Alabama 

Alabama's testing program has been adopted by the Alabama State Board of Education. The Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) consists of the following:

• Praxis Subject Assessments (content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge)
• Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (pedagogical knowledge)
• edTPA® Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (pedagogical knowledge)
• Foundations of Reading (foundational reading assessment)

Individuals seeking certification in Alabama must successfully complete the current requirements of the AECAP, as applicable.

• Review the Licensure Requirements page to find specific testing requirements information about the different certification approaches.
• Check out the Alabama State Department of Education's (ALSDE) website for specific information about the Alabama certification approaches.

• ETS has discontinued paper-delivered testing.
• However, Praxis tests will continue to be available in a paper-delivered format as required for ADA accommodations.

• If you test in Alabama at a test center or at home, and your Praxis profile address is in Alabama, your score report will be sent automatically to the Alabama State Department of Education.
• If you test outside Alabama, or your Praxis profile address is not in Alabama, your scores are NOT automatically sent to the Alabama State Department of Education. To have your scores sent to the Alabama State Department of Education, you must select the Alabama State Department of Education (state code 7020) as a score recipient when you register.
• To request additional score reports for all methods of Praxis testing, you must select the Alabama State Department of Education (state code 7020) with each additional score-report request.
• Alabama requires official electronic score reports directly from ETS. Alabama does not accept paper score reports. Praxis scores (current and discontinued) are only reportable by ETS for 10 years from the date the test was taken.

To receive certification, all candidates must:

• earn a baccalaureate degree or an advanced degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• complete an approved educator preparation program OR a district training program for licensure.
• maintain cumulative GPA requirements in the baccalaureate or state-approved post-baccalaureate certification program.
• pass the Praxis tests for their certification area.

For those applying based on the completion of an Alabama, state-approved educator preparation program at an Alabama college or university:

• General testing information for all applicants may be found in the Overview of Alabama Testing Requirements.
• Individuals should contact the Certification Officer at the Alabama college or university where they are enrolled for additional information regarding program entry requirements and test implementation dates according to current Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) policies.
• Individuals who choose to test without advisement from a Certification Officer at an Alabama college or university according to current ALSDE testing policies do so at their own risk.

Traditional Class B (bachelor's degree-level) Programs

Individuals applying for the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate based on the completion of a Traditional Class B Program must successfully complete the following Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) requirements:

• Pass the required Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests).
• Pass the required Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA). Information pertaining to specific Alabama required handbooks and scores can be found in the Alabama Teacher Certification page of the Alabama State Department of Education website.
• A passing score on Foundations of Reading 190 (offered by Pearson Education) is required for initial certification in early childhood education (P–3), elementary education (K–6), and collaborative teacher (K–6).  
• A passing score on the PLT will continue to be required for the teaching fields of Computer Science, Gifted Education, Health Science, and Technical Education program areas since an edTPA Handbook is not available.

Alternative Class A (master's degree-level, initial preparation) Programs

Individuals applying for the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate based on the completion of an Alternative Class A Alabama State-approved Program must successfully complete the following Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) requirements:

• Pass the required Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests).
• Pass the required Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA). Information pertaining to specific Alabama required handbooks and scores can be found in the Alabama Teacher Certification page of the Alabama State Department of Education website.
• A passing score on Foundations of Reading 190 (offered by Pearson Education) is required for initial certification in early childhood education (P–3), elementary education (K–6), and collaborative teacher (K–6).

Traditional Class (master's degree-level) or Traditional Class AA (sixth-year level or Educational Specialist) Programs

Individuals applying for the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate in an initial area and/or grade level, based on the completion of a Traditional Class A or Traditional Class AA Alabama state-approved Program, must pass the current AECAP Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests).

• Find your certification area to determine which test(s) you need to take. For test prep materials, select the test title. Once you know which tests you should take, schedule your test.
• Unless it is specifically stated that a calculator is permitted or required for a particular test, you cannot use a calculator on any Praxis tests (review Calculator Use).

Tests required for all teaching fields

Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT)

The PLT test is required for the teaching fields of Computer Science, Gifted Education, Health Science, and Technical Education program areas as an Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) Handbook is not available.

