Foundations of Reading Alabama

Who Needs This Test

The Foundations of Reading assessment is mandatory for three Alabama certification areas:

• Early Childhood Education (P–3)
• Elementary Education (K–6)
• Collaborative Special Education (K–6)

If your certification target falls into any of those grade bands, you must pass this exam before the ALSDE will issue your Professional Educator Certificate. There are no waivers, no testing exemptions, and no reciprocity workarounds — even out-of-state teachers with years of experience must pass it if they're pursuing one of these three credential areas in Alabama.

Secondary teachers, career-technical teachers, and educators certified in non-reading-intensive fields do not need this test.

Test 190 vs. Test 890

This has caused real confusion. Alabama originally required the Foundations of Reading under test code 190. Effective September 15, 2025, the state transitioned to the National Evaluation Series code 890 through Pearson. The content coverage and the passing score (233) stayed identical. The administrative change was the testing platform and code number, not the exam itself.

If you're searching for study information or registration pages, make sure you're looking at test 890 through the NES portal (nestest.com), not the retired 190 code. Registering for the wrong code means your score won't count.

Registration and Cost

The Foundations of Reading 890 is administered by Pearson through the National Evaluation Series (NES) portal. Registration is online at nestest.com or al.nesinc.com for Alabama-specific information.

The standard registration fee is $139, payable by credit or debit card through the Pearson NES portal.

Just like the Praxis, score reports must be sent directly from Pearson to the ALSDE electronically. You cannot download your score report and upload it to your AIM account yourself — the ALSDE rejects all candidate-submitted score reports. Make sure you designate the ALSDE as a score recipient when you register.

Score delivery typically takes 2 to 3 weeks after your test date.

The Passing Score: 233

The minimum passing score is 233 on the scaled score scale. This hasn't changed with the code transition from 190 to 890 — the threshold remains the same.

The exam evaluates your knowledge of reading and literacy instruction across several domains: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and assessment. It's not a test of whether you can read — it's a test of whether you understand how reading acquisition works and how to teach it.

Timing It Right

The ALSDE's 6-month testing rule applies here just like it does to Praxis exams. Once the Certification Section sends you an eligibility letter specifying this test, you have six months to submit official passing scores. After that, your application closes and the $38 fee is forfeited.

Since Pearson score delivery takes 2 to 3 weeks, and you'll want buffer time for a potential retake, schedule this test early in your certification process — ideally concurrent with your Praxis Subject Assessment, not after it. Running both testing tracks in parallel protects you against the six-month deadline.

If you're pursuing a P–3, K–6, or Collaborative K–6 credential, this exam is non-negotiable. Plan for it from the start, not as an afterthought.

Fitting It Into the Bigger Picture

The Foundations of Reading is one piece of a multi-test requirement for elementary and early childhood teachers. You'll also need a Praxis Subject Assessment in your content area and either the edTPA portfolio or Praxis PLT for your pedagogical assessment. The Alabama Teacher Certification Guide sequences all three testing tracks together with registration timelines and score reporting deadlines so nothing falls through the cracks.

See more Alabama guides →