BOSTON, July 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The Arizona State Board of Education now approves PTE Academic, Pearson's secure English language test for international students, as an English proficiency testing option for the Provisional Foreign Teacher Training Certificate.

"PTE Academic will provide applicants with another option to fulfill the English proficiency requirement for the Provisional Foreign Teacher Teaching Certificate," said Kasey Ohrns, Director of Teacher Certification Operations and Process Development at the Arizona Department of Education. Candidates using PTE Academic for entry are required to have a minimum composite score of 55 out of 90, with a minimum score of 50 for Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking.

The Certificate is required for a teacher or professional contracted through the Foreign Teacher Exchange Program or other foreign teacher recruitment programs approved by the United States Department of State. It is issued in the areas of early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education, special education, and career and technical education. The Provisional Certificate is valid for 1 year and may be extended for 1 year.

The relationship between Pearson and the state of Arizona is longstanding, with Arizona State University not only accepting PTE Academic scores for admission to all programs, but also partnering with eCollege to develop innovative services to support online students. PTE Academic is also recognized by the Arizona State Board of Nursing, as well as nearly 1,600 institutions across the United States.

Notes for editors:

About PTE Academic

PTE Academic was launched in late 2009 by Pearson and is recognized by renowned colleges, universities, training providers and professional associations across the English-speaking world. Globally, close to 3,000 academic programs now accept PTE Academic scores. PTE Academic is recognized by the UK Border Agency for Tier 4 (student) applications and applications for Tier 2 of the points-based system, where applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency. It is also approved by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) for student visa applications. PTE Academic is endorsed by the prestigious Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC®), owner of the Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®).

For a full list of recognizing institutions, please visit: http://www.pearsonpte.com/whoaccepts

Hear testimonials from our test takers first hand by visiting our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/pearsonpte.

About Pearson

Pearson is the world's leading learning company. Our education business combines 150 years of experience in publishing with the latest learning technology and online support. We are also part of the wider Pearson family which includes Penguin and the Financial Times. We provide education and assessment services in more than 65 countries. Our courses and resources are available in print, online and through multilingual packages, helping people learn whatever, wherever and however they choose. Products such as MyLabs are changing education practice worldwide.

SOURCE Pearson