What is the basic skills requirement for admissions to Relay? (Connecticut, District of Columbia, Louisiana, New Jersey, and New York initial-level teacher candidates only) – Relay Support

The basic skills requirement assesses a candidate’s competency levels in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Some states require a basic skills exam for admissions* into a teacher licensure program, and/or for eligibility for teacher licensure; therefore, what is deemed acceptable for meeting the basic skills requirement varies by the state in which a Relay candidate is seeking to enroll and/or obtain licensure. For details on which exams meet the basic skills requirement for your program, please review the table below.

For directions on how to access a score report for the Praxis Core, GRE, ACT, or SAT, please review this Support Center article: “How do I access score reports for the basic skills requirement?”

State	Relay Program(s)	The basic skills testing requirement may be met in any one of the following ways in the below states and Relay programs
Connecticut	Connecticut: Alternate Route Certification*	Praxis Core (Reading, Math, and Writing subsections) (passing score not required) SAT (no minimum cutoff) ACT (no minimum cutoff) GRE (no minimum cutoff)
Louisiana	Baton Rouge/New Orleans: 1-Year Alternative Certification	Passing Praxis Core (Reading, Math, and Writing subsections) Reading: 156 Writing:162 Math: 150 SAT minimum cut score: Taken pre-March 2016 - 1030 Taken post-March 2016 - combined verbal and match score of 1100 ACT minimum cut score: composite 22 IF an applicant already holds a masters degree from a regionally accredited institution, evidence of basic skills is not required
Louisiana	Baton Rouge/New Orleans: Residents 2-Year M.A.T. Degree with Certification	Passing Praxis Core (Reading, Math, and Writing subsections) Reading: 156 Writing:162 Math: 150 SAT minimum cut score: Taken pre-March 2016 - 1030 Taken post-March 2016 - combined verbal and match score of 1100 ACT minimum cut score: composite 22 IF an applicant already holds a masters degree from a regionally accredited institution, evidence of basic skills is not required
Louisiana	Baton Rouge/New Orleans: 2-Year M.A.T. Degree with Certification	Passing Praxis Core (Reading, Math, and Writing subsections) Reading: 156 Writing:162 Math: 150 SAT minimum cut score: Taken pre-March 2016 - 1030 Taken post-March 2016 - combined verbal and match score of 1100 ACT minimum cut score: composite 22 IF an applicant already holds a masters degree from a regionally accredited institution, evidence of basic skills is not required
New Jersey	Camden/Newark: 2-Year Alt Cert M.A.T. Degree	Passing Praxis Core (Reading, Math, and Writing subsections) Reading: 156 Writing:162 Math: 150 SAT minimum cut score: If taken before 4/1/1995: Math 520, Reading 480 If taken between 4/1/1995 to 2/28/2016: Math 540, Reading 560 If taken on or after 3/1/2016: Math 570, 610 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or 30 Reading Section ACT minimum cut score: If taken before 8/28/1989: Math 23, English 20 o If taken on or after 8/28/1989: Math 23, English 23 GRE minimum cut score: If taken before 8/1/2011: Quantitative 720, Verbal 530 If taken on or after 8/1/2011: Quantitative 156, Verbal 155
New Jersey	Camden/Newark: 1-Year SPED Advanced Certification	There is no basic skills requirement for students enrolled in this program (i.e., students do not have to upload scores from a basic skills exam for this program).
New York	New York: 2-Year MAT and Transitional B Certification*	GRE (no minimum cutoff)
New York	SPED Advanced Certification*	GRE (no minimum cutoff)
Washington DC	Washington DC: 2-Year M.A.T. Degree**	Passing Praxis Core (Reading, Math, and Writing subsections) SAT Taken in 2005 and after - Verbal & Math: 960 Taken prior to 2005 - Verbal & Math: 850 ACT Composite: 20 GRE Taken in 2012 and after - Verbal & Quantitative: 288 Taken prior to 2012 - Verbal & Quantitative: 870 Writing: 3.5
Washington DC	Washington DC Advanced Certification	Passing Praxis Core (Reading, Math, and Writing subsections) Reading: 156 Writing:162 Math: 150 SAT Taken in 2005 and after - Verbal & Math: 960 Taken prior to 2005 - Verbal & Math: 850 ACT Composite: 20 GRE Taken in 2012 and after - Verbal & Quantitative: 288 Taken prior to 2012 - Verbal & Quantitative: 870 Writing: 3.5

*Unless passing or minimum scores on a basic skills exam are required to enroll in an educator preparation program in your state, your scores will not have an impact on whether you receive an offer of admission from Relay (i.e., they are only for data collection purposes).

**Basic skills are required for certification/licensure but are NOT required for admissions into this program.

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