Confirmed states (7)
Only the states below have 8000-series adoption confirmed from an official source — in every case the official ETS state requirements page naming that state's department of education. Qualifying scores are on the 100–200 scale and are set by each state.
| State | Accepted codes (qualifying score) | Effective date | Official source | Last checked | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia |
8002 – 152 8003 – 152 8004 – 147 8005 – 143 Praxis 8006 – not listed Elementary Education (K-6) |
Not published on the source page (checked 2026-09-27) | ETS official state requirements pageWest Virginia Department of Education | 2026-09-27 | Confirmed · state-level |
| Arkansas |
8002 – 137 8003 – 136 8004 – 130 8005 – 126 Praxis 8006 – not listed Elementary Education (K-6) |
Not published for the 8000 series5000 series accepted through September 1, 2027 — score mixing allowed during the transition, see below | ETS official state requirements pageArkansas State Department of Education · corroborated by UCA official page | 2026-09-27 | Confirmed · state-level Transition |
| Idaho |
8002 – not listed 8003 – 152 8004 – 147 8005 – 143 Praxis 8006 – 152 All Subjects K-8, plus four Special Education categories — reading covered by Praxis 8006 |
Not published on the source page | ETS official state requirements pageIdaho State Department of Education | 2026-09-27 | Confirmed · state-level |
| South Carolina |
8002 – not listed 8003 – 152 8004 – 147 8005 – 143 Praxis 8006 – not listed Reading covered by Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205 – 159) |
2026-09-02Legacy 5003 / 5004 / 5005 accepted through 2027-09-01 | ETS official state requirements pageSouth Carolina Department of Education | 2026-09-27 | Confirmed · state-level Transition |
| South Dakota |
8002 – not listed 8003 – 152 8004 – 147 8005 – 143 Praxis 8006 – 152 K-4 / 5-8 endorsement areas and Self Contained — reading covered by Praxis 8006 |
Not published on the source pageOfficial page alert: "South Dakota is now accepting the new Elementary Education Fundamentals tests (8006, 8003, 8004, 8005)" | ETS official state requirements pageSouth Dakota Department of Education | 2026-09-27 | Confirmed · state-level |
| Vermont |
8002 – not listed 8003 – 152 8004 – 147 8005 – 143 Praxis 8006 – 152 Reading covered by Praxis 8006 |
"Accepted beginning September 1, 2026" | ETS official state requirements pageVermont Agency of Education | 2026-09-27 | Confirmed · state-level |
| Virginia |
8002 – 152 8003 – 152 8004 – 147 8005 – 143 Praxis 8006 – not listed Early/Primary Education PreK-3 and Elementary Education PreK-6 |
Not published on the source page | ETS official state requirements pageVirginia State Department of Education | 2026-09-27 | Confirmed · state-level |
How confirmed states cover reading: 8002 vs Praxis 8006
Confirmed states use exactly one of the two reading tests — no state currently lists both 8002 and Praxis 8006. Check which test your state uses before you register, because they are not interchangeable:
- 8002 (Reading & Language Arts): West Virginia, Arkansas, Virginia — these states do not list Praxis 8006.
- Praxis 8006 (Teaching Reading), qualifying score 152: Idaho, South Dakota, Vermont — these states do not list 8002.
- Neither: South Carolina covers reading with Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205), qualifying score 159.
The non-reading scores are uniform across all confirmed states that list them: 8003 = 152, 8004 = 147, 8005 = 143 (Arkansas sets its own lower 8000-series scores: 8002 = 137, 8003 = 136, 8004 = 130, 8005 = 126).
Arkansas transition & score-mixing policy
- The 5000 series can be taken through 2027-08-31.
- 5000-series scores remain accepted through 2031-08-31.
- During the transition window, 5000-series and 8000-series scores can be mixed — you need at least one passing test in each of the four content areas (Reading & Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science), regardless of which series it comes from.
- Cutoff wording: the ETS page renders "Accepted through September 1, 2027"; the UCA page writes the mixing deadline as 8/31/2027. Treat the ETS page as authoritative.
Practical takeaway: if you already passed some 5000-series subtests, you may not need to retake those areas in the 8000 series. Check the 5001 vs 8000 series comparison to see how the subtests map to each other.
All other states — not confirmed (43 states + DC)
Beyond the 7 confirmed states, the remaining 43 states plus DC fall into three groups (all checked 2026-09-27):
- 37 states + DC — not listed on the ETS state requirements page. These states have complete, working pages on the official ETS tool, but no 8000-series test appears on them. Not listed ≠ never will adopt — recheck before registering.
