Requirements/Tennessee

Special Education Teacher in Tennessee.

The special education test plus the reading test.

Exams
2
Passing scores
145 · 159
Certificate
Special Education Interventionist K-8 or 6-12

The exams you have to pass

In the order most candidates take them.

01

Praxis Special Education: Foundational Knowledge5355

NES Special Education (NT 602) at 220 is also accepted.

Pass145
See what is scored →
02

Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary5205

NES Foundations of Reading (NT 890) at 240 is also accepted.

Pass159
See what is scored →

What people get wrong

Each of these costs a candidate either money or a test date.

  • Special education carries the reading assessment as well as the content test, which candidates coming from a secondary background often miss.
  • Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications (5543) is accepted through 31 August 2027, and only if taken by 31 August 2024.
  • 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.
  • 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 exam

Verified 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.