Middle School Content Knowledge

The state requires all teachers licensed to teach middle school to pass a single-subject test for every subject they are licensed to teach. An elementary content test is not an option.: AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV

The state allows some or all teachers licensed to teach middle school to only take an elementary test : AK, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, UT, WA

The state does not require any content test.: AZ, CA, CO, HI, IA, WY

Footnotes
AZ: Arizona only requires an elementary content test for candidates who will be licensed to teach through Grade 8 on a generalist license. Tests are optional for middle grades candidates.
CA: In California, candidates teaching multiple subjects only have to pass the elementary test. Candidates for a single subject credential may demonstrate their subject-matter competence by either completing a state-approved subject-matter preparation program or passing the appropriate subject-matter examination.
CO: In Colorado, passage of a content test is one of three options for demonstrating content knowledge.
HI: In Hawaii, passage of a content test is one of five options for demonstrating content knowledge.
IA: In Iowa, candidates have the option of passing a single-subject test or the edTPA. The edTPA is not a content test.
ID: For the K-8 license, Idaho also requires a single-subject test allowing the teaching of that subject through grade 9.
MA: In addition to single-subject licenses, the state offers two combinations licenses (Math/Science and Humanities) each of which requires a test that combines core content.
MD: Maryland allows elementary teachers to teach in departmentalized middle schools if not less than 50 percent of the teaching assignment is within the elementary grades.
NC: In North Carolina, teachers may have until second year to pass tests, if they attempt to pass them during their first year.
NH: New Hampshire requires K-8 candidates to have a core concentration and to pass a middle school content test in a core area, it's unclear whether this restricts the holder to only teaching that subject at the middle grade level. Teachers with a 5-8 license must pass a Praxis single subject assessment.
NJ: A candidate who fails to earn the passing score by 5 percent or less can still meet the subject matter requirement with a GPA of at least 3.5.
NY: For non-departmentalized classrooms, generalists in middle childhood education must pass the new assessment with three subtests.
TN: Tennessee allows teachers to delay passage of content tests if they possess a bachelor's degree in a core content area.
TX: In addition to single-subject licenses, Texas offers two combinations licenses (English Language Arts/Social Studies and Math/Science) each of which requires generalists to earn a "satisfactory level of performance" in each core subject covered by the examination.
WA: Washington also requires a subject-matter test combining all Humanities subject areas (English language Arts and social studies) into one score.
WI: Candidates in Wisconsin are only required to pass the Praxis II Middle School: Content Knowledge (5146) test, which combines core content into one composite score.
WY: Only middle school social studies teachers in Wyoming must pass a Praxis II content test.