NYSTCE Tests Explained: What You Need for New York Teacher Certification

To earn an initial New York teaching certificate for childhood education (elementary, Grades 1 to 6), you generally need to pass two NYSTCE exams: the EAS (Educating All Students, test 201) and the CST Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood (Grade 1 to Grade 6), which is split into three separately scored parts. Every current NYSTCE test uses a scaled score of 400 to 600, and you need a 520 to pass. Your preparation program also administers its own state-aligned Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA), but that is not an NYSTCE exam. Exact requirements depend on your certificate area and program, so confirm the details with your program and the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

Which NYSTCE tests does a new elementary teacher actually need?

New York overhauled its certification testing over the past several years, so a lot of the advice floating around online is out of date. If you are pursuing a childhood (Grades 1 to 6) certificate today, the picture is fairly simple. You take the EAS once, and you take the CST Multi-Subject as three parts that you can pass and bank one at a time.

The EAS is the broad professional-knowledge exam that nearly every initial-certificate candidate has to pass, regardless of grade level or subject. The CST (Content Specialty Test) is the subject-matter exam, and the Multi-Subject version is the one built for elementary teachers who cover reading, math, science, and social studies in a single classroom.

Here is how the required tests break down.

All of these are computer-based and delivered at Pearson VUE test centers. A good NYSTCE practice test is the fastest way to see which of these four exams will need the most of your study time.

What is the EAS and who has to take it?

The EAS (test 201) is required of essentially all initial-certificate candidates in New York. It is not a content exam. Instead, it measures whether you can teach effectively in a real, diverse classroom and meet the needs of every student in front of you.

The exam covers five competencies:

• Diverse student populations
• English language learners
• Students with disabilities and other special learning needs
• Teacher responsibilities
• School-home relationships

Structurally, the EAS gives you 40 selected-response questions plus 3 constructed-response assignments, all inside 135 minutes of testing time. The written pieces usually ask you to read a short classroom scenario and explain how you would respond, so knowing the vocabulary of differentiation, accommodations, and family communication matters as much as recall. The passing score is 520, the same bar used across every current NYSTCE test.

How does the CST Multi-Subject work?

The CST Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood (Grade 1 to Grade 6) is your content exam, and its structure is the single most useful thing to understand before you register. It is one test in name, but you sit and pass three separate parts, and each part is scored on its own.

The three parts

• Part 1: Literacy and English Language Arts (221) gives you 40 selected-response questions plus 1 constructed-response assignment in 2 hours. Expect reading foundations, comprehension, and writing instruction.
• Part 2: Mathematics (222) gives you 40 selected-response questions plus 1 constructed-response assignment in 2 hours 15 minutes. This is the part most candidates find the most demanding, since the constructed response often asks you to explain student reasoning.
• Part 3: Arts and Sciences (245) gives you 40 selected-response questions in 1 hour, with no written component. It pulls together science, social studies, the arts, and general knowledge.

Each part has a passing score of 520, and here is the key detail: the parts are banked separately. If you pass two parts and fall short on one, you keep the passes and retake only the part you missed. That takes a lot of pressure off, because you never have to redo work you have already cleared.

One more thing worth knowing: Part 3 (245) is shared across the Multi-Subject family. If your career path later shifts toward a different Multi-Subject certificate, a passing 245 can carry over, which is a small but real time-saver.

Whatever happened to edTPA and the ALST?

This is where old guides trip people up. Two former requirements are gone.

The edTPA was eliminated as a New York certification requirement effective April 2022. In its place, teacher preparation programs now use their own state-aligned Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA). That TPA is a program deliverable, not something you register for through Pearson, and it is not an NYSTCE exam. If you are in a program, ask your advisor exactly what their TPA looks like and when it is due.

The old ALST literacy test was discontinued back in 2017, so you can ignore any checklist that still lists it. The EAS, by contrast, remains required. When you read certification advice, check the date first, because the New York testing landscape has changed more than once.

How are NYSTCE tests scored and delivered?

Every current NYSTCE exam is reported on a scaled score from 400 to 600. You need 520 to pass. There is also a safety-net score of 500 that applies to certain candidates during transition periods, but 520 is the standard target you should aim for on every test.

All of these exams are computer-based at Pearson VUE test centers, so you can often find a seat on a schedule that fits your program timeline. If you do not pass, the standard retake wait is 30 days (60 days if you are testing under safety-net rules). That waiting period is exactly why banking the CST parts separately is such an advantage: you only reschedule the part that still needs a passing score.

How should you study for four exams at once?

The trap most candidates fall into is treating all four tests as one giant review. They are not. Because the CST parts are scored independently and the EAS is its own animal, the smart move is to study each target on its own terms and clear them in a sequence that matches your strengths.

A practical approach:

• Take a diagnostic on each of the four exams so you know where you actually stand instead of guessing.
• Front-load your weakest area. For many elementary candidates that is the Part 2 Mathematics constructed response, where you have to explain a solution clearly rather than just get the right answer.
• Practice the written assignments under a timer, since the EAS and CST Parts 1 and 2 all reward organized, jargon-aware responses.
• Turn your coursework and study notes into quiz questions. You can generate practice questions from your notes so your review targets the exact material your program covered.

Short, repeated practice sets beat marathon cramming, especially for the selected-response sections where speed and stamina matter across 40 questions.

Frequently asked questions

What is a passing score on the NYSTCE?

Every current NYSTCE test is scored on a scale of 400 to 600, and you need a 520 to pass. A 500 safety-net score applies to some candidates during transition periods, but 520 is the standard benchmark. Each CST Multi-Subject part must reach 520 on its own.

Do I still need edTPA in New York?

No. New York eliminated edTPA as a certification requirement effective April 2022. Preparation programs now administer their own state-aligned Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) instead. That TPA is a program requirement, not an NYSTCE exam, so check the specifics with your program advisor.

How many times can you take the NYSTCE?

There is no lifetime cap on attempts, but you must wait 30 days between attempts on the same test (60 days under safety-net rules). Since each CST Multi-Subject part is banked separately, you only retake the specific part you did not pass, not the whole exam.

How hard is the CST Multi-Subject?

Difficulty varies by person, but many elementary candidates find Part 2 Mathematics the toughest because its constructed response asks you to explain reasoning, not just compute. The separate-scoring format helps: you can focus your energy on one part at a time and keep the parts you already passed.

Confirm before you register

The requirements above reflect the standard path for a childhood (Grades 1 to 6) certificate, but exact rules depend on your certificate area and preparation program. Before you pay for a test date, verify your specific list with both your program and NYSED. And once you have passed, are certified, and start fielding job offers, it pays to know how to handle a first salary offer so your new credential translates into fair pay.

This guide is for general information only and is not affiliated with the New York State Education Department or Pearson.