Elementary Education Praxis to Change

The Praxis exams required for certification in Elementary Education will be changing next year. ETS will stop offering the exams currently used by Missouri in the near future, so they will be replaced as follows.

• Mathematics (8003) will replace Mathematics (7003)
• Social Studies (8004) will replace (7004)
• Science (8005) will replace Science (7005)
• Teaching Reading (8006) will replace Teaching Reading (7002)

The 8000 series will be available to Missouri test-takers starting on June 1, 2027. Between June 1, 2027 and December 31, 2026 individuals may use either the 7000 series or the 8000 series to verify certification eligibility, but the two series may not be mixed. All tests submitted for certification must be from one series or the other. 

7000-series exams taken after December 31, 2027 may not be used for certification.

New Reading Praxis Requirements

Beginning September 1, 2027, applicants for certification in Early Childhood Education, Mild/Moderate Cross-Categorical Special Education, and Early Childhood Special Education will have to have a passing score on the Teaching Reading (8006) Praxis exam in addition to tests in Early Childhood Education (5025), and Special Education: Foundational Knowledge (5355), and Special Education: Early Childhood/Early Intervention (5692), respectively. This additional requirement is aligned with the state’s investment in literacy and its commitment to ensuring that all teachers of young children are prepared to teach reading.