• The edTPA is required for all other teaching fields.
• Information pertaining to specific Alabama required handbooks and scores can be found in the Alabama Teacher Certification page of the Alabama State Department of Education website.
• Please refer to the required Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests).

General testing information for all applicants may be found in the Overview of Alabama Testing Requirements.

• Review the Alabama Alternative Certificates page on the Alabama State Department of Education website for information regarding this certification approach and additional options for meeting the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) requirements.
• Note: Testing requirements, if applicable, will be determined after a complete application is received and reviewed by ALSDE staff. Individuals who choose to test prior to review and advisement from ALSDE staff do so at their own risk.

Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCTF) Approach

For those applying based on the PCTF approach:

• General testing information for all applicants may be found in the Overview of Alabama Testing Requirements.
• Review the Alabama Alternative Certificates page on the Alabama State Department of Education website for information regarding this certification approach.
• Certification based on the PCTF Approach may ONLY be requested by an employing Alabama county/city superintendent or eligible nonpublic/private school administrator.
• An individual should contact the school system or eligible nonpublic/private school in which employment is desired for information concerning certificate eligibility.
• Individuals who choose to test without advisement from an employing Alabama county/city superintendent or eligible nonpublic/private school administrator according to current ALSDE testing policies do so at their own risk.

For the issuance of the first PCTF:

• Pass the required Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests) before October 1 of the scholastic year for which the first PCTF is to be issued.

For the issuance of the second PCTF:

• No tests are required.

For the issuance of the third PCTF:

• No tests are required.

For issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate:

• Find your certification area to determine which test(s) you need to take.
• For test prep materials, select the test title.
• Once you know which tests you should take, schedule your test.
• Unless it is specifically stated that a calculator is permitted or required for a particular test, you cannot use a calculator on any Praxis tests (review Calculator Use).
• Individuals holding the PCTF certificate(s) have the option of completing requirements in 1, 2, or 3 years. Testing options are based on the number of years the PCTF certificate(s) is/are held.
• If the individual holds the PCTF certificate(s) for 1 or 2 scholastic years, the following test option must be met for issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate following the PCTF Approach: a passing score on the required Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) by October 1 of the scholastic year for which the final PCTF certificate expires. Information pertaining to specific Alabama required handbooks and scores can be found in the Alabama State Department of Education website.
• If the individual holds the PCTF certificates for 3 scholastic years, they will be issued the Professional Educator Certificate following the PCTF Approach if they receivea passing score on the required Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) by October 1 of the scholastic year for which the final PCTF certificate expires OR a passing score on the required Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) test by October 1 of the calendar year before the third PCTF certificate expires.
• Information pertaining to specific Alabama required handbooks and scores can be found in the Alabama State Department of Education website.

Provisional Certificate in Library Media and School Counseling (PCLS)

Certification based on the PCLS Approach may ONLY be requested by an employing Alabama county/city superintendent or eligible nonpublic/private school administrator. An individual should contact the school system or eligible nonpublic/private school in which employment is desired for information concerning certificate eligibility.

Individuals who choose to test without advisement from an employing Alabama county/city superintendent or eligible nonpublic/private school administrator according to current ALSDE testing policies do so at their own risk. The Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests) required for issuance of the PCLS are based on the certification area for which the PCLS is requested.

PCLS in Library Media or School Counseling

• Applicants for the issuance of the first PCLS must successfully complete the current Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests) before October 1 of the scholastic year for which the first PCLS is to be issued.

Business and Industry to Educational Administrator (BIEA) Approaches

Certification based on the BIEA Approach may ONLY be requested by an employing Alabama county/city superintendent. An individual should contact the school system in which employment is desired for information concerning certificate eligibility. A request for the BIEA may only be considered for an individual who is not eligible for certification in the requested area through any other alternative, reciprocal, or traditional approach. An individual should contact the school system in which employment is desired for information concerning certificate eligibility.

Individuals who choose to test without advisement from an employing Alabama county/city superintendent according to current ALSDE testing policies do so at their own risk.

BIEA in Educational Administration

• Applicants for the issuance of the first BIEA must successfully complete the current Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests) before October 1 of the scholastic year for which the first BIEA is to be issued.

