core Assessment, plus Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: Social Studies (#5153, 5154, 5155, 5157)

Secondary Education

  • English - Praxis English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (#5038)
  • Mathematics - Praxis Mathematics: Content Knowledge (#5161)
  • Social Studies - Praxis Social Studies: Content Knowledge (#5081)

Special Education

  • PK-8 – PECT  Special Education PK – 8, Modules 1 & 2 (#8011, 8012)
  • 7-12 – PECT  Special Education 7 – 12, Modules 1 & 2 (#8015, 8016)

Special Education students must receive certification in another area in addition to Special Education.

Reading Specialist – Praxis Reading Specialist (#5301)

Teacher Education

  • Certification Programs: How to Apply
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Penn State Harrisburg

A comprehensive college in southcentral Pennsylvania offering more than 70 undergraduate and graduate programs.
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