Testing Requirements for Teachers
Most states, including Maryland, have testing requirements as part of their teaching certification process. In general,
there are two levels of testing: one is the basic skills level assessment, and the other is the subject-specific knowledge
and teaching skills assessments.
To earn the Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree at Montgomery College, students must provide evidence of
essential skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Students may meet the requirement in either of two ways:
1) Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on all coursework at the time of associate's degree
completion. (No basic skills test required!)
2) Earn between a 2.75 and 2.99 cumulative GPA AND present acceptable scores on one of the following
state-approved basic skills tests: SAT, ACT, Praxis I PPST or Praxis Core Academic Skills Tests.
• Some four-year schools in Maryland may still require students to pass a basic skills test before entering the
professional portion of their teacher education program but most are honoring the 3.0 minimum GPA
• The basic skills test is still required for acceptance into alternative certification programs, such as the ACET
program.
What score must I earn to meet the basic skills requirement?
The current accepted tests, with appropriate passing scores, are listed below:
• ACT composite score of 24 OR
• SAT (taken after January 1, 2019) total math and critical reading score of 1180.
• Praxis Core Academic Skills Tests, reading 156, writing 162, and mathematics 150 (must pass each part
separately).
What if I took an older version of the SAT or the Praxis I PPST test?
These scores are also acceptable:
• SAT score
o (Taken from April 1995 – December 2018) Total math and verbal/critical reading score of 1100
o (Take prior to April 1995) Composite math and verbal score of 1000
• Praxis I PPST (taken before September 2014): composite score of 527
When should I take my basic skills test if I have not already completed it?
Students who are recent high school graduates are encouraged to take the tests as soon as possible, as most of the
content on the test will have been covered in their high school coursework. Students who feel they need to review
should generally attempt either the SAT, ACT or Praxis Core after they have completed about 30 semester credits at
MC, including their first math course.
ACT
SAT
Praxis Core
Areas tested
Math, Reading, Science
and English
(Writing not required for
AAT)
Critical Reading, Mathematics
(Essay is optional and not required for
AAT)
Math, Reading and Writing
Format
2 hours, 55 minutes for all
four tests
(Writing section is not
included; one break)
70 Minutes per test section
(No essay; short breaks between
sections)
Math: 85 minutes
Reading: 85 minutes
Writing: 100 minutes for two
essays
Price
$50.50
$47.50
Single test: $90
Combined tests: $150
*Fee waiver may be available for
students on financial aid.
Passing score
24 Composite
(combined score of the four
tests)
1180 total on reading and math only
(January 1, 2019 forward.)
(1100 prior to Dec. 2018 if you were
in an AAT, BA, or MA teacher
preparation program prior to January
1, 2019)
Math: 150
Reading: 156
Writing: 162
Must pass each test-no
composite scores!
How often is test
given?
Six times a year
(September, October,
December, February, April,
June)
Seven times a year
(October, November, December,
January, March, May and June)
Individually scheduled; (Usually
takes 2-4 weeks to get an
appointment)
How do I
register?
http://www.act.org/content/a
ct/en/products-and-
services/the-
act/registration.html
Registration deadline:
About a month before the
testing date
https://sat.collegeboard.org/register
Registration deadline: About a month
before the testing date
http://www.ets.org/praxis/register
Continuous test dates: Up to a
week before the test
Are testing
accommodation
s available?
Yes, for students with
documented disabilities
Yes, for students with documented
disabilities
Yes, for students with
documented disabilities and
students whose primary language
is not English (PLNE).
How can I start
to prepare?
http://cty.jhu.edu/
talent/docs/2014ACT
Preparing.pdf
http://blog.prepscholar.com/whats-
actually-tested-on-sat-reading-skills
Mathematics
http://www.ets.org/s/
praxis/pdf/5732.pdf
Writing
http://www.ets.org/s/
praxis/pdf/5722.pdf
Reading
http://www.ets.org/s/
praxis/pdf/0204.pdf
How does
Montgomery
College get my
scores?
When you register, use this
report code: MC: 5440
When you register, use this report
code: MC: 5440
When you register, use this report
code: MC: 5422
http://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DEE/Certification/testing_info/praxis1.aspx
Rev. 7/24/2020
