Requirements/Tennessee
Early Childhood Teacher in Tennessee.
Two content tests plus the reading test.
- Exams
- 3
- Passing scores
- 163 · 156 · 159
- Certificate
- Early Childhood Education preK-3
The exams you have to pass
In the order most candidates take them.
Praxis Early Childhood Education: Foundational Knowledge and Content5534
Education of Young Children (5024) at 160 is accepted through 31 August 2029 if taken before 31 August 2026.
Praxis Early Childhood Education5025
Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary5205
NES Foundations of Reading (NT 890) at 240 is also accepted.
What people get wrong
Each of these costs a candidate either money or a test date.
- Tennessee decides your testing by how you were prepared, not only by what you teach. Complete a state-approved program with student teaching and you owe edTPA. Enter through a job-embedded program and you owe no pedagogy test at all. Come from an out-of-state program while already holding an out-of-state initial license and you owe neither.
- A live deadline: Education of Young Children (5024) at 160 substitutes for 5534 only if taken before 31 August 2026, and those scores are honoured until 31 August 2029.
- The reading assessment and the Tennessee Literacy Success Act training are separate requirements. Passing one does not satisfy the other, and Tennessee states that explicitly.
Required, but not an exam
- A bachelor’s degree
- A State Board-approved educator preparation program, or a job-embedded program
- edTPA, if you completed a program with student teaching or an internship
- Application through TNCompass, with scores sent using Tennessee code 8190
Now go pass them.
Knowing the list is the easy part. Built To Pass teaches the strategy layer that works on any of these, aimed at the domains where you are actually losing points.
Start with your examVerified 2026-08-06 against Tennessee SBE Policy 5.105, Professional Assessments for Tennessee Educators (revised 27 February 2026), and TDOE licensure assessment guidance. Certification rules change by state board vote. Confirm with the state before you register for a test.