Exam Overview

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The Praxis Physical Education: Content Knowledge (5091) test measures whether an entry-level physical education teacher has the knowledge and skills needed to teach PE in grades K–12. It is developed and administered by ETS as part of the Praxis Subject Assessments. States and licensing agencies decide whether the test is required and what score you need.

The Test at a Glance
Feature	Details
Test name and code	Praxis Physical Education: Content Knowledge (5091)
Number of questions	120 selected-response (multiple-choice) questions
Answer choices	Four options (A–D); choose the one best answer
Testing time	2 hours
Format	Computer delivered, at a test center or at home with remote proctoring
Calculator	Not permitted
Scores	Reported on a 100–200 scale; the passing score is set by each state
Test fee	$130 (check the ETS site for the current fee)

Content Categories

The test outline groups the content into four categories. The approximate number of questions and the share of the test for each category are shown below. Some questions may be pretest items that do not count toward your score, and you cannot tell which ones they are, so answer every question carefully.

Official Content Categories
Content category	Approx. questions	Share of test
I. Content Knowledge and Student Growth and Development	36	30%
II. Management, Motivation, and Communication	30	25%
III. Planning, Instruction, and Student Assessment	30	25%
IV. Collaboration, Reflection, and Technology	24	20%

Share of the test by content category

Content Knowledge and Growth — 30%Sciences of movement, sports, development

Management and Communication — 25%Management, motivation, communication

Planning and Assessment — 25%Planning, instruction, assessment

Collaboration and Technology — 20%Collaboration, reflection, technology

Question Style

All questions are selected-response with four answer choices. Expect many short scenarios that describe a class, a student, or a colleague and ask what the teacher should do FIRST or which approach is MOST appropriate. Other questions test precise knowledge, such as the class of lever used in a movement, the energy system that powers a sprint, or the requirements of IDEA.

Scoring and Results

Your raw score (the number of questions answered correctly) is converted to a scaled score from 100 to 200.
There is no penalty for wrong answers, so never leave a question blank.
For tests made up only of selected-response questions, an unofficial score is usually shown at the end of the session; the official score report is posted to your Praxis account a few weeks later.
Each state sets its own passing score for this test. Look up your state's requirement on the ETS state requirements page before you register.

Registering and Test Day

Confirm your state's requirement

Check that your state or program requires test 5091 (some states use a different PE test) and note the passing score.

Create a Praxis account and register

Register online, choose a test center or the at-home option, and pay the fee. Testing accommodations must be approved before you register for a date.

Prepare your ID and space

Bring acceptable, valid photo ID that matches your registration name. For at-home testing, check the equipment and room rules in advance.

After the test

If you need to retest, ETS requires a waiting period of 28 days between attempts at the same test.

Always Confirm Current Details

Fees, policies, and state passing scores can change. Check the official Praxis website (praxis.ets.org) and your state's licensing agency before you register.

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