Undergraduate Education Announcements

The Governor of Virginia approved House Bill 731 on April 8, 2024, which eliminates the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA) as a requirement for initial licensure. This assessment requirement remained in effect through June 30, 2024. Effective July 1, 2024 individuals will no longer be required to pass the VCLA as a requirement for initial licensure. VDOE published the above statements on July 1, 2024, and effective immediately Liberty University School of Education students in initial licensure programs (B.Ed., M.A.T., and Ed.S.) will no longer need to take or pass the VCLA for Gates 2 and 3.

Effective January 2021, if you are pursuing an initial teacher licensure endorsement, you no longer need to provide scores for the Praxis Core Math, Reading, and Writing exams (or comparable GRE/SAT/ACT exams). This change is due to the revised CAEP (Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation) Standards.

Please note that the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) eliminated the Praxis Core requirement in 2019; however, the School of Educations accrediting body (NCATE through CAEP) continued to require these exams. In order for the School of Education to offer a licensure endorsement, we must meet the requirements of both the VDOE and NCATE through CAEP.

All other licensure exams (i.e., the Praxis Subject Assessment, VCLA, etc.) are still requirements for licensure, and you can view the exact list of licensure testing requirements through the Canvas Licensure Community course.

Effective for all Spring 2022 student teachers seeking the Middle Grades – Science endorsement (those applying by the September 1, 2021 Gate 3 deadline)

New testing option for Praxis Subject Assessment for Middle Grades – Science endorsement

• Middle Education 6-8 Science Test (if taken between July 1, 2015 – August 31, 2021) Code: 5440
  • Passing Score Required: 150
• Middle Education 6-8 Science Test (if taken September 1, 2021 or after) Code: 5442
  • Passing Score Required: 147

Dual Endorsement: To ensure dual endorsement candidates have adequate preparation in each endorsement and meet licensure expectations, candidates will need to complete two semesters of student teaching, one semester for each endorsement.  This will be effective for the February 1, 2020 Gate 3 deadline (those seeking to student teach in the Fall 2020 semester and forward).

Effective for all Fall 2020 student teachers (those applying by the February 1, 2020 Gate 3 deadline)

Initial Licensure Gate 3 Requirements:

• Praxis Subject Assessment (test code and passing score dependent on endorsement) and
• RVE (Score: 157, elementary and special education candidates only) and
• VCLA (Score: 470) and
• Reading Assessment (Approved options included below) and
• Mathematics Assessment (Approved options included below) and
• Writing Assessment (Approved options included below)
  

Reading Assessment Options:

• ACT – Reading (Score: 21, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• ACT – Reading (Score: 22, taken after April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Critical Reading (Score: 450, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Critical Reading (Score: 530, taken April 1, 1995 – February 2016)
• SAT – Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (Score: 580, taken March 2016 or later)
• Praxis Core – Reading – Test Code 5712 (Score: 168)
• GRE – Verbal Reasoning (Score: 151, taken August 2011 or later)

Writing Assessment Options

• Praxis Core – Writing – Test Code 5722 (Score: 165)

Mathematics Assessment Options:

• ACT – Math (Score: 21, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• ACT – Math (Score: 22, taken April 1, 1995 or later)
• SAT – Math (Score: 510, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Math (Score: 530, taken April 1, 1995 – February 2016)
• SAT – Math (Score: 560, taken March 2016 or later)
• Praxis Core – Mathematics – Test Code 5732 (Score: 162)
• GRE – Quantitative Reasoning (Score: 153, taken August 2011 or later)

Effective for Fall 2019 Gate 2 Applicants (those applying on December 1, 2019 or after)

Gate 2 Requirements:

• VCLA (Score: 470) and
• Reading Assessment (Approved options included below) and
• Writing Assessment (Approved options included below)
• Mathematics Assessment (Approved options included below)

Reading Assessment Options:

• ACT – Reading (Score: 21, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• ACT – Reading (Score: 22, taken after April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Critical Reading (Score: 450, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Critical Reading (Score: 530, taken April 1, 1995 – February 2016)
• SAT – Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (Score: 580, taken March 2016 or later)
• Praxis Core – Reading – Test Code 5712 (Score: 168)
• GRE – Verbal Reasoning (Score: 151, taken August 2011 or later)

Writing Assessment Options:

• Praxis Core – Writing – Test Code 5722 (Score: 165)

Mathematics Assessment Options:

• ACT – Math (Score: 21, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• ACT – Math (Score: 22, taken April 1, 1995 or later)
• SAT – Math (Score: 510, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Math (Score: 530, taken April 1, 1995 – February 2016)
• SAT – Math (Score: 560, taken March 2016 or later)
• Praxis Core – Mathematics – Test Code 5732 (Score: 162)
• GRE – Quantitative Reasoning (Score: 153, taken August 2011 or later)

Effective for all Spring 2020 student teachers seeking the Computer Science endorsement (those applying by the September 1, 2019 Gate 3 deadline)

New Praxis Subject Assessment for Computer Science endorsement

• Computer Science Test Code: 5652
  • Passing Score Required: 142

Requirement was implemented as of 2/1/2019

Initial Licensure Gate 3 Requirements:

• Praxis Subject Assessment (test code and passing score dependent on endorsement) and
• RVE (Score: 157, elementary and special education candidates only) and
• VCLA (Score: 470) and
• Reading Assessment (Approved options included below) and
• Mathematics Assessment (Approved options included below)

Reading Assessment Options:

• ACT – Reading (Score: 21, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• ACT – Reading (Score: 22, taken after April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Critical Reading (Score: 450, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Critical Reading (Score: 530, taken April 1, 1995 – February 2016)
• SAT – Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (Score: 580, taken March 2016 or later)
• Praxis Core – Reading – Test Code 5712 (Score: 168)
• GRE – Verbal Reasoning (Score: 151, taken August 2011 or later)

Mathematics Assessment Options:

• ACT – Math (Score: 21, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• ACT – Math (Score: 22, taken April 1, 1995 or later)
• SAT – Math (Score: 510, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Math (Score: 530, taken April 1, 1995 – February 2016)
• SAT – Math (Score: 560, taken March 2016 or later)
• Praxis Core – Mathematics – Test Code 5732 (Score: 162)
• GRE – Quantitative Reasoning (Score: 153, taken August 2011 or later)

Requirement was implemented as of 9/1/2018

Initial Licensure Gate 2 Requirements (Licensure Candidates):

• VCLA (Score: 470) and
• Reading Assessment (Approved options included below) and
• Mathematics Assessment (Approved options included below)

Reading Assessment Options:

• ACT – Reading (Score: 21, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• ACT – Reading (Score: 22, taken after April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Critical Reading (Score: 450, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Critical Reading (Score: 530, taken April 1, 1995 – February 2016)
• SAT – Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (Score: 580, taken March. 2016 or later)
• Praxis Core – Reading – Test Code 5712 (Score: 168)
• GRE – Verbal Reasoning (Score: 151, taken August 2011 or later)

Mathematics Assessment Options:

• ACT – Math (Score: 21, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• ACT – Math (Score: 22, taken April 1, 1995 or later)
• SAT – Math (Score: 510, taken prior to April 1, 1995)
• SAT – Math (Score: 530, taken April 1, 1995 – February 2016)
• SAT – Math (Score: 560, taken March 2016 or later)
• Praxis Core – Mathematics – Test Code 5732 (Score: 162)
• GRE – Quantitative Reasoning (Score: 153, taken August 2011 or later)