Required Standardized Testing

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) requires that teacher certification students pass two rounds of standardized testing: the Basic Skills Tests and Praxis II Subject Assessments.

Please note that the Basic Skills Test requirement has been suspended by PDE until July 2025. Students eligible for teacher candidacy between July 2022 through July 2025 will not need to fulfill the Basic Skills Tests before taking higher level teacher preparation courses or to apply for initial certification. The other requirements for teacher candidacy (48 credits completed, 3.0 GPA, required courses) are still in place.

Basic Skills Tests

The Basic Skills Tests cover reading, writing, and mathematics. Scores from the corresponding sections of the SAT and ACT tests can count towards the Basic Skills Tests if they meet the required scores. You will need to retake one or more sections of the Basic Skills Tests if you do not meet the minimum scores, or if your composite score is too low. It is recommended to take the sections you need from the Praxis I Core test.  You can also use a combination of scores from all test options.

Obtaining passing scores is a teacher candidacy requirement and must be completed prior to enrollment in clinical experience courses. Transfer students coming to KU with 48 credits or more will also need to achieve passing scores before admittance into an education program.

PDE will allow a minimum grade of a B in CMP 200 or CMP 201 to count as passing scores towards the reading and writing sections. A minimum grade of a B in MAT 103 and MAT 104 counts towards a passing score for the math section.

Scores for Basic Skills Tests:

    • SAT Scores

      Prior to March 1, 2016:

      Content Critical Reading Mathematics Writing
      Passing Score 500 500 500

      Minimum 500 or higher in each individual section required.

      After February 29, 2016:

      Content Reading Mathematics Writing
      Passing Score 27 26 28
      Minimum Score 25 24 26

      Composite score of 81 with at least the minimum score required.

    • ACT Scores

      September 1, 2015, to August 31, 2016:

      Content Reading Writing Mathematics
      Passing Score 22 21 21
      Minimum Score 20

      17

      		 19

      Composite score of 64 with at least the minimum score required.

        

      After August 31, 2016:

      Content Reading Writing Mathematics
      Passing Score 22 8 21
      Minimum Score 20

      7

      		 19

      Composite score of 51 with at least the minimum score required.

    • Praxis (Core) Test

      Sept. 1, 2019, and later:

      Content Reading (5713) Writing (5723) Mathematics (5733)
      Passing Score 156 162 142
      Minimum Score 148

      158

      132

      Composite score of 460 with at least the minimum score required.

    • PAPA Test
      Content Reading (8001) Writing (8003) Mathematics (8002)
      Passing Score 220 220 193
      Minimum Score 193

      192

      		 176*

      Composite score of 633 with at least the minimum score required.

      *PDE will accept 174 from candidates accepted into an educator program prior to 8/31/16

    Praxis II Subject Assessments 

    The Praxis II Subject Assessment tests measure knowledge of specific subjects that educators will teach, as well as general and subject-specific teaching skills and knowledge. Teacher candidates must pass the assessment as part of the teacher licensing and certification process required by Pennsylvania and other states. 

    The test(s) you take depend(s) on the content area you want to teach. Each state that uses the Praxis tests sets its own requirements for which tests you must take, as well as the associated passing scores. Find the current requirements for Pennsylvania here. 

    Please note that German and Spanish teacher candidates are required to take the 5511 Fundamental Content Knowledge Praxis test or the appropriate OPI & WLT exams.

    Special Education dual certificate teacher candidates must take the 5511 Fundamental Content Knowledge Praxis test in addition to their content area Subject Assessment test.

    Test Preparation