What Tests Do I Need to Take?

Please refer to the following table for information about tests required for certification.

Type of Certification or Endorsement	Tests Required
	Professional Knowledge Test	Subject Knowledge Test(s)	Consti­tutions of the United States and Arizona***	Admin­istrator Tests
Arts Education Certification (PreK– to 12)	Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Elementary or Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Secondary	Art or Music or Dance or Theater		blank
Early Childhood Certification (Birth– to Grade 3)	Professional Knowledge—Early Childhood	Early Childhood Education		blank
Early Childhood Endorsement (Birth– to Grade 3)		Early Childhood Education		blank
Elementary Certification (Grades K– to 8)	Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Elementary	Elementary Education (Subtests I and II)		blank
Reading Endorsement K– to 8		Reading Endorsement K– to 8	blank	blank
Reading Endorsement 6– to 12		Reading Endorsement 6– to 12	blank	blank
Reading Endorsement K– to 12		Reading Endorsement K– to 8 and Reading Endorsement 6– to 12	blank	blank
Middle Grades Certification (Grades 5– to 9)	Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Elementary or Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Secondary	one or more middle grades or secondary subject knowledge tests (see Tests for available fields)		blank
Secondary Certification (Grades 6– to 12)† dagger	Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Secondary	one or more subject knowledge tests† dagger (see Tests for available fields)		blank
Special Education Early Childhood Certification	Special Education: Early Childhood	Early Childhood Education		blank
Special Education Hearing Impaired	Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Elementary	Special Education: Hearing Impaired		blank
Special Education Mild/Moderate Disabilities	Special Education	blank		blank
Special Education Moderate/Severe Disabilities	Special Education: Severely and Profoundly Disabled	Elementary Education (Subtests I and II)		blank
Special Education Visually Impaired	Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Elementary	Special Education: Visually Impaired		blank
Speech-Language Pathologist	blank	Special Education: Speech and Language Impaired*		blank
Career and Technical Education Certification	Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Secondary**	blank		blank
Administrator Certification: Superintendent Principal Supervisor	blank	blank	blank	Super­intendent Sub­tests ­I and II Prin­cipal ­Sub­tests ­I and II Super­visor
Subject Matter Expert Certification (Grades 6– to 12)	Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Secondary‡ double dagger	blank	blank	blank
* Not required for individuals who hold a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology or who have passed the national exam.
** Candidates have three years under a valid teaching certificate to fulfill this requirement.
*** Candidates have three years under a valid teaching certificate to fulfill this requirement, unless they are teaching a course in history, government, social studies, citizenship, law, or civics, in which case this requirement must be met in one year. The successful completion of appropriate college coursework covering the Arizona and U.S. Constitutions may also be used to meet this requirement.
† dagger The secondary certificate requires an approved area for grades 6– to 12. Therefore, a middle grades subject knowledge test may not be used as the first subject knowledge test required for a secondary certificate. Once a secondary certificate is issued, a middle grades approved area may be attached to the certificate as an additional approved area.
‡ double dagger Candidates have two years under a valid teaching certificate to fulfill this requirement.

Mathematics Certification Areas

There are three approved Mathematics areas for certification. The table below depicts each of these certification areas, what each certification area allows educators to teach, and the approved test for certification in each area.

Additional information about these tests, including preparation materials, is available on this site.

Attaching a Middle Grades Approved Area to a Teaching Certificate

Teachers holding a valid elementary certificate who want to attach a middle grades approved area (general science, language arts/reading, mathematics, and social studies) to their certificate must pass the corresponding test(s). Teachers holding a valid secondary certificate must have a secondary approved area prior to adding a middle grades approved area to their certificate. Please visit the ADE Certification Unit's website  for more information.

Approved Assessment for Literacy K–5 Endorsement

Pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes § 15-501.01 and Arizona Administrative Code R7-2-615, teachers who provide English language arts instruction to students in kindergarten through grade five are required to obtain a Literacy K–5 endorsement by August 1, 2028. The endorsement requires completion of coursework or training and passing an exam designed to ensure the educator has the knowledge and skills to: 1. Effectively teach foundational reading skills, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; 2. Implement reading instruction using high-quality instructional materials; and 3. Provide effective instruction and interventions for students with reading deficiencies, including students with characteristics of dyslexia. The Arizona State Board of Education adopted the Foundations of Reading assessment to meet the exam requirement for the Literacy K–5 endorsement.

Out-of-State Teacher Candidate Certification

Persons trained by out-of-state institutions may also need to take some or all applicable assessments for the type of certificate(s) and/or endorsement(s) sought. Persons holding a valid and comparable out-of-state certificate should review the Reciprocity information  on the ADE Certification Unit's website.

Testing Requirements by Test Type

Candidates should review the specific certificate requirements, including exam requirements, by visiting the ADE Certification Unit's website .

• Professional Knowledge Tests. Candidates must meet the professional knowledge testing requirement for most teaching certificates. Refer to the chart above for which professional knowledge test is required for the type of certification being sought.
• Subject Knowledge Tests. Candidates must meet the testing requirement in the specific area in which they are seeking certification if a test is offered in that area. Information about test requirements for approved areas in which AEPA assessments are not offered can be found in the Arizona Educator Exams information  on the ADE Certification Unit's website.
• Constitutions of the United States and Arizona Test. Candidates applying for certification to become a teacher are required to pass an examination or college coursework covering the Constitutions of the United States and Arizona.
• Administrator Tests. Candidates must take the appropriate school administrator test for the certificate they are seeking (Principal Subtests I and II; Superintendent Subtests I and II; Supervisor).
• NES Essential Academic Skills Test. A passing score on the NES Essential Academic Skills test is not accepted for an Arizona teaching certificate. Arizona educator preparation programs may require students to take and pass this test.
• Tests for Additional Approved Areas. A person who holds an Arizona elementary or secondary certificate and applies for an additional approved area must take the relevant subject knowledge test, if one is offered.
• Tests for Substitutes. Examinations are not required for individuals seeking a substitute certificate.