Licensure Testing | Colorado Mesa University

To be prepared for student teaching, all teacher candidates must submit passing scores for state-approved content area licensure exams prior to the start of their internship semester.

Praxis Subject Exam Registration Guide

For information on required content exams, cut scores, and study materials, click on an endorsement area below.

Starting October 1, 2021, the Colorado Department of Education will require 2 exams for Early Childhood Teacher Licensure:

Education of Young Children
- Test code 5024.
- Passing score 160.
Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205)
- Test code 5205
- Passing score 159

Preparation Materials:

*For tips on signing up, see our Praxis Subject Exam Registration Quick Steps*

**All K-3 teachers must meet the READ Act requirements within their first years of teaching. Passing the 5205 exam meets this requirement. Learn more at http://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy.

Starting October 1, 2021, the Colorado Department of Education is requiring a new reading exam for Elementary Teacher Licensure to replace the 5002 exam.

Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205) **
- Test code: 5205
- Passing score 159
Elementary Education: Mathematics Subtest*
- Test code: 5003 or 5903
- Required score: 157
Elementary Education: Social Studies Subtest*
- Test code: 5004 or 5904
- Required score: 155
Elementary Education: Science Subtest*
- Test code: 5005 or 5905
- Required score: 159

*The Math, Social Studies, and Science tests may be taken together and registered for as a bundle to save money. For the 3-subject bundle, use the test code of 5901 to register.

**Elementary Education Reading & LA Subtest (5002) will be accepted by CDE if taken prior to October 1, 2021. Test code: 5002; required score: 157.
***All K-3 teachers must meet the READ Act requirements within their first years of teaching. Passing the 5205 exam meets this requirement. Learn more at http://www.cde.state.co.us/coloradoliteracy.

Elementary Praxis Preparation Materials

ETS Test Preparation Sites:
- https://www.ets.org/praxis/prepare/materials/5205
- https://www.ets.org/praxis/prepare/materials/5901
Khan Academy resources for the Elementary Social Studies Exam: https://www.coloradomesa.edu/teacher-education/documents/elem-socst-5004-khan-resources.pdf
Elementary Math content resources: https://www.mathhelp.com/praxis-elementary-5001-5003/

Registration Tips:

Must pass all 4 subjects to be eligible for licensure.
You can take or retake the subject exams separately by using the exam codes above.
To sign up, see our Praxis Subject Exam Registration Quick Steps.

English Language Arts - Secondary

ELA test code: 5038
Required score: 167
English Preparation Materials

Mathematics - Secondary

Math test code: 5161
Required score: 152
Math Preparation Materials

General Science - Secondary

Science test code: 5435
Required score: 152
Science Preparation Materials

Social Studies - Secondary

Social Studies test code: 5081
Required score: 150
Social Studies Preparation Materials

Spanish - Secondary

Spanish test code: 5195
Required score: 163
Spanish Preparation Materials

*For tips on signing up, see our Praxis II Registration Quick Steps*

Art: Content and Analysis Grades K-12

Art test code: 5135
Required score: 158
K-12 Art Preparation Materials

Music Grades K-12

Music test Code: 5113
Required score: 161
K-12 Music Preparation Materials

Physical Education Grades K-12

PE test code: 5091
Required score: 148
K-12 PE Preparation Materials

*For tips on signing up, see our Praxis II Registration Quick Steps*

The PLACE exam was replaced by the Praxis II in 2017. Applicants who completed the PLACE exam PRIOR to May 6, 2017 may still use their PLACE scores for their licensure application. PLACE exam scores will be accepted by CDE until May 6, 2022.

Passing score for all PLACE exams is 220.

Praxis Subject Exam Registration

Register through the ETS website
Colorado's agency code: 7040
Recipient code for CMU: 4484
The code for the test center located at Colorado Mesa University: 5307Praxis Testing Offered at-Home, at CMU, or Offsite:

To register to test at CMU see the Praxis Website at https://www.ets.org/praxis/co/requirements
- In response to COVID-19, the CMU Testing Center is only scheduling testing 30 days in advance.
- At the beginning of each month, new testing dates at the CMU Testing Center become available.
ETS is offering at-home testing options. You do have to create a proctored environment at home. More information can be found at https://www.ets.org/s/cv/praxis/at-home/
For rescheduling and other at-home test information, see the ETS website at https://www.ets.org/s/cv/praxis/at-home/faq/
To locate another testing center see https://www.prometric.com/site-openings.

Help Paying for Praxis

Exam Fees & Fee Waiver

Praxis testing fee information is available at https://www.ets.org/praxis/about/fees/
Exam fee waivers are available for qualifying candidates based a candidate's FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) that shows an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $3,000 or less.
To apply for an exam fee waiver, see https://www.ets.org/praxis/about/fees/fee_waivers/

Scholarship

Study.com Praxis Scholarship: https://study.com/academy/popular/studycom-praxis-scholarship-application-form-information.html

Prepare for the Praxis

Praxis study tools are also available at the CMU Library: Access Praxis preparation materials
Praxis Webinars

Colorado Department of Education Licensure Information

CDE Endorsement Exam Requirements: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/endorsementrequirements
CDE Initial Licensure Checklist: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/checklist-initialteacher

Praxis CORE

(Undergraduate Students ONLY)

If you are applying to the Teacher Education program after taking EDUC 115/215, you must take the Praxis CORE and be admitted to teacher education prior to taking 300-level or higher EDUC classes. To learn more about taking Praxis Core see our CTE Admission Testing page. To learn more about applying to Teacher Ed, see How to Apply.