Keeping Test Content Current
How Are Tests Updated To Keep Content Current?
ETS is committed to keeping all Praxis™ tests up to date and aligned with professionally accepted standards, and tests are therefore reviewed on a regular basis. During the first phase of review, ETS conducts an analysis of relevant state and association standards and of the current test content. State licensure titles and the results of relevant job analyses are also considered. Revised test questions are then produced following the standard test development methodology. National Advisory Committees (NAC) may also be convened to review existing test specifications and to evaluate test forms for alignment with the specifications.
Every Praxis test title is reviewed every five years by a National Advisory Committee, which is a key component of ETS's test development process. NACs, composed of licenced practicing professionals, are convened to assure that tests are aligned with the most recent nationally accepted standards and focus on the core knowledge and skills necessary to the teaching profession. This process, which is founded in best practices for educator credentialing, is used for regenerated tests as well as for new test development. For more information regarding the NAC process, please email us at PraxisClientRelations@ets.org.
When a NAC is convened, the Praxis client states help ETS recruit 12–15 licensed practicing professionals who are close to the beginning of their teaching practice, as well as college faculty who prepare teachers for that specific licensure area. The NAC works closely with ETS assessment specialists to define the content domain and later to develop the test blueprint and test content specifications. NAC meetings typically take place on the ETS campus in Princeton, New Jersey, and usually meet twice during the review and regeneration process.
After the NAC meets to define the test domains, a job analysis survey is conducted to confirm these domains. A job survey is conducted for new tests and for existing tests that are being significantly revised. The job analysis survey enables relatively large numbers of practitioners from across the country to judge the importance of the knowledge and/or skills defined by the NAC for beginning-level practice. The practitioners' judgments serve as an independent source of validation evidence. Once the results of the survey have been analyzed, the NAC is reconvened to develop the test blueprint and test specifications.
After the NAC develops the test blueprint and test specifications, ETS convenes panels of licensed practicing educators and college faculty from user states to conduct standard-setting studies. Each standard-setting panel confirms that the knowledge and/or skills represented in the test content specifications are important for entry-level practice and recommends a passing score for each state to consider when setting its own passing score.
Schedules
- Regeneration Schedule
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The Praxis program will launch 16 regenerated test titles for the 2012–2013 testing year. Multistate Standard-Setting Studies will have been completed for most of the following tests prior to their first use in 2012–2013. Tests that are only moving to the Praxis score scale do not require a standard-setting study.
States will consider the recommended passing scores from the Standard-Setting Studies when they set passing scores for their jurisdictions. Please note that most of the regenerated tests have a new test code number. See the 2012–13 Regenerated Tests chart below for more information about each of these tests. Any state wishing to review the new forms of these tests should contact their Client Relations Director at PraxisClientRelations@ets.org.
Regenerated Tests for 2012–13 testing year:
Test Title New Test Code Replaces Test Code Notes Cooperative Education 0811 0810 Driver Education 0867 Regenerated test; changes to content categories only Economics 0911 0910 Environmental Education 0831 0830 Government/Political Science 0931 0930 Latin 0601 0600 Moves to Praxis scale with changes to content categories Music: Content and Instruction 0114 0111 and 0112 For states using 0113 (MC-only) with CR tests 0111 and/or 0112 Professional School Counselor 0421
54210420 Reading Specialist 5301 0300 School Superintendent Assessment 6021 1020 Special Education: Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students 0272 0271 Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood 0691 0690 Special Education: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities 0383 0381 and 0382 Special Education: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments 0282 0281 Theatre 0641 0640 Moves to Praxis scale with changes to content categories World and U.S. History: Content Knowledge 0941
5941Regenerated test; changes to content categories only For questions or further information, please contact your Client Relations Director at PraxisClientRelations@ets.org.
- Computer Roll Out Schedule
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The Praxis program continues to provide candidates with computer-delivered testing, and as of August 2012, 46 test titles are available on computer, including three multi-subject tests that comprise an additional 11 subtests. During the 2012–13 testing year, an additional 17 test titles will be moving to computer.
Computer-delivered Tests Available as of August 2012:
5011 Elementary Education: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment 5014 Elementary Education: Content Knowledge 5015 Elementary Education: Instructional Practice and Applications 5021 Education of Young Children 5022 Early Childhood: Content Knowledge 5023 Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education 5031
5032
5033
5034
5035Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects
Elementary Education: Reading and Language Arts Subtest
Elementary Education: Mathematics Subtest
Elementary Education: Social Studies Subtest
Elementary Education: Science Subtest5041 English Language, Literature & Composition: Content Knowledge 5044 English Language, Literature & Composition: Content and Analysis 5049 Middle School: English Language Arts 5061 Mathematics: Content Knowledge 5087 Citizenship Education: Content Knowledge 5089 Middle School: Social Studies 5091 Physical Education: Content Knowledge 5141
5142
5143
5144
5145
5146Middle School: Multiple Subjects
Middle School: English Language Arts Subtest
Middle School: Mathematics Subtest
Middle School: Social Studies Subtest
Middle School: Science Subtest
Middle School: Content Knowledge5152 Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Core Assessment 5153 Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Core Assessment: Pedagogy 5154 Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Core Assessment: English Language Arts and Social Studies 5155 Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Core Assessment: Mathematics and Science 5156 Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: English Language Arts 5157 Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: Social Studies 5158 Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: Mathematics 5159 Pennsylvania Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: Science 5174 French: World Language 5183 German: World Language 5195 Spanish: World Language 5201 Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary 5204 Teaching Reading 5304 Reading for Virginia Educators: Reading Specialist 5306 Reading for Virginia Educators: Elementary and Special Education 5354 Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications 5511 Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge 5531 Pre-Kindergarten Education 5543 Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications 5545 Special Education: Core Knowledge and Severe to Profound Applications 5550 Health Education 5621 Principles of Learning and Teaching: Early Childhood 5622 Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K–6 5623 Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 5–9 5624 Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7–12 5710 Pre-Professional Skill Test: Reading 5720 Pre-Professional Skill Test: Writing 5730 Pre-Professional Skill Test: Mathematics 5801 Social Studies: Content Knowledge 5806 Social Studies: Content and Interpretation 5856 Health and Physical Education: Content Knowledge 6011 School Leaders Licensure Assessment 6015 Kentucky Specialty Test of Instructional and Administrative Practices Test Titles Moving to Computer in 2012–13:
5235 Biology: Content Knowledge September 2012 5245 Chemistry: Content Knowledge September 2012 5435 General Science: Content Knowledge September 2012 5095 Physical Education: Content and Design September 2012 5265 Physics: Content Knowledge September 2012 5301 Reading Specialist September 2012 5571 Earth and Space Sciences: Content Knowledge October 2012 5665 Chinese (Mandarin): World Language October 2012 5101 Business Education: Content Knowledge December 2012 5411 Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision December 2012 5121 Family and Consumer Sciences December 2012 6021 School Superintendent Assessment December 2012 5330 Speech-Language Pathology December 2012 5941 World and U.S. History: Content Knowledge December 2012 5134 Art: Content Knowledge February 2013 5311 Library Media Specialist February 2013 5113 Music: Content Knowledge February 2013 5421 Professional School Counselor February 2013 For questions or further information, please contact your Client Relations Director at PraxisClientRelations@ets.org.
See also:
RFP/RFI White Paper
View guidelines for Producing RFIs and RFPs Related to Teacher Licensure Assessment Programs.