Licensure Assessment
An important part of your journey to becoming a teacher are passing your licensure assessments. Most licensure areas require one or more Praxis exams administered by Educational Testing Services. Licensure areas such as Elementary Education and Special Education require an additional test (Foundations of Reading) through Pearson that assesses proficiency and depth of understanding of the subject of reading and writing development. This site will provide information via direct links to testing sites or the Arkansas Department of Education and will address questions about registration, obtaining scores, accomodations and test preparation.
Test Registration and Scores
When registering for a Praxis exam, it is important to know the licensure area for your major* and always use the following test requirements site to ensure you are signing up for the most recent version of any given test: Arkansas Praxis Requirements.
Please ask your faculty coordinator or advisor if you have questions about when to take a test.
Teacher candidates have several options for testing locations when registering, including At Home testing for certain Praxis exams and Testing Center locations in the NW Arkansas area. Test takers will need to select the University of Arkansas Fayetteville (6866) as a score recipient.
Register for Praxis Tests (Code: University of Arkansas Fayetteville 6866)
Fees for each Arkansas Praxis test can be found on on the Arkansas Praxis Requirements page.
This site will allow you to see the exact date that your score report will be released. This may be helpful to know if you are applying to a program that has a specific deadline.
If you expect that you will need to apply for any accomodations, it is recommended that you begin the process at least 6 to 8 weeks prior to your target test date. Please read through all information on the ETS website on available accomodations and how to apply.
Resources for Test Takers with Disabilities and Health-related Needs
2022-2023 Bulletin Supplement for Test Takers with Disabilities
Test Preparation Resources
The Razorback Educator Development Hub now provides access to Praxis Core and Praxis II study content and practice tests through 240 Tutoring. This service is FREE of charge to all current students and is available once you have registered for your test, are at least 60 days out from your test date but no less than one week from test date.
For more information and instructions on how to access this resource, complete this test preparation request form:
https://forms.gle/BKTeBkJ74pCzQMwaA
Other resources offered through 240 Tutoring are listed below:
https://www.240tutoring.com/praxis-prep/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2118093698276007/ - Praxis Study & Test Prep Group
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZk5AWU1UoVShgcZBwHU3VcSptZFG9VyX - Praxis YouTube Playlist
Other Program Specific Testing Requirements
Currently, Elementary Education does require minimum scores in basic skills assessments for admission to a teacher preparation program. Please see your program advisor for program admission criteria.
Below are minimum score requirements that can be allowed for admission to a teacher preparation program. Students may use any combination of reading, writing (the English subtest without the writing subtest will not meet the requirement), and math scores in the process of applying for admission into UA Teacher Education Preparation Programs:
| Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 | Option 4 |
| ACT | SAT | GRE | Praxis Core |
| Reading: 20 | Reading: 544 | Reading: 151 | Reading: 156 |
| Writing: 7 | Writing: 5 | Writing: 4 | Writing: 162 |
| Math: 20 | Math: 533 | Math: 153 | Math: 150 |
Certain programs may require the pedagogy test Principles of Learning and Teaching or World Languages Pedagogy. Qualifying scores for each are listed below.
| Pedagogy Assessments | Test Code | Qualifying Score |
|---|---|---|
| Principles of Learning and Teaching: Early Childhood | 5621 | 157 |
| Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K–6* | 5622 | 160 |
| Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 5–9 | 5623 | 160 |
| Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7–12** | 5624 | 157 |
| World Languages Pedagogy*** | 5841 | 158 |
The Foundations of Reading test for Arkansas assesses proficiency in and depth of understanding of the subject of reading and writing development. The test reflects scientifically based reading research.
Who needs to take the test?
In accordance with Act 416 of 2017, a person who applies for an Elementary Education K–6 or a Special Education K–12 license is required to successfully pass a stand-alone teaching reading test—the Foundations of Reading. This requirement is effective starting September 1, 2017.
The stand-alone reading assessment requirements apply to the following:
- Teachers placed on an Additional Licensure Plan (ALP) for Special Education K–12 or Elementary Education K–6 beginning in the fall of the 2017–2018 school year will be required to meet the changes to licensure assessments;
- Teachers applying for reciprocity after September 1, 2017, for Elementary Education K–6 and Special Education K–12 are required to meet these requirements if the teacher has less than three (3) years documented teaching experience. A provisional license will be available for reciprocity candidates, if needed;
- Teachers who enroll in a Special Education K–12 or Elementary Education K–6 program that begins in the fall of 2017, and thereafter. (Candidates who enrolled in a Special Education K–12 or Elementary Education K–6 program and started their coursework prior to the fall of 2017 do not have to take the stand-alone reading test.);
The requirements of Act 416 also apply to currently licensed teachers testing out of the K–6 endorsement after September 1, 2017. These teachers must also meet all other licensure requirements in place at the time of licensure application.
- Arkansas Foundations of Reading Test Homepage
- Preparation Information
- Requesting Alternative Testing Arrangements
*If you are completing an endorsement program, information about required testing can be found on our Endorsements website.