South Carolina Teaching Certificate – Testing
To get your initial South Carolina teaching certificate, you need to do the following:
- Have a degree in your area of certification
- Take and pass the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) test
- Take and pass the Praxis subject area test required for your teaching area
If you are going to take an approved teacher preparation program at a college or university, you will need to take the Praxis Core prior to admission.
If you already have a teaching certificate in South Carolina and would like to add new subject areas, you will need to the required Praxis subject test scores for each new subject area.
For further information on the Praxis tests, please visit the official Praxis website by clicking on the link below:
Praxis Teacher Certification Test – South Carolina
South Carolina Teaching Certificate – Further Information
There are exceptions for testing for alternate route teachers who meet the “alternative route” criteria for teacher certification.
If you have a valid certificate from another state or from the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS), you can get certified to teach under South Carolina’s reciprocity agreement.
However, if you are going to apply for certification under the Career and Technology Education Work-based Certification path, you are not eligible for reciprocity.
In order for reciprocity to be granted, you have to provide a completed application.
If you are eligible for reciprocity, you will not be required to take the subject area tests for your area of licensure.
Further testing may be needed to meet federal requirements.
You should submit all of the required documentation to the South Carolina Department of Education, Division of Educator Quality and Leadership.
For further information on teacher certification, please visit the South Carolina Department of Education, Division of Educator Quality & Leadership.
South Carolina Department of Education, Division of Educator Quality & Leadership
NOTE: This website is not affiliated with ETS, the trademark owners of the Praxis exams, or with the South Carolina Department of Education.