Overview
Step 1: Determine the required assessments for your content area
- Assessments taken by educators certified outside of Connecticut: Deferral, Exemptions and Verification
- Early Childhood, Elementary Education & Special Education
- Educational Leadership
- Middle/Secondary Science and Mathematics Endorsements
- Middle/Secondary Arts, English, and Humanities Endorsements
- Unified Arts/Special Subjects Endorsements (PreK-12 Endorsements)
- World Languages
Step 2: Register for the assessments
Step 3: Take the assessments and provide documentation
- Take the required certification assessment(s);
- Obtain a passing score report from the testing provider; and
- Email a copy of the score report to teacher.cert@ct.gov, including your name and Educator Identification Number (EIN) in the subject line
In-State Educators Seeking Cross-Endorsement
Subject Area Excellence Scores and qualifying for Cross-Endorsements
As of July 1, 2010, candidates for certification in designated shortage areas are allowed to substitute the achievement of excellence scores on the State Board of Education approved subject area assessment(s) appropriate to the certification endorsement sought, in lieu of required subject area major or subject area coursework. Excellence scores may NOT be substituted for required pedagogical coursework. Excellence scores may also be accepted by the Department of Education in lieu of content area coursework required for issuing a cross-endorsement. Connecticut educator preparation institutions, including alternate route programs, have the option to accept excellence scores in lieu of a subject area major or minimum subject area coursework requirements; however, use of this option is at the discretion of each preparation institution or program.
See Certification Alert: Subject Area Assessment Excellence Scores for current shortage areas and minimum score requirements.
State Reading, Writing, and Mathematics Competency Examination Requirements
Under Public Act 16-41: An Act Concerning the Recommendations of the Minority Teacher Recruitment Task Force, effective July 1, 2016, the Praxis Core Academic Skills Test is no longer required for state certification. However, Connecticut educator preparation providers (EPPs) must ensure that candidates take the Praxis Core Mathematics, Reading and Writing tests or one of the following State Board of Education approved equivalent assessments for diagnostic purposes to meet the state competency examination requirements for reading, writing and mathematics:
- SAT
- ACT
- GRE
Each person formally admitted to a State Board of Education (SBE) approved teacher preparation program shall take the state reading, writing and mathematics competency examination prescribed by and administered under the direction of the State Board of Education. The results shall be used as a diagnostic tool, in accordance with guidelines adopted by the SBE, to provide necessary remediation and support while enrolled in the preparation program. Questions regarding requirements for individual educator preparation programs should be submitted to the specific college, university or alternate route program. Questions regarding assessment requirements for certification should be emailed to teacher.cert@ct.gov.