- 5 states — not applicable: the state runs its own exam system. Arizona (AEPA/NES), Florida (FTCE), Illinois (ILTS), Michigan (MTTC), and Minnesota (MTLE) certify elementary teachers through their own exams, not Praxis.
- Iowa — not verified. ETS does not maintain an Iowa state page, and Iowa's official testing requirements could not be machine-read, so we publish nothing either way.
Show all 43 states + DC without confirmed adoption
Score scale: 100–200, not 100–300
All five 8000-series tests are scored on a 100–200 scale, comparable to the 5000 series.
How to verify your state yourself (2 minutes)
Requirements change without notice, and states adopt new series on their own timelines. Here is exactly how to get the authoritative answer:
- Open the official ETS state requirements page: praxis.ets.org/state-requirements.
- Select your state or territory from the list.
- On your state's page, find the section for Elementary Education (sometimes under Early Childhood or Elementary licensure areas).
- Look for test codes 8002, 8003, 8004, 8005 and Praxis 8006 (Elementary Education Fundamentals). The number printed next to each code is that state's qualifying score on the 100–200 scale.
- Check the effective dates and footnotes — states in transition often list both the 5000 and 8000 series with a cutoff date.
- If no 8000-series codes appear, don't assume either way: check your state department of education website or ask your educator preparation program. Do not rely on third-party prep sites for passing scores.
- Re-check before you register, even if you checked last month. States update requirements without announcement.
This page is refreshed on a rolling basis — last full 50-state check: 2026-09-27.
Frequently asked questions
Has my state adopted the Praxis 8000 series?
As of 2026-09-27, seven states are confirmed at state level on the official ETS state requirements page: West Virginia, Arkansas, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, and Virginia. The remaining 43 states + DC are grouped below — "not listed" means we don't see it on the official page, not "no."
What are the passing scores for the 8000 series?
They are state-set, on a 100–200 scale. West Virginia: 8002 = 152, 8003 = 152, 8004 = 147, 8005 = 143, Praxis 8006 not listed. Arkansas: 8002 = 137, 8003 = 136, 8004 = 130, 8005 = 126, Praxis 8006 not listed. Idaho, South Dakota, Vermont: 8003 = 152, 8004 = 147, 8005 = 143, Praxis 8006 = 152, 8002 not listed. South Carolina: 8003 = 152, 8004 = 147, 8005 = 143 (effective 2026-09-02), reading via 5205 = 159. Virginia: 8002 = 152, 8003 = 152, 8004 = 147, 8005 = 143, Praxis 8006 not listed.
Why do some states use Praxis 8006 instead of 8002?
States pick exactly one of the two reading tests — never both. West Virginia, Arkansas, and Virginia use 8002 (Reading & Language Arts) and don't list Praxis 8006. Idaho, South Dakota, and Vermont use Praxis 8006 (Teaching Reading, qualifying score 152) and don't list 8002. South Carolina uses neither — reading is covered by Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205), score 159. See the reading-coverage breakdown.
Is the 8000 series scored on a 100–300 scale with a 240 passing score?
No. That claim contradicts official ETS state requirements data — see the score-scale clarification above. The correct scale is 100–200.
Can I mix 5000-series and 8000-series scores in Arkansas?
Yes, during the transition window — now confirmed at state level. The ETS page lists the 5000 series as accepted through September 1, 2027, and UCA states that until 2027-08-31 scores from the two series can be combined, as long as you have at least one passing test in each of the four content areas. 5000-series scores remain accepted through 2031-08-31.
Does "not listed" mean my state rejected the 8000 series?
No. It means the state's official ETS page — which otherwise shows complete, current requirements — contains no 8000-series test as of 2026-09-27. States adopt new series on their own timelines, so recheck before you register using the guide above.
Is Praxis 8006 the same as PECT 8006?
No — they only share a number. Praxis 8006 (Elementary Education Fundamentals: Teaching Reading) is an ETS test. PECT 8006 (PreK-4 Module 1) is a Pennsylvania test published by Pearson. Search results for "8006" are dominated by PECT material; don't confuse the two.
Does Pennsylvania use the Praxis 8000 series for elementary certification?
No. Pennsylvania phased out Praxis for PreK-4 certification in 2012 and uses Pearson's PECT/PAPA exams instead. For Grades 4-8 it uses the Praxis Pennsylvania Grades 4-8 assessments (5152–5155) — a different test series entirely.
Disclaimer
learndiag.com is an independent test-prep resource. We are not a state teacher licensing agency, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ETS or any state department of education. Praxis is a registered trademark of ETS. Teacher certification requirements are set by each state and can change at any time; where this page and an official source disagree, the official source always prevails. Confirm your requirements on praxis.ets.org/state-requirements and with your state licensing agency before registering for any exam.