7 September, 2023
Dr. Jason Ampel

What is the Praxis Test? Everything You Need to Know In 2023

Planning to pursue a teaching career? You may have heard that you need to take the Praxis test. The Praxis test is a basic requirement for teacher certification– a special type of exam that offers a clear pathway to the licensing and certification of teachers.

The Praxis test measures the teacher's development and proves their readiness before entering the teaching career. The test is essential in every state, and the Educational Testing Service (ETS) requires every teacher to pass it.

This definitive guide explains in depth what the praxis test is, why you need to take the tests, and the different types of praxis tests you need to become a certified teacher.

What is the Praxis Test?

The Praxis test is a mode of certification among teachers established by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to offer a clear pathway toward teachers’ licensure and evaluate the development and readiness of candidates.

The ETS is also responsible for researching methods to advance the KPIs for educational measurement to enhance the provision of quality education across learning institutions.

The Educational Testing Service is a body that takes charge of teaching activities across the US. Formed in 1947, the ETS introduced the Praxis test to evaluate every teacher's potential and impact in the industry. The organization works as a quality assurance board that assesses the capabilities of every candidate before they are deployed within their jurisdictions.

Over 40 states require prospective teachers to take the test under the management of the ETS for licensing and certification. The test is designed to verify every individual's academic knowledge and teaching abilities.

If you want to teach a specific subject area, you are required to pass either one or more subject-specific tests to showcase your expertise.

In addition, the test evaluates the expertise of every candidate in mathematics content, reading, and writing regardless of their specified disciplines or grade levels. Candidates are also tested in specific disciplines they want to teach in grades K-12, as well as their general teaching skills and practices.

Reasons to Take a Praxis Test

According to the No Child Left Behind Act, the federal government requires all state-licensed teachers to meet the necessary qualifications. Every teacher should go through the assessment to showcase their abilities.

The Department of Education in the United States gives some flexibility to schools in various districts to demonstrate that their teachers are qualified. Also, the Federal government requires all teachers to pass the assessment in subjects that they are competent in.

Here are the Praxis tests and what they involve:

  • The Praxis PLT: The test is designed to evaluate candidates based on their knowledge of teaching practice, among other theories. This test does not assess a teacher's expertise in a specific subject. Its primary objective is to evaluate whether a teacher has mastered the general art of teaching.

  • The Praxis Core: The test evaluates your general ability in mathematics, reading, and writing. This is the basic requirement test for all teachers regardless of their specialization. Recording a good score in the Praxis Core means you have a cross-section of mathematics and language arts competence at the K-12 level.

  • Praxis II (Praxis Subject Assessment): Praxis II, also known as Praxis subject assessment, helps prove that the teacher has mastered a specific content area. State licensing always wants to ensure that you know your areas of expertise and can be trusted to teach students.

Praxis Test Scoring

The Praxis test scoring varies from one state to the other. Every state organizes its passing scores for every test used. The score ranges between 100 - 200, depending on your location.

However, the passing score may range between 127 - 177. Most college teaching programs use the Praxis test to evaluate your skills and academic knowledge when you want to pursue academic teaching programs.

The examination incorporates multiple-choice questions, constructed response questions, or a combination of the two. The multiple-choice question section is scored depending on the number of questions that you answered correctly.

The test is supervised by a special team trained by the ETS that takes charge of scoring the constructed response questions. However, some testing centers are likely to display an unofficial score after the test. The board releases the official score within 21 working days for the reading and mathematics tests.

ETS gives results for the writing test after 20 working days. After sitting for the Praxis test, results appear on your Praxis account. A computer system grades the tests for the selected-response questions before ETS conducts verification.

The Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educator Examination has three subtests. They include Writing (#5723), Reading (#5713), and Mathematics (#5733). There is additional information contained in the Praxis report to give you an overview of the results.

The first page of the report has the name of the test taken, a chart that displays your score, the institution's name, and a statement of pass or fail. The chart (line chart) has 100 on one end and 200 on the other end.

