Subject and Pedagogy Assessments

Applicants must meet current testing requirements at the time of application.

If you are enrolled in a Maryland-approved educator preparation program, you should work directly with your program to assure you understand your testing requirements.

Please reference the table below to determine what content and pedagogy assessments are required for the area of certification that you are seeking.

Please note that beginning on July 1, 2025, the edTPA or PPAT will be required for teacher applicants. Until this time, applicants may submit either the edTPA, PPAT, or the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching assessment to fulfill the pedagogy assessment requirement. Currently, there is no specific score required for either the edTPA or PPAT; however, if an applicant submits the Principles of Learning and Teaching, the score indicated below is required. Please visit our Portfolio-Based Assessment page for more information.

Elementary and Secondary Areas

Middle School Area

To register for a Praxis assessment, visit the Educational Testing Service website.

*The edTPA and PPAT will be accepted in lieu of the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching assessment. Please visit our Portfolio-Based Assessment page for more information.

**Professional certificate holders with certification in early childhood, elementary, or special education at the early childhood and elementary levels may test out of the reading coursework renewal requirement (12 semester hours) by meeting the qualifying score on the above Praxis subject assessment.

World Languages

Please note that applicants seeking certification in a world language may meet the testing requirement by presenting qualifying scores on the Praxis content assessment in the specific language or presenting qualifying scores on both the ACTFL OPI and WPT for that language. Currently, the pedagogy test is not required for graduates of approved teacher preparation programs in world languages. It is a requirement only for candidates completing certification through alternative preparation programs. Beginning on July 1, 2025, all teacher candidates must present the PPAT or edTPA as part of the testing requirements for certification.

Specialists and Administrators

You may send test scores to MSDE in one of the following ways:

• Select MSDE as a test score recipient,

• Notation on a college transcript,

• Photocopy of the original score report, or

• Official verification from another state department of education.

****To facilitate a seamless transition, MSDE will continue to accept the former versions of the assessments through August 31, 2025, if taken prior to January 1, 2024. Additionally, although not required until January 1, 2024, MSDE will accept the new assessments immediately should a test taker wish to take the new version prior to January 1st.

*****MSDE will continue to accept the Praxis Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications (5354) content assessment through August 31, 2026, if taken on or before August 31, 2024. Additionally, although not required until September 1, 2024, MSDE will accept the Praxis 5355 immediately should a test taker wish to take the new version.