The Praxis™ program continues to enhance the quality and delivery of the Praxis tests, and is currently launching more than 30 tests on computer for the 2011–2012 testing year. Praxis I® Reading, Writing and Mathematics, as well as Elementary Education: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment and Elementary Education: Content Knowledge will continue to be offered through our normal computer testing sessions. Additionally, new computer-delivered tests will be offered during extended windows in the near future.
Innovative computer-delivered testing news continues with ETS's development of new Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) tests. These four tests entered the regeneration stage of development meeting ETS's requirement of keeping tests valid, reliable and current with today's academic standards.
The PLT tests will be offered via paper during all seven administrations as well as on computer in late spring 2012. In anticipation of this effort, most states have already adopted the new test numbers 0621–0624. However, states and agencies that have not transitioned to the revised tests should not worry. The previous PLT test numbers, 0521–0524, will still be offered for the many users that need additional time to transition because of legislative or departmental constraints. In light of both versions of the PLT tests being offered, please encourage candidates to visit their state/agency page on the Praxis website to find specific testing requirements prior to registering for a PLT test.
States and agencies have asked for more computer-delivered testing and the Praxis program is responding to their requests. Beyond the tests referenced above, tests for school and district administrators will also be among the more than 80% computer-delivered tests. The last paper administration of the School Leader Licensure Assessment (SLLA) exam was on September 17. Quickly approaching is January 2012 when the SLLA exam will be offered during select periods on computer.
A list of tests moving to computer is outlined in the chart below.
TEST TITLE
TEST CODE
*Tests offered in both computer-delivered and paper-delivered formats
Available in November 2011
Elementary Education: Instructional Practice and Applications
5015
Middle School English Language Arts
5049*
Middle School: Multiple Subjects
5141
Middle School: English Language Arts Subtest
5142
Middle School: Mathematics Subtest
5143
Middle School: Social Studies Subtest
5144
Middle School: Science Subtest
5145
Middle School: Content Knowledge
5146*
Middle School Social Studies
5089*
Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary
5201*
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications
5354*
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications
5543*
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Severe to Profound Applications
5545*
Teaching Reading
5204*
Available in December 2011
Early Childhood: Content Knowledge
5022*
Education of Young Children
5021*
Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects
5031
Elementary Education: Reading and Language Arts Subtest
5032
Elementary Education: Mathematics Subtest
5033
Elementary Education: Social Studies Subtest
5034
Elementary Education: Science Subtest
5035
Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education
5023*
Pre-Kindergarten Education
5531*
Available in January 2012
Kentucky Specialty Test of Instructional and Administrative Practices
A new and improved registration system for Praxis™ candidates will soon be here. Launching this November, this streamlined system will provide Praxis test takers with the ability to register for either paper-delivered or computer-delivered tests from the same registration site. The new registration system will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and also allows test takers the convenience of rescheduling, canceling or replacing a test from the same site.
Upon entering the system, users will be able to conduct searches using either a test code or state of certification. Test takers can view and have access to real-time seat availability for both computer and paper test dates before paying their registration fee. For those interested in scheduling multiple exams, the system can easily process up to four registrations for them and allows payment with credit/debit cards, e-checks and PayPal®.
Some other features of the new system include automatic payment adjustments for Praxis I® combined test registrations. Where test takers once had to use the Praxis website to access many details before registering, they will soon see within the registration system all The Praxis Series™ tests listed by format, fees, length of time, dates of availability and testing locations. In addition, the system makes sending score reports seamless since candidates can select the same or different recipients for their computer- and paper-delivered tests, and later modify them prior to their test day.
Candidates can register for a computer-delivered test date using the current Prometric registration site until November 6, 2011. Starting on November 7, 2011, candidates will use the new registration system to register for test dates on or after November 16, 2011.
Prior to November 6, 2011, candidates can make changes to their computer-delivered test registration or cancel a computer-delivered test appointment for test dates up to November 15, 2011, by using the Prometric registration site. To make changes or cancel between November 7, 2011 and November 15, 2011 candidates can call Prometric customer service at 1-800-853-6773.
For any questions regarding the new registration system, contact your Client Relations Director, or email teachingandlearning@ets.org.
A Multistate Standard Setting Study (MSSS) Webpage is now available for tests that have undergone the MSSS process since 2009. The MSSS Webpage can be viewed by visiting the "About the Tests" page on the Praxis™ Institutions website.
The tests will be listed alphabetically by licensure area and provide recommended study values for each test. The recommended study values represent increased input from educators in multiple states and can be used for states seeking greater interstate portability.
Upcoming Multistate Standard Setting Studies are:
TEST TITLE
MSSS Month
Economics (0911)
September 2011
Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood (0691)
September 2011
Special Education: Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students (0272)
October 2011
Government/Political Science (0931)
October 2011
Music: Content and Instruction (0114)
November 2011
Environmental Education (0831)
November 2011
Special Education: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments (0282)
December 2011
Special Education: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities (0383)
February 2012
Professional School Counselor (0421)
March 2012
For any questions regarding the Multistate Standard Setting Studies, contact your Client Relations Director.
The Professional Licensure Project continues in collaboration with 12 states. Under study are practice-based instruments designed to measure content knowledge for teaching, the observation of classroom practice and artifacts of teaching (such as student work, teacher planning and teacher assignments). This three-year project will result in research-based instruments that can augment a state's robust system of measuring teacher effectiveness.
Successful piloting will require not only further development and testing of instruments, but also development and testing of technical and logistical processes. ETS is in discussion with technical partners who can support requisite technologies during and after the pilot and field-testing.
Preparation of a funding proposal is currently underway, and various stages of tryouts, pilots and field-testing are scheduled to begin in 2012 and take place over the next three years. For more information about the Professional Licensure Project, please contact the ETS staff leading the project at PLPinfo@ets.org.
The Praxis™ program has published the 2011 fall Praxis I® webinar schedule. These free Praxis I webinars deliver in-depth information about the Praxis I tests and offer teacher candidates the opportunity to interact and ask questions. Webinar attendees are also presented a plan to help guide their preparation for the Praxis I tests.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011, at 1 p.m. (ET)
Thursday, October 6, 2011, at 1 p.m. (ET)
Monday, October 24, 2011, at 1 p.m. (ET)
Wednesday, November 16, 2011, at 1 p.m. (ET)
Friday, December 9, 2011, at 1 p.m. (ET)
Registration opens approximately one week in advance of the given date. To register for the webinars, visit www.ets.org/praxis/webinars.
In July, ETS successfully launched the ETS® Data Manager for The Praxis Series™ tests for institutions of higher education (IHE). In order to support the new IHE users, the Praxis™ program is preparing an online training resource focused on the ETS Data Manager from the IHE perspective. Launching this fall, this resource will be available on the ETS Client Services for Educator Licensure Home page for those clients that subscribe to the free ETS Data Manager service.
If you have any questions about the ETS Data Manager, please contact your Client Relations Director or send an email to PraxisDataManager@ets.org.
The 2011 Praxis™ Regional Meetings are coming up and will be held in October and November. Meeting dates and locations are:
October 25–26 in Crystal City/Arlington, VA
November 1–2 in Nashville, TN
November 29–30 in Las Vegas, NV
At these meetings, state clients will be updated on the Praxis program and have the opportunity to network with colleagues. During the meeting sessions we will:
Update clients on Praxis II® computer-delivered testing.
Discuss progress on the test regeneration plan.
Bring clients up-to-date on the program's most recent developments.
Listen to feedback on how we're doing in support of clients and their candidates.
For more information on the meeting, contact your Praxis Client Relations Director.