Interim Employment Certificate (IEC) Approach

Certification based on the IEC Approach may ONLY be requested by an employing Alabama county/city superintendent or eligible nonpublic/private school administrator. An individual should contact the school system or eligible nonpublic/private school in which employment is desired. In collaboration with the employing school system or eligible nonpublic/private school, the IEC Approach requires unconditional admission to an Alabama Educator Preparation Program.

Individuals should contact the Certification Officer at the Alabama college or university where they are enrolled or plan to enroll for additional information regarding program entry requirements and test implementation dates according to current Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) policies. Individuals who choose to test without advisement according to current ALSDE testing policies do so at their own risk.

Alabama provides the IEC Approach for four categories of individuals:

• those unconditionally admitted to an Alternative Class A Program provided by an Alabama college or university
• those unconditionally admitted to a Traditional Class A Program provided by an Alabama college or university in an area of Special Education, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Instructional Leadership, Library Media, School Counseling, and Reading Specialist
• those unconditionally admitted to a Traditional Class AA Program provided by an Alabama college or university in an area of Special Education
• those unconditionally admitted to a Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Accredited Program in School Counseling at an Alabama university

Alternative Class A (master's degree-level, initial preparation) Educator Preparation Programs

For the issuance of the first IEC:

• Pass the required Praxis Subject Assessments (content tests) before the date the application is received in the Educator Certification Section.

For the issuance of the second and third IEC (if applicable):

• No tests are required.

For the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate:

• Additional testing may be required for the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate.
• Please refer to Alabama Educator Preparation Program Approach or consult with the Certification Officer at the Alabama college or university where you are enrolled to receive additional information.
• Application for the Professional Educator Certificate is made by the individual, in conjunction with the Alabama institution, upon completion of all requirements of the Alternative Class A Educator Preparation Program.

Traditional Class A Educator Preparation Programs

Individuals applying for the issuance of the first IEC based on unconditional admission to an Alabama Traditional Class A Educator Preparation Program in an area of Special Education, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Instructional Leadership, Library Media, School Counseling, and Reading Specialist have no test requirements for the IEC Approach.

Testing may be required for the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate. Please refer to Alabama Educator Preparation Program Approach or consult with the Certification Officer at the Alabama college or university where you are enrolled for additional information. Application for the Professional Educator Certificate or Professional Leadership Certificate is made by the individual, in conjunction with the Alabama institution, upon completion of all requirements of the Traditional Class A Educator Preparation Program.

Traditional Class AA Educator Preparation Programs in Areas of Special Education

Individuals applying for the issuance of the first IEC based on unconditional admission to an Alabama Traditional Class AA Educator Preparation Program in an area of Special Education have no test requirements for the IEC Approach. Testing may be required for the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate. Please refer to Alabama Educator Preparation Program Approach or consult with the Certification Officer at the Alabama college or university where you are enrolled for additional information. Application for the Professional Educator Certificate is made by the individual, in conjunction with the Alabama institution, upon completion of all requirements of the Traditional Class AA Educator Preparation Program.

CACREP-Accredited School Counseling Program

Test requirements for issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate may be found at Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Accredited School Counseling Program and on the application forms. Application for the Professional Educator Certificate is made by the applicant, in conjunction with the Alabama institution, upon completion of all requirements of the CACREP-Accredited School Counseling Program Approach.

• Find your certification area to determine which test(s) you need to take.
• For test prep materials, select the test title. Once you know which tests you should take, schedule your test.
• Unless it is specifically stated that a calculator is permitted or required for a particular test, you cannot use a calculator on any Praxis tests (review Calculator Use).

Temporary Special Education Certificate (TSEC) Approach

Certification based on the TSEC Approach may ONLY be requested by an employing Alabama county/city superintendent or eligible nonpublic/private school administrator. An individual should contact the school system or eligible nonpublic/private school in which employment is desired for information concerning certificate eligibility. Individuals who choose to test without advisement from an employing Alabama county/city superintendent or eligible nonpublic/private school administrator according to current ALSDE testing policies do so at their own risk.

For the issuance of the first TSEC:

• No tests are required.

For the issuance of the second TSEC:

• No tests are required.

For the issuance of the third TSEC:

• No tests are required.

Tests Required for Issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate Following the TSEC Approach

Individuals applying for the issuance of the Professional Educator Certificate based on the completion of the TSEC Approach must successfully complete the current Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) requirements.