Louisiana Special Education Teacher Certification
Special Education Certification Has Extra Rules
Teaching special education in Louisiana carries requirements that don't apply to general education credentials. The biggest difference is a federal one: Temporary Employment Permits (TEPs) cannot be issued for special education certification areas. That's an IDEA compliance mandate, and it means SPED teachers don't have the same provisional backup option available to other subject areas.
If you're planning to teach special education, plan on a standard credential or a district-sponsored TAT. TEPs are not available for SPED positions.
Grade-Band Certification Areas
Louisiana organizes teaching certificates by grade band. Each band has its own Praxis exam requirements, literacy coursework hours, and content-area expectations:
Birth to Five (B-5): Covers infant/toddler programs through pre-kindergarten. Candidates must pass the applicable Early Childhood: Foundational Knowledge exam (5533 after the transition) — the old Pre-Kindergarten Education exam (5531) phases out August 31, 2026. Requires 9 semester hours of reading and literacy instruction, plus 3 credit hours of dyslexia coursework under Act 607.
Elementary Education (1-5): Requires the Elementary Multiple Subjects exam series. The newer Praxis Elementary Education Fundamentals series (tests 8002-8006) launched in March 2026, with Louisiana as an early adopter. Requires 9 semester hours of reading and literacy instruction.
Middle Grades (4-8): Content-specific Praxis exams for each subject area. Requires 6 semester hours of reading and literacy instruction.
Secondary Education (6-12): Subject-specific Praxis exams. Requires 3 semester hours of reading and literacy instruction. Secondary non-core teachers (PE, music, art) are now exempt from the literacy coursework requirement after a recent BESE revision.
Special Education: Carries the full 9-semester-hour literacy requirement and has certification-area testing requirements; check the current Louisiana test chart for the applicable exams.
The Science of Reading Mandate
Act 448 (2022) requires all teachers seeking initial certification in grades K-3 to pass a scientifically evidence-based reading pedagogy assessment. Two exam options:
Option 1 — Standalone Teaching of Reading: Elementary (5205): Passing score of 159. Costs within the usual $120-$180 Praxis exam range.
Option 2 — Reading Language Arts Subtest (7002): Part of the newer Elementary Multiple Subjects 7001 series. This is the more efficient choice because it bundles standard ELA content with the reading pedagogy requirement. Costs roughly $85 versus approximately $220 for taking the 5002 and 5205 exams separately.
The 7002 subtest uses a stepping passing score scale:
- Through December 31, 2026: 138
- January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2028: 147
- January 1, 2029 onward: 153
If you're testing soon, you benefit from the lower passing threshold. Waiting costs you nothing financially but raises the bar.
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Early Childhood: The Certificate Transition
BESE is phasing out two early childhood Praxis exams as of August 31, 2026:
| Retiring Exam | Replacement |
|---|---|
| Pre-Kindergarten Education (5531) | Early Childhood: Foundational Knowledge (5533) |
| Education of the Young Children (5024) | Early Childhood: Foundational Knowledge and Content (5534) |
If you're currently in a preparation program for Birth-to-Five or early childhood certification, verify with your program which exam code you should register for. After August 31, 2026, register for the replacement code shown above.
The Numeracy and Dyslexia Requirements
Two additional mandates affect new teachers:
Dyslexia coursework (Act 607): All preparation programs must include 3 credit hours (or 45 contact hours) focused on identification, scientific background, and pedagogical accommodations for students with dyslexia. This can be integrated within your standard literacy hours or offered as a standalone course.
Foundational numeracy (Bulletin 996): Beginning 2025-2026, programs for Birth-to-Five, Pre-K, Elementary, and Mathematics certification areas must include structured numeracy instruction. By September 1, 2028, all candidates in these areas must show completion of LDOE-approved numeracy training.
Getting Certified Through Alternative Routes
The same three alternative pathways available for general education work for special education — with one critical exception about TEPs:
- Practitioner Teacher Program — Teach as the teacher of record from day one, but you must hold at least a Practitioner License (PL1), not a TEP, for SPED positions
- Certification-Only Program — 21 credit hours plus six credits of residency
- Master of Arts in Teaching — Full master's degree with embedded certification
The standard entry baseline for these routes is a bachelor's degree, a minimum 2.20 GPA, a passing Praxis content exam, and an IdentoGO fingerprint check using code 27N5HQ. Approved programs may use Act 392 conditional admission for candidates below 2.20.
The Louisiana Teacher Certification Guide includes an exam planning worksheet that maps every Praxis code to its certification area and grade band, along with the current stepping score schedule and exam transition deadlines.
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