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Certification Assessments

ANNOUNCEMENT

New Reading Assessment Required for New Teachers

The Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability (CEQA) has approved the Foundations of Reading (FOR) assessment as a certification requirement for all individuals seeking initial certification in Early Childhood, Elementary, or Special Education. This change supports a new state law (70 O.S. § 1210.508F) requiring candidates to demonstrate knowledge of the five elements of reading instruction: phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Key Dates and Options:

  • Effective September 1, 2025, candidates must pass a CEQA-approved reading assessment.

  • Candidates may take either the FOR or the Oklahoma Reading Test (ORT) to meet this requirement through June 30, 2026.

  • Starting July 1, 2026, only the FOR assessment will be accepted.

Testing Information:

  • The FOR is part of the National Evaluation Series (NES) and will be available statewide starting June 30, 2025, both in person and online.

  • Non-traditional candidates will likely take the FOR, as the ORT may not be accessible outside of Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs).

Cost Support:

  • OEQA is offering limited scholarships to cover the $139 FOR test fee for eligible first-time test takers who commit to teaching in Oklahoma for one year.

Register & Learn More:

The Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA), a separate agency of state government, is authorized by law to develop and administer the competency-based teacher tests. Two assessments are currently required for Oklahoma teacher certification: a subject area test and the professional education assessment. 

For information about which test to take, contact the Office of Teacher Certification. For test content information and registration, visit the websites below and contact the testing company directly for further information.

Subject Area Tests

  • OSAT (Oklahoma Subject Area Tests)
  • Praxis subject area tests
    • Announcement: Oklahoma is now part of the Praxis Bridge program.
    • Praxis Bridge is an alternate passing option offered to teacher candidates when they've come close to—but not quite reached—a passing score on their Praxis exam. Instead of retaking the entire test, eligible candidates can complete a learning module to demonstrate their competency and receive a passing score.  More information can be found here: https://praxis.ets.org/state-requirements/oklahoma-overview.html
    • Announcement: Praxis has a new program as of October 2025: FREE AFTER 3.
    • If you’ve taken the same test three times, you may be eligible for free retakes. Details can be found here: https://praxis.ets.org/free-after-three.html

Professional Education Assessment

  • APK starting June 3rd, 2025
  • Formerly the PPAT (2019-2025) and OPTE (1999-2021)
    • Note: The professional education assessment (APK/PPAT/OPTE) is not required for a stand-alone certificate in School Counseling, Speech-Language Pathologist, School Psychologist, or School Psychometrist.

Other Resources

Last Modified on Oct 03, 2025
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