Sponsored School(s)
Edited by PE Teacher EDU Editorial Staff
Last Updated:
To become a physical education teacher in a public school, plan to earn a bachelor’s degree, complete an approved teacher preparation route, and meet your state’s certification requirements. Your state decides which PE subject assessment, supervised teaching experience, and background checks you need. If you already have a degree, an alternative or graduate certification program may fit your starting point.
Start with the state where you want to teach. A PE degree, a fitness credential, and a teaching license serve different purposes: choose a program that leads to the school teaching credential you need. Use the state guides below to narrow your options before comparing schools.
Find PE Teacher Info For Your State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Choose Your Route to PE Teacher Certification
Your existing education determines where to begin. The main decision is whether you need your first degree, teacher preparation after a degree, or an additional teaching endorsement.
| Your starting point | Route to consider | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Starting college | Bachelor’s program with physical education teacher preparation | State approval, PE endorsement, grade range, and student teaching |
| Already hold a bachelor’s degree | Post-baccalaureate, initial-certification master’s, or approved alternative route | Admission prerequisites, subject knowledge requirements, and supervised teaching arrangements |
| Already a licensed teacher | Additional PE endorsement or certification | Your state’s rules for adding a subject and any coursework or testing still required |
| Licensed in another state | Out-of-state educator application | Whether your preparation, experience, and current license meet the receiving state’s requirements |
Earn a Degree and Complete Teacher Preparation
A physical education teaching degree combines the subject with practice in teaching it. Look for a program explicitly designed for initial licensure. An exercise science, sports management, or general health sciences degree may prepare you for other careers without including the school teaching requirements.
Ask the program to explain how it covers movement skills, motor development, physical fitness, lesson planning, assessment, and adapting activities for different learners. The NES Physical Education assessment framework illustrates these subject areas, including growth and motor development, movement activities, lifelong fitness, and planning a PE program.
Teacher preparation also includes learning to teach. A supervised placement gives you practice planning lessons, managing groups, assessing learning, and responding to students under a mentor’s guidance. Compare how programs arrange placements, especially if you study online or live outside the institution’s home state.
Already Have a Degree?
Ask approved preparation providers to review your transcript before enrolling in a second bachelor’s degree. Your state may offer a post-baccalaureate or alternative route. Some programs combine preparation with a master’s degree; others award a certificate. Confirm that the route is open to PE candidates and leads to initial teaching certification.
Employment-based routes may let eligible candidates teach while completing preparation, but the conditions differ. In Washington’s alternative routes, for example, candidates can work in schools while earning certification. Ask when you become eligible for paid teaching and what supervision, coursework, and school placement are required.
Check Your State’s PE Exams
Use the exact test name and code on your state licensing agency’s current requirements. An exam provider offering a test does not mean your state accepts it. These are examples of PE subject tests to help you recognize the options:
| Assessment | Code | Format and testing time |
|---|---|---|
| Praxis Physical Education: Content Knowledge | 5091 | 120 selected-response questions; 2 hours |
| Praxis Physical Education: Content and Design | 5095 | 90 selected-response and 2 constructed-response questions; 2 hours |
| NES Physical Education | 506 | 150 multiple-choice questions; 3 hours testing time |
| TExES Physical Education EC–12 | 258 | 90 selected-response and 1 constructed-response question; 4 hours 45 minutes testing time |
Texas candidates: Physical Education EC–12 (258) replaced the retired 158 exam. Pearson lists a passing score of 240 for test 258. Check your educator preparation program’s testing approval instructions before registering.
California takes a different approach. Its Single Subject credential includes physical education. The Commission also recognizes specified degree majors for subject matter competence, so confirm with your preparation program whether you need an examination or qualify another way.
Your state may have additional basic skills, pedagogy, or performance assessment requirements. Review our PE Praxis exam guide, NES PE exam guide, and PE teacher requirements guide alongside the current instructions from your state.
Apply for Your License and Plan for Renewal
Before applying, assemble the documents your state requests: degree transcripts, program completion or recommendation, assessment results, and background check information. Follow the licensing agency’s sequence; an employment background check may be separate from the checks required for certification.
Washington, for example, requires fingerprinting and a background check before issuing a teaching certificate. Requirements and processing steps vary elsewhere. The U.S. Department of Education directs applicants to their state education department because there is no single certification accepted everywhere.
Once certified, record your license’s expiration date and renewal conditions. Professional development is common, and some states require a graduate degree at a later career stage. A master’s degree is not a universal entry requirement. Check your own state’s rules before choosing graduate study solely to renew a license.
Plan Your Path to PE Teaching
Explore degree choices, certification routes, costs, and resources for your first teaching position.
- Master’s in Physical Education: Programs and Career Paths
- How to Become a PE Teacher With a Kinesiology Degree
- Alternative PE Teacher Certification: Routes for Career Changers
- Bachelor’s in Physical Education: Teaching and Nonteaching Options
- Master of Arts in Teaching Physical Education: Initial Certification Programs
- Physical Education vs. Exercise Science vs. Kinesiology
- Adding a PE Endorsement to an Existing Teaching License
- How Long Does It Take to Become a PE Teacher?
- How Much Does It Cost to Become a PE Teacher?
- Physical Education Scholarships and Financial Aid
- PE Teacher Interview Questions and Sample Answers
- PE Teacher Resume Examples and Student Teaching Portfolio
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a bachelor’s degree to become a PE teacher?
A bachelor’s degree is the standard starting point for public school teacher certification. You also need to meet the preparation and licensing requirements for your state and teaching assignment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics explains the degree, preparation, and state licensing requirements for high school teachers.
Can I become a PE teacher with a kinesiology or exercise science degree?
It can be a starting point, but the degree alone does not establish teaching eligibility. Have an approved educator preparation program evaluate your coursework and explain the remaining requirements. California, for example, recognizes certain specifically named kinesiology and physical education majors for subject matter competence; teacher preparation remains a separate part of the credential route.
Can I earn my PE teaching qualification online?
Compare online programs by the teaching credential they lead to and how they arrange supervised school experience. Ask whether the program meets the requirements in the state where you will apply, and where you must complete in-person teaching placements.
Which PE exam should I take?
Take the assessment your state accepts for your route and endorsement. Praxis 5091, Praxis 5095, NES 506, and Texas’s TExES 258 are different tests. Confirm the code, passing score, and any permission to test before paying a registration fee.
Is coaching certification the same as PE teacher certification?
Check the requirements for the specific job. A coaching qualification or personal training certificate does not by itself establish eligibility for a public school teaching license. Review PE teacher career options and your state’s requirements for the teaching assignment.
- Start with your state: Match your program and assessments to the credential you need.
- Choose a licensure route: Check whether a degree includes teacher preparation and supervised school experience.
- Use current exam codes: Texas’s PE exam is 258; the older 158 exam has retired.
- Plan beyond graduation: Check application documents, background checks, and renewal requirements.
Compare PE teacher preparation programs by state approval, study format, and placement arrangements. Ask each school whether its program leads to initial certification or serves teachers who are already licensed.