Policy Lever 3: Adopt a Strong Elementary Math Licensure Test and Require All Elementary Candidates to Pass It

A strong licensure test helps states assess both the quality of teacher preparation programs and future teachers’ content knowledge. When well designed, these tests provide a clear signal of aspiring teachers’ math proficiency while also highlighting areas where their preparation programs excel or may need improvement. But not every licensure test is created equal. A weak test can give candidates a false sense of preparedness, allowing them to pass without truly demonstrating the math knowledge needed for effective teaching. 

Experts largely agree on the four core math content topics (numbers and operations, algebraic thinking, geometry and measurement, and data analysis and probability) that elementary teachers need to know and be able to teach.¹ However, some tests do not devote enough attention to these essential topics, addressing too few subtopics within each or combining math with other subject areas, resulting in a situation where a candidate’s strength in another subject may mask a weakness in math.

Adopting a high-quality test is an important first step, but it is only valuable when all candidates are required to pass it. While 30 states require elementary teachers to pass a math content test, only 13 ensure that the test is at least acceptable² and that every candidate passes. In contrast, 18 states require all elementary candidates to pass an acceptable reading licensure test, underscoring a major gap between math and reading requirements.

States can strengthen math instruction by making teacher preparation programs’ licensure test pass rates—especially first-time pass rates—publicly available. This data offers a clear measure of how well teacher preparation programs equip candidates with the math knowledge they need to be successful on day one. Greater transparency on how well candidates perform on such assessments also benefits aspiring teachers, helping steer them toward stronger programs that will best prepare them for the classroom.

NCTQ’s Teacher Prep Review: Solving for Math Success found stark differences in preparation between undergraduate and graduate programs at the same institution. Reporting pass rates at the program level can help states better understand differences in preparation and draw greater attention to the additional support candidates may need in specific programs within an institution.

Only three states require an at least acceptable test, mandate that all candidates pass it, and also publish pass rate data: Alabama, Connecticut, and Texas.