Basic Skills Requirement

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing requires all candidates for a Basic Teaching Credential to fulfill the Basic Skills Requirement (BSR).   

The Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) must be met for admission to all Basic Credential programs and can be satisfied by completing one of the following methods:

Exam

English Score

Math Score

Documentation Accepted

ACT

Score 22 or above

Score 23 or above

Original ACT passing score report

AP-Advanced Placement

Score 3 or above on one of the following:

  • AP English Language and Composition
  • AP English Literature and Composition

Score 3 or above on one of the following:

  • AP Calculus AB
  • AP Calculus BC
  • AP Statistics

Original College Board passing score report

CBEST-California Basic Education Skills Test

Total score 123 or higher = Passed

  • Passing score on each section = 41
  • Not possible to pass if any section score is below 37

Candidates must attempt all three parts for program admission and pass the exam prior to applying for student teaching.

CSET-California Subject Examinations for Teachers

Passing status on CSET subtests 101, 214, 103, and 142

Copy of official passing status

EAP-CSU Early Assessment Program

“College Ready” or “Exempt”

“College Ready” or “Exempt”

Copy of emailed letter on Educational Testing Service (ETS) letterhead verifying passage of the exam. Note: “Conditionally” is not accepted

As of 9/30/2019, duplicate scores are no longer available.

ELM-CSU Entry Level Mathematics

and

EPT-CSU English Placement Test

Total score of 151 or above on English Placement Test (EPT)

Score of 50* or above on Entry Level Mathematics (ELM)

*ELM tests taken prior to March 2002 required a minimum passing score of 550.
  • Exam date 3/15/08–present: Copy of online score report indicating it has been printed from the CSU EPT/ELM website. 
  • Exam date prior to 3/15/08: Letter on Educational Testing Service (ETS) letterhead verifying passage of both sections. 

As of 9/30/2019, duplicate scores are no longer available.

EAP & EPT/ELM

Combination of EAP and EPT/ELM exams; Candidate must pass an English section AND a Math section

 Combination of EAP and EPT/ELM exams; Candidate must pass an English section AND a Math section

   See EAP or EPT/ELM category

Out-of-State

See Commission Leaflet CL-667 for list of approved Out-of-State examinations

 See Commission Leaflet CL-667 for list of approved Out-of-State examinations

Photocopy of score report or letter from testing agency verifying passage of the examination

SAT

Exam date after 3/2016: Score 560 or above on “Critical Reading” or “Verbal”

Exam date prior to 3/2016: Score 500 or above on “Critical Reading” or “Verbal”

Exam date prior to 04/1995: score 420 or above

Exam date after 3/2016: Score 570 or above

Exam date prior to 3/2016: Score 550 or above

Exam date prior to 04/1995: score 530 or above

Original College Board passing score report


Generally, there is no mixing and matching of different sections of examinations that satisfy the BSR. For example, an individual cannot combine passage of the mathematics section of the EAP, with the reading section of the CBEST, and the Writing section of the CSET: Multiple Subjects Plus Writing examination. However, since the EAP and EPT/ELM examinations are linked for CSU admission and placement, the Commission will accept a combination of scores from the EAP and EPT/ELM Examinations to meet the BSR as long as the individual passes a section of English and a section for Mathematics. For example, an individual may combine passage of the Mathematics EAP and the CSU Placement Examination in English (EPT) to satisfy the BSR.

For complete information, please see the following Commission on Teacher Credentialing documents:

  • Commission Leaflet CL-667
  • Coded Correspondence 15-03
  • Coded Correspondence 17-04