Also, there is an average score range displayed on the line. You can easily compare your score with other candidates to evaluate your overall position. ETS outlines the remarks of pass or fail on the first page.

The additional information that helps in interpreting scores includes:

  • Praxis Raw Scores: The Praxis raw scores show the total number of correctly answered questions out of the actual number of questions. If an exam has 80 questions and you get 60 questions, the raw score is 60.

  • Praxis Scaled Scores: Praxis operates by converting the scores into an official number that is then reported to the board. This helps to account for test difficulty. Even though different efforts are applied to ensure that all exams have similar difficulty levels, there are always slight differences. The ETS has a specialized chart that converts the Praxis raw score into a scaled score.

The scale scores are mostly out of 200, while the raw score is out of 100. Tests with selected-response questions give a preliminary scaled score immediately after the test.

The Education Testing Service (ETS) has confidentiality rules to ensure your information is safe and secure. The test scores cannot be released to the institution without the written consent of the test taker.

The ETS gives you room to retake the test if you fail to achieve the pass mark. If you fail the test, you can retake it after 21 days.

Types of Praxis Test

There are multiple Praxis tests available that you need to evaluate keenly before identifying the one that suits you. You should take tests that reciprocate the requirements of their respective fields.

It's essential to differentiate the Praxis tests to avoid making mistakes during certification and licensure.

Here are the different types of Praxis tests that you need to know:

1- Content Knowledge for Teaching Tests

This Praxis test involves four assessments that evaluate the content knowledge necessary for teaching at the elementary level. The content knowledge for teaching tests is a basic requirement in many states for acquiring a license in elementary teaching.

2- Core Academic Skills Test

The test measures your knowledge of core academic skills. Most institutions classify this test as compulsory for college and university admission. The core academic skills test is done by anybody who wants to enter the teaching profession.

3- Subject Assessments Tests

The Subject Assessments Tests help to evaluate your abilities in specific subjects and pedagogy. It also evaluates broader educational skills within the teaching profession.

Areas of Praxis Test

Praxis tests focus on the core areas within the teaching field, such as reading, writing, and mathematics. The test is prepared by a special team of experts trained by the ETS and is presented in two categories to help the institution evaluate every candidate's potential. Praxis tests have multiple selection questions, two essay sections, and numeric entry questions.

1- Reading Test

The Praxis reading test assesses your ability to read, summarize and express your opinions in the best way possible. The test has 56 select-response questions that should be completed in less than 85 minutes.

2- Writing Test

The Praxis writing test evaluates your expertise in writing and prepares you for a successful career in education. The test has four different sections that include:

  • Error Identification: Identify structural and grammatical errors.
  • Sentence correction: Identify the best way to reinstate a given sentence or phrase.
  • Revision in Context: Evaluate a paragraph and determine how to strengthen it.
  • Research Skills: Effective research strategies, citing various elements, and evaluating source credibility.

3- Math Test

Mathematics skills are essential for a successful teaching career. The Praxis math test has 56 questions divided into four sections:

  • Algebra and functions
  • Statistics and probability
  • Number and quantity
  • Geometry

Other Praxis Exams

There are multiple types of Praxis exams that teachers can take to get certification. However, you don't necessarily need to take all the exams.

Understanding your state's requirements can save you from doing tests that are not necessary in your field. Below are the available Praxis subject exams:

  • Agriculture (5701)
  • Algebra I (5162)
  • Art: Content and Analysis (5135)
  • Art: Content Knowledge (5134)
  • ... (other subjects)

One Step Closer to Your Teaching Career

The Praxis test helps to prove that you are competent in a specific content area, signifying your readiness for certification. The Praxis test is a basic requirement for becoming a teacher across the nation.

Through its comprehensive evaluation of knowledge, skills, and aptitude, this test ensures you showcase your preparedness for the classroom. But, the certification requirements vary from one state to the other.