Teachers: Basic Question re Teaching Requirements

[toobusytoday]

To make sure my daughter took the correct Praxis for PA (she went to college out of state) I asked a friend who was finishing up her ed degree here. Each state seems to have a different Praxis requirement. Daughter was able to take one set in St. Louis, and another set in Allentown. She had already done the certification tests (not Praxis) for the state that her college was in so didn't study for the Praxis but did well.

[endersshadow]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

To make sure my daughter took the correct Praxis for PA (she went to college out of state) I asked a friend who was finishing up her ed degree here. Each state seems to have a different Praxis requirement. Daughter was able to take one set in St. Louis, and another set in Allentown. She had already done the certification tests (not Praxis) for the state that her college was in so didn't study for the Praxis but did well.

I'm confused again but I won't make assumptions. When you say that you made sure your daughter took the "correct" Praxis for PA, are you saying that there are different Praxis exams for each state? I thought the Praxis was a national exam but I could be wrong. I just took the first Praxis and haven't thought much of it since.

Also, you said that each state has different Praxis requirements. By that, do you mean that each state accepts different minimal scores per category (like Math, Reading, and Writing)? This would make more sense to me than each state having their own version of the Praxis but what do I know?

By the way, congratulations for your daughter doing well on the Praxis. Was it the first Praxis exam or the second that she passed? At least... in Maryland, the Praxis is broken into two tests.

[toobusytoday]

She took two sets of Praxis tests. The first set is usually taken after freshman year - the PPST - and you must score a certain score to be admitted into the education major. The second set is usually taken in the senior year and it's major specific with tests for elementary ed, secondary ed and in addition subject specific for the secondary ed students - history, english, etc. This site gives the test numbers that one needs:
http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/m...90RCRD#testreq

Because she took one set out of state, when she registered she asked for the PA Praxis tests with the test numbers. I found the praxis website quite confusing because, yes, each state has different praxis tests and different minimum scores.

The set up reminded me of the SAT's where they have CR and Math and a writing section. Each state asks not only for certain Praxis tests, but yes, you have to score above a certain number. My daughter went to college in one of the few states that requires a different test then the praxis but it was very similar. She's certified to teach in that state K-9, but just K-6 in PA. She took all of the Praxis tests in her senior year.

[theshan]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

Because she took one set out of state, when she registered she asked for the PA Praxis tests with the test numbers. I found the praxis website quite confusing because, yes, each state has different praxis tests and different minimum scores.

To clarify: No, each state doesn't have its own PRAXIS, it's a national exam like the SAT. But each state does have its own requirements as to which tests you must pass and what number counts as passing.

[toobusytoday]

Thanks for saying that more clearly. If only the Praxis site would be so clear!

[endersshadow]

All right, that works for me then. I'm not worried about Praxis requirements for PA. I doubt they'll be that different from MD (Though I'll check into it the closer I get to taking the second Praxis). So I guess I'll just need to remember the paperwork (and the fee ). Thanks for the clarification.

[lorib49]

I'm certified to teach in NJ, SC and VA. Each state had different Praxis tests that I had to take. NJ was the easiest with one. In SC I had to pass three. Unfortunatley, the 3 Praxis tests that I already passed, the Master's Degree and my experience are not good enough for PA. I have to take another Praxis and spend more money. This country needs to come up with one set of certification requirements for teachers. I've probably spent over $1,000 on all of these stupid tests and fees. So many states complain of teacher shortages, yet they make it so hard and expensive to become a teacher. Just felt that I needed to vent.

[toobusytoday]

There is a national teaching certification offered but it's not for the faint of heart: http://www.nbpts.org/become_a_candidate

I agree, in this day and age when many people move around the only people benefiting from the different standards is the company that puts out the tests. What a racket!!