Helping teacher candidates succeed on their licensure exams is not a one-size-fits-all challenge. Candidates come to the preparation process with different content backgrounds, different learning needs, and different amounts of time before their exam window. Some need a strong self-directed foundation they can work through on their own schedule. Others need structured live support to reinforce content and build confidence. Some need the most intensive, immersive preparation experience available to give them the best possible chance of success.

Passage Preparation™ has evolved to meet the needs of all candidates with that reality in mind. Our platform offers three distinct tiers of licensure preparation support, each designed to meet candidates where they are and provide the level of engagement their preparation requires. This post introduces all three.

Tier 1: Foundational Asynchronous Courses

Our foundational asynchronous courses are the cornerstone of the Passage Preparation platform. Developed by experienced educators and aligned directly to the standards, domains, and competencies measured on each licensure assessment, these self-paced courses give candidates the structured preparation they need to build content mastery on their own schedule.

Every course begins with a diagnostic assessment that identifies where a candidate is strong and where additional focus is needed, enabling a personalized study plan from the outset. Candidates then move through instructional content, embedded videos, interactive activities, and formative knowledge checks before completing full-length practice assessments that mirror the structure and demands of their target exam. Assessment-based feedback at every stage ensures candidates understand not just what they got wrong, but why and where to direct their preparation next. Take a look at this course overview to explore how Passage Preparation helps candidates build knowledge, practice key skills, and prepare for their licensure exams.

For districts and educator preparation programs, foundational courses also deliver enterprise-level reporting through the Passage Preparation Portal, providing administrators with real-time visibility into candidate engagement, diagnostic performance, practice assessment results, and overall preparation progress. See how the Passage Preparation portal gives administrators visibility into candidate engagement, performance, and progress. With more than 805 courses spanning assessments across the United States, foundational courses represent the broadest and most accessible entry point into Passage Preparation’s platform.

Tier 2: Prep+

For candidates who need more than a self-paced course can offer, Prep+ adds a targeted layer of live, expert-facilitated instruction. Prep+ is a live webinar series in which each 90-minute session focuses on a specific licensure exam, content domain, or test-taking strategy. Sessions are interactive by design, with candidates engaging directly with practice test items, asking questions in real time, analyzing answer rationales, and sharing strategies with peers in a structured environment.

What distinguishes Prep+ is its flexibility. Partner organizations select the topics that matter most to their candidates, whether that means targeting high-volume certification exams, addressing content domains where candidates have historically faced greater difficulty, or building general test-taking confidence across multiple assessments. Passage Preparation works closely with each partner to identify the right focus areas and build a session sequence that complements what candidates are already doing in their foundational course.

Prep+ is the right choice when candidates need more interaction, more expert guidance, and more targeted support than asynchronous preparation alone can provide.

Tier 3: Synchronous Courses

Passage Preparation’s synchronous courses represent the highest level of support we offer. These are live, instructor-led cohort experiences delivered over six weeks and dedicated to a single licensure assessment. Led by subject-matter experts supported by Passage Preparation staff, each course combines structured instruction, guided practice, interactive discussion, and personalized feedback to help candidates build the deep, durable mastery that a high-stakes licensure exam requires.

Delivered to cohorts of up to 30 participants, synchronous courses are designed for candidates who face significant preparation challenges and benefit most from sustained, structured engagement with an expert and peers over time. Current offerings include courses aligned to Foundations of Reading, Texas Science of Teaching Reading, Elementary Education, and Special Education, with additional subject areas available. As with all Passage Preparation offerings, synchronous courses can be customized to align with a partner organization’s specific candidate population, assessment priorities, and program goals.

The Right Tier for Every Candidate

The three tiers are designed to work together as a comprehensive preparation ecosystem. Many candidates will begin with a foundational course and need nothing more. Others will benefit from adding Prep+ sessions in areas where they need targeted support. And for the candidates with the most significant preparation needs, synchronous courses provide the intensive, expert-led experience that gives them the best path to certification.

For districts and educator preparation programs, understanding which candidates need which level of support is one of the most important decisions in the licensure preparation process. Passage Preparation is here to help navigate that decision.

If you want to learn more about Passage Preparation’s tiered supports — what they are, how they work, and how organizations like yours are using them to support candidates across the certification journey, reach out at nathan.estel@passagepreparation.com.