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English Language Development (ELD) credential

All 51 jurisdictions offer some form of ELD credential — termed ESL, ENL, ESOL, TESOL, or CLD depending on the SEA. The requirements for earning the credential, however, vary substantially across states.

Availability by state

Not offered
Add-on only
Standalone offered

2 states allow earning the credential by test alone

Where coursework, practicum, and an approved program are all unrequired and a passing test score is sufficient:

Requirements by state

State % EL Standalone Add-on Program Coursework Practicum Test
Alabama 4.7 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Alaska 10.8 ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ? ✓
Arizona 8.2 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ —
Arkansas 8.1 — ✓ ✓ ? ? ✓
California 17.4 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Colorado 13.0 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ —
Connecticut 11.3 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Delaware 13.3 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
District of Columbia 14.1 ✓ ✓ ? ? ? ✓
Florida 9.5 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ? ✓
Georgia 7.7 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Hawaii 10.0 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ? ✓
Idaho 5.8 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Illinois 16.4 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓ —
Indiana 7.0 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Iowa 7.0 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ?
Kansas 8.0 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Kentucky 8.5 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Louisiana 5.3 — ✓ ? ✓ — —
Maine 3.1 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ?
Maryland 12.6 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Massachusetts 13.1 ✓ — ? ? ✓ ✓
Michigan 6.4 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Minnesota 9.6 ✓ — ✓ ✓ ✓ ?
Mississippi 3.1 — ✓ ✓ — ? ✓
Missouri 3.8 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Montana 2.4 — ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ?
Nebraska 7.3 — ✓ ? ✓ ✓ —
Nevada 13.8 — ✓ ? ✓ ✓ —
New Hampshire 2.8 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ?
New Jersey 10.6 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
New Mexico 18.8 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ? ✓
New York 10.7 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
North Carolina 11.9 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
North Dakota 3.3 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ✓ ✓
Ohio 4.6 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Oklahoma 9.3 — ✓ ? ? ? ✓
Oregon 12.6 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Pennsylvania 5.3 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ —
Rhode Island 13.5 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
South Carolina 5.8 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
South Dakota 3.0 — ✓ ? ✓ ? ✓
Tennessee 5.8 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Texas 24.3 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Utah 8.7 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Vermont 2.0 — ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Virginia 9.4 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ? ✓
Washington 15.1 — ✓ ✓ ? ? ✓
West Virginia 0.8 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Wisconsin 5.9 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Wyoming 2.7 ✓ ✓ ? ✓ ? ✓