Licensure
You will have to demonstrate content knowledge prior to being eligible to apply for a Colorado Initial Teaching License. September 1, 2021, is the Content Knowledge Checkpoint, at which date we request all of our graduate students have demonstrated content knowledge. We will support graduate students who do not pass by this date, but this deadline provides sufficient time for intervention as needed.
Testing Dates
We strongly suggest that incoming students who need to take the Praxis exam do so based on their date of hire. Applicants can be admitted and enroll if they do not have a passing Praxis score, as they will receive support from Relay. Be sure to read the remainder of this document, because many graduate students do not have to take a Praxis II Exam.
Wave | If Hired By… | Take the Praxis II Exam By… |
1 | December 1, 2020 | February 1, 2021 |
2 | February 1, 2021 | April 1, 2021 |
3 | April 1, 2021 | June 1, 2021 |
4 | After April 1, 2021 | July 1, 2021 |
Our goal is to ensure incoming students are on track for licensure, so please reach out if the timelines above do not work for you.
Do I Need to Pass a Praxis Exam?
Are you seeking licensure as an Elementary Teacher?
If so, you need to take the Praxis II Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects Exam (5001) and earn at least the following scores: Reading (5002) score 157, Math (5003) score 157, Social Studies (5004) score 155, and Science (5005) score 159.
For early childhood and secondary teachers (grades 6-12): do you have an undergraduate or graduate degree that matches your content area, (science, English, social studies/history, or mathematics)?
If you have an undergraduate or graduate-level degree that exactly matches your content area, you do not need to take the Praxis. These majors are:
Endorsement Area/Relay Major |
Recognized Undergraduate or Graduate Majors |
Secondary English Language Arts | English Language Arts |
Secondary Mathematics | Mathematics |
Middle School Mathematics | Mathematics or Middle-Level Mathematics |
Science | General Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, or Astronomy |
Social Studies | History, Geography, Economics, Political Science, or Social Studies |
For early childhood and secondary teachers (grades 6-12): do you have 24 undergraduate or graduate credits in your content area, as outlined by the Colorado State Board of Education?
If you meet the Colorado State Board of Education credit requirements for your content area in the table below, you do not need to take the Praxis II Exam.
Content Area | Resource |
Early Childhood Education | Credit hour requirement |
Secondary English Language Arts | Credit hour requirement |
Secondary Mathematics | Credit hour requirement |
Middle School Mathematics | Credit hour requirement |
Science | Credit hour requirement |
Social Studies | Credit hour requirement |
If none of the above options apply to you, you need to take the Praxis II Exam.
Content Area | Exam | Colorado Passing Score |
Early Childhood Education | Education of Young Children (5024) | 160 |
English Language Arts | English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) | 167 |
Secondary Mathematics | Mathematics: Content Knowledge (5161) | 152 |
Middle School Mathematics | Middle School Mathematics: Content Knowledge (5169) | 165 |
Science | General Science: Content Knowledge (5435) | 152 |
Social Studies | Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) | 150 |