To become a teacher in New Jersey, you must pass a series of tests designated by the New Jersey Department of Education to demonstrate your proficiency in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics, and in the subjects you will be teaching in the classroom.

Core Academic Skills for Educators (Praxis Core)

The Praxis Core is a series of three exams covering Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. Passing scores on the Praxis Core is required of all candidates no matter which subject area you plan on teaching. Admission to the Education Program usually occurs in your fourth semester for traditional four-year students and in your first semester at Centenary if you are a transfer student. Passing scores are set by the New Jersey Department of Education and can be found on the ETS website through the link below.

As an alternative to the Praxis Core, you may substitute passing scores on the SAT, ACT, or GRE Exams.

Praxis II Exams for Certification

Before you can complete your Clinical Internship (Student Teaching), you must pass the Praxis II Test for your specific content area. K-6 candidates must pass the Elementary K-6 Multiple Subjects Test which consists of a Language Arts test, a Mathematics test, a Social Studies test, and a Science test. Candidates for high school certification must pass a content test in your subject area.

There is no Praxis test for the Teacher of Students with Disabilities (TOSD) Endorsement. You earn the TOSD through your coursework.

In addition to your elementary or high school certification, you can also choose to earn middle school certifications in Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. To earn a middle school certification, you must pass the appropriate Praxis and have a minimum of 15 credit hours in that subject area. With your high school certification, you can teach the same subject in middle school, but you can still earn a middle school certification in other subject areas. A Preschool – Grade 3 certification is also available by taking three additional two-credit courses and passing the appropriate Praxis test.

The ETS website contains information about the Praxis Tests for the certification in New Jersey.