Indiana Math and Science Teacher Certification

Subject-Specific Certification in Indiana

Teaching math, science, or English at the secondary level in Indiana requires a subject-specific content exam on top of the standard licensing steps. The IDOE evaluates your undergraduate transcript against the content-area requirements for your target subject, and the Praxis exam confirms your content mastery.

If your bachelor's degree aligns with the subject you want to teach — a math degree for math, a biology degree for science — you're in strong position. The transcript evaluation may reveal minor coursework gaps, but the core alignment is already there.

Praxis Exams by Subject

Each subject has a specific Praxis test code, passing score, and exam fee:

Mathematics (5165): minimum passing score 159, costs $120. Covers algebra, geometry, number theory, calculus, statistics, and discrete math. This is the content exam for secondary math licensure (grades 5-12).

Biology (5236): minimum 154, costs $120. The primary content exam for secondary science licensure in biology. Indiana also accepts other science content exams for chemistry, physics, and earth science tracks.

English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038): minimum 167, costs $120. Covers literature, language use, rhetoric, and composition. This has the highest passing score threshold of the three core secondary content areas.

Every secondary candidate also needs the Praxis 5624: Principles of Learning and Teaching 7-12 pedagogy exam, minimum 157, at $146.

Register through ETS and use Indiana's state recipient code 7238 to ensure your scores transmit directly to LVIS 360.

The STEM Degree Pathway (SB 255)

Indiana enacted SB 255 specifically to expand the STEM teacher pipeline. If you hold a bachelor's degree in a STEM field — mathematics, any physical or biological science, engineering, computer science — you can earn an Initial Practitioner License by completing just nine credit hours of pedagogy coursework.

That's significantly less than the standard Transition to Teaching requirement of 18 credit hours for secondary licenses. The catch: you still need to pass the corresponding Praxis content exam for your teaching subject.

This pathway was designed for career changers with strong STEM credentials who don't need extensive pedagogical training to be effective in the classroom. It's the fastest route to a math or science teaching license in Indiana if your degree already aligns.

How Transcript Evaluation Works for STEM Subjects

When the IDOE evaluates your transcripts, they're looking for sufficient coursework in the specific content area you want to teach. A general "science" degree doesn't automatically qualify you for every science teaching subject — a biology-heavy transcript maps to biology licensure, while a chemistry-focused transcript maps to chemistry.

If your transcript shows gaps, the IDOE's deficiency letter will specify exactly which courses you need. For many STEM degree holders, the gaps are minimal — a couple of pedagogy courses or a methods course in your teaching field.

If an out-of-state transcript evaluation is required, its $35 fee is non-refundable, so make sure your transcripts are official and your degree is conferred before submitting. Submitting before your degree is officially posted on your transcript is one of the most common reasons for application rejection.

Career Specialist Permit for Industry Professionals

If you have significant industry experience in a STEM field — 4,000 to 6,000 documented clock hours within the last five to seven years — the Career Specialist Permit offers another entry point. This two-year renewable permit lets you teach in your content area immediately while completing pedagogy coursework.

The Career Specialist route requires a bachelor's degree in a secondary content area with a minimum 3.0 GPA, plus the corresponding Praxis content exam. It's particularly well-suited for engineers, lab scientists, IT professionals, and technical writers transitioning to teaching.

Testing Strategy for STEM Candidates

ETS enforces a 28-day waiting period between attempts on the same exam. If you don't pass on the first attempt, plan your retake window accordingly.

A practical strategy: take the content exam first. If you have a strong STEM background, the content exam is the one you're most likely to pass on your first attempt. Schedule the PLT pedagogy exam for a later window — the pedagogical knowledge it tests is new material for most career changers, so you may want study time.

The "Free After 3" retake policy provides free retake vouchers after three paid attempts on the same exam, but ideally you won't need them. ETS also offers fee waivers for eligible college students, covering up to one Praxis Subject Assessment per testing year.

The Indiana Teacher Certification Guide includes the complete subject-by-subject testing matrix with every content-area exam code, passing score, and cost for Indiana licensure.

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