Indiana Elementary Teacher Certification Requirements

Elementary vs. Secondary: Different Exams, Different Credit Hours

Indiana's teaching license structure splits into distinct grade-band credentials, and the requirements diverge more than most candidates expect. Elementary (K-6) and secondary (5-12) licenses share the same application process through LVIS 360, but the testing suite, coursework depth, and mandatory endorsements are different.

The grade band you choose determines your total cost, timeline, and which classrooms you're eligible to staff.

K-6 Elementary Generalist Requirements

Elementary candidates face the heaviest testing load of any Indiana teaching credential. You need to pass three separate Praxis assessments:

Praxis 5006: Elementary Education — This is actually two subtests taken together or separately:

• Subtest 5007 (Reading, Language Arts, and Social Studies): minimum score 160, costs $85
• Subtest 5008 (Mathematics and Science): minimum score 158, costs $85
• Combined fee if taken together: $209

Praxis 5622: Principles of Learning and Teaching K-6 — The K-6 pedagogy exam. Minimum score 160, costs $146.

Praxis 5205: Teaching Reading — Elementary — Indiana's Science of Reading mandate (IC 20-28-5-19.7) requires all K-6 candidates to pass this exam with a minimum score of 159. The exam costs $156. This is the newest requirement, effective July 1, 2025, and it's non-negotiable for initial licensure.

Total testing cost for elementary: roughly $511 across all exams when the 5006 subtests are taken together, assuming you pass each on the first attempt.

If you're pursuing K-6 licensure through a Transition to Teaching program, the coursework cap is 24 credit hours, with at least six credits in reading instruction. This is higher than the 18-credit cap for secondary T2T programs because of the reading mandate.

Secondary (5-12) Requirements

Secondary candidates need fewer exams but must demonstrate deeper content expertise in a specific subject area. The testing pattern:

A content-area Praxis exam specific to your subject. Examples:

• English Language Arts (5038): minimum 167, costs $120
• Mathematics (5165): minimum 159, costs $120
• Biology (5236): minimum 154, costs $120
• World and U.S. History (5941): minimum 148, costs $120

Praxis 5624: Principles of Learning and Teaching 7-12 — The secondary pedagogy exam. Minimum score 157, costs $146.

Total testing cost for secondary: roughly $266 for one content exam plus pedagogy. Secondary candidates do not need the Praxis 5205 Teaching Reading exam unless they're adding an elementary or special education endorsement.

T2T programs for secondary licensure cap at 18 credit hours.

Middle School (5-9) Crossover

Middle school licensure sits between the two grade bands. Indiana offers separate middle school content exams for English (5047, score 161), Mathematics (5164, score 157), Science (5442, score 152), and Social Studies (5589, score 149). Each costs $120 to $146.

Middle school candidates need the pedagogy exam corresponding to their grade range. If you want flexibility to teach both middle and high school, the secondary PLT covers grades 7-12.

All-Grades (P-12) Licenses

Certain subjects — art, music, physical education, world languages — require all-grades P-12 licenses. These use the Praxis 5625: PLT PreK-12 pedagogy exam (minimum 157, $146) plus the relevant content exam for your subject.

Art (5134, minimum 158) and Music (5115 Instrumental, minimum 150; 5116 Vocal, minimum 153) are the most common all-grades content exams. Each costs $120.

Which Grade Band Should You Choose?

The decision often comes down to your undergraduate transcript. If your bachelor's degree is in a specific content area like mathematics, biology, or English, secondary licensure is the natural fit — your existing coursework likely satisfies most of the content requirements.

If your degree is in a generalist field (psychology, communications, liberal arts), elementary licensure may involve less gap coursework, but the testing load is heavier and you'll face the mandatory Science of Reading requirement.

For career changers with strong subject-area backgrounds, secondary typically offers the fastest path because the T2T credit requirement is lower (18 vs. 24 hours) and there's no Praxis 5205 requirement.

The Indiana Teacher Certification Guide includes the full Praxis testing matrix for every content area and grade band, along with the current passing scores and fee schedules.

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