Candidate Assessment

Along with meeting other requirements, applicants seeking initial licensure or additional endorsements must submit qualifying scores on all required content assessments developed and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), National Evaluation Services (NES), or the Tennessee Language Center.

Exceptions to the current ETS Praxis assessment requirements include the following assessments and phase-in timelines:

• Biology: Content Knowledge (5235): if taken before 12/31/2023, qualifying scores will be accepted through 12/31/2026.
• Chemistry: Content Knowledge (5245): if taken before 12/31/2023, qualifying scores will be accepted through 12/31/2026.
• Earth & Space Science: Content Knowledge (5571): if taken before 12/31/2023, qualifying scores will be accepted through 12/31/2026.
• Physics: Content Knowledge (5265): if taken by 12/31/2023, qualifying scores will be accepted through 12/31/2026.
• Mathematics: Content Knowledge (5161): If taken by 8/31/2022, qualifying scores will be accepted through 8/31/2025.
• Middle School Mathematics (5169): if taken by 8/31/2022, qualifying scores will be accepted through 8/31/2025
• Middle School Science (5440): if taken by 8/31/2021, qualifying scores will be accepted through 8/31/2024.
• Physical Education: Content and Design (5095): if taken by 8/31/2024, qualifying scores will be accepted through 8/31/2027.
• Principles of Learning and Teaching (5621, 5622, 5623, 5624): if taken by 1/1/2019, qualifying scores will be accepted through 1/1/2024.
• Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood (5691): if taken by 12/31/2023, qualifying scores will be accepted through 12/31/2026.
• Reading Specialist (5301): if taken by 8/31/2021, qualifying scores will be accepted through 8/31/2024.
• Library Media Specialist (5311): if taken before 12/31/2023, qualifying scores will be accepted through 12/31/2026.
• Professional School Counselor (5421): if taken by 12/31/2023, qualifying scores will be accepted through 12/31/2026.
• School Psychologist (5402): if taken by 12/31/2023, qualifying scores will be accepted through 12/31/2026

Beginning June 1st, 2023, specialty area content assessments are no longer required for initial licensure, renewal, or advancement for educators who hold a degree in a qualifying endorsement area and either complete a State Board-approved EPP or enroll in a State Board-approved job-embedded program. This exemption does not apply to the 5205 Teaching Reading: Elementary or 5024 Education of Young Children Praxis assessments. For additional information, please visit the State Board’s Professional Assessment Policy and the Department’s Assessment Guidance Document.

Additionally, individuals applying for initial licensure based on completion of an in-state EPP are required to submit a qualifying score on the applicable edTPA as noted in Professional Assessments Policy 5.105. If an edTPA is not available in the endorsement area, the applicant must submit a qualifying score on one of the relevant Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) assessments. For edTPA registration information, visit the edTPA website. EdTPA scores for candidates affiliated with an approved Tennessee EPP will be automatically sent to the Department. Candidates not affiliated with an approved Tennessee EPP must designate Tennessee as a score recipient when registering.

As of June 1st, 2023, applicants who are enrolled in an in-state program with a job-embedded clinical practice are no longer required to pass the edTPA to qualify for renewal or advancement. However, if an educator allows their license to expire while completing an in- state job-embedded program, the edTPA is required for reactivation.

Educators applying for licensure based on participation in an out-of- state EPP may take either the edTPA or the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching assessment.

Educators who obtain TN licensure based on an active out-of-state license are not required to take the edTPA or Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching Assessment.

When registering for any Tennessee licensure assessment, please provide the testing organization with your social security number and ensure it matches the social security number used to register your TNCompass account. If the SSN is not provided, your scores will not appear in TNCompass and you will need to contact the testing agency to request that they be resent, which may involve an additional fee. Score reports must be sent directly from the testing agency and will not be accepted from any other party.