Teacher Licensure Requirements
Minimum Requirements for Initial Teacher Licensure by State

Resources

Updated July 2019

The SREB Teacher Preparation Commission recommends that state licensing require practice-based assessments. Eight SREB states have adopted practice-based assessments since 2010.

The updated table summarizes state licensure assessment and clinical practice requirements for all licensure candidates, including those enrolled in alternative pathways.

State Required
Basic Skills
Assessment
 

Required Subject &
Pedagogical
Assessment
 

Clinical
Experience
Requirement
Alabama Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators

Praxis II Subject Tests

edTPA

Full-time, semester internship
Arkansas None

Praxis II Subject Tests

Principles of Learning and Teaching OR

edTPA

Determined by education preparation provider
Delaware

State-approved tests include Praxis Core, SAT, ACT and GRE.

Praxis II Subject Tests

edTPA OR

Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers

Options include:

Student teaching program

One year of teaching (≥ 91 days)

Enrollment in alternative program

Completion of special institute

Florida Florida General Knowledge Test Florida Teacher Certification Subject Exams

Options include:

Six-semester credit experience

One year of full-time teaching

Georgia Georgia Assessment for Certification of Educators (GACE) Program Admission Assessment

GACE content assessments

edTPA

Semester residency or internship required

Yearlong residency recommended

Kentucky Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators

Praxis II Subject Tests

Principles of Learning and Teaching

One semester experience lasting at least 70 full days
Louisiana Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators or ACT

Praxis II Subject Tests

Principles of Learning and Teaching

Options include:

Full-year residency for traditional teacher candidates

Job-embedded internship for alternative-route candidates

Maryland Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, ACT, SAT or GRE

Praxis II Subject Tests

Principles of Learning and Teaching

Options include:

Completion of supervised experience

One year of full-time teaching

One school year of long-term substitute teaching experience

Mississippi Praxis CASE or ACT

Praxis II Subject Tests

Principles of Learning and
Teaching

Foundations of Reading1


 
Student teaching experience lasting at least 12 weeks
North Carolina

None2

Praxis II Subject Tests

Pearson (K-6 and Special Ed)

Internship lasting a minimum of 16 weeks
Oklahoma Oklahoma General Education Test

Oklahoma Subject Area Tests

Oklahoma Professional Teaching Exam OR the Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT)

Options include:

Twelve weeks (or 360 hours) of full-time student teaching

Completion of supervised experience (for alternative routes)

South Carolina Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators

Praxis II Subject Tests

Approved Pedagogy Assessments:

  • edTPA
  • Principles of Learning and Teaching
  • Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers 
Twelve weeks or 60 of full-time student teaching
Tennessee Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, ACT or SAT Praxis II Subject Tests

edTPAOR

Principles of Learning and Teaching

Options include:​

Fifteen weeks of student teaching

Internship lasting at least 100 Days

One-year, job-embedded experience

Texas Pre-Admission Content Test

Texas Examinations of Educator Standards Subject Tests

TExES Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities Test

Options include:

14 weeks of full-day clinical training

28 weeks of half-day training OR,

internship for one full school year

Virginia Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment Praxis II Subject Tests

Praxis Reading for Virginia Educators Assessment4

Options include:

Supervised experience lasting at least 10 weeks OR,

One year of full-time teaching experience

West Virginia Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, ACT or SAT

Praxis II Subject Tests

Principles of Learning and Teaching

Clinical experience lasting at least 12 weeks

Source: SREB review of state statutes, administrative regulations and state agency websites

1 Required for individuals applying for Elementary (K-3 and K-6) and Alternate Route (Gr. 4-6) licensure.
2 Degree-seeking student produce valid Praxis I Core scores at the point of program admission.
3 Beginning January 1, 2019, edTPA will replace PLT in certain licensure areas.
Required for individuals applying for Elementary and some Special Education certification areas.