How can you be sure that your teachers know their subjects well enough to teach you?
In the past few years, as education in the United States has become more rigorous, there has been a concerted effort to codify educator qualification. As a result, Praxis tests for teacher certification are now a standard part of the licensure process for educators in most states.
What are these exams — and what happens if you receive an unsettling notice from ETS after taking a Praxis test regarding alleged testing misconduct?
What is the Praxis for Teacher Certification Exam?
The Praxis examinations help candidates who wish to become teachers achieve their certification and licensing requirements. There are many different types of Praxis tests. Each one tests a specific academic area.
The Educational Testing Service, or the ETS — the same group that oversees many standardized tests, including the GRE and the TOEFL — manages Praxis testing. If any issues arise during your application for Praxis tests or during your test-taking experience, ETS will be the administration to investigate and adjudicate your case.
Depending on your state's specific requirements for educator licensure, there are three core types of Praxis tests you may need to take. These include the Content Knowledge for Teaching Tests, the Core Academic Skills Tests, and the Subject Assessment Tests. Each of these tests features multiple-choice, essay, and numeric-entry questions.
If your state requires a Praxis Subject Assessment Test, you'll have a selection of over 90 exams to consider. Before you apply to take a Praxis test, it will be well worth your time to determine the grade and subject you plan on teaching. Then, look up your state's specific testing requirements for your selections. If you decide after taking Praxis exams that you'd like to specialize in a different grade or subject, you may need to take updated Praxis exams.
After taking your Praxis exam, you'll see an unofficial score immediately. ETS will mail you your official score about three weeks after your test date. Praxis test scoring varies between tests, as multiple-choice math tests require different scoring strategies than essay-based language arts tests. Your score letter from ETS will contain the information necessary to interpret your scores.
If you don't like the score that you received, you do have the option to retake your Praxis exam every 21 days. In most cases, states have a minimum score threshold that you need to pass for qualification — so your specific score may not matter as much as simply being over that threshold.
Applying to Take the Praxis for Teacher Certification Exam
When you're ready to start the application process for taking a Praxis test (or two!), consider the following steps:
- Refer to your state's education licensure requirements to determine how many Praxis tests you will need to take.
- Peruse the ETS website to discover which testing centers are closest to you or if you can take your Praxis test at home. Each testing center should list future dates for Praxis tests, so you can choose which upcoming test date works for you.
- Then, you'll create an account on the ETS website, select the tests you need to take at the testing center of your choice, and follow the prompts on the website to register for your test. The fees for each Praxis test can vary but seem to range between $90 and $150. If you need to take several Praxis tests, this can add up — particularly if you need to retake your tests to raise your score. (Each time you retake a Praxis test, you will need to submit fees.)
The amount of preparation needed per test varies, but many sources recommend setting aside 2-3 months to complete a range of practice tests and review materials around the specific Praxis subject.
Praxis Prerequisites
It does not appear that there are any specific prerequisites for the Praxis exam, in that there are no prior tests to take or required education or training.
Whether you are taking a Praxis core exam or a Praxis subject exam, it's a good idea to have a thorough understanding of the subjects to be tested (reading, writing, and arithmetic for the core exam or specific subjects otherwise).
Potential Praxis Application Issues
While you're applying to take your required Praxis exams, you'll submit some personal information about yourself (e.g., your name, previous education, address, etc.) The main application issue that could occur here is fraudulent identification. As you input all the required information, ensure it is updated and accurate.
Information issues could range from a simple typo — which could make your life a lot more difficult than necessary but might not result in sanctions — to fraud.
If you submit intentionally incorrect identification or exaggerate your training (for example, if you state that you have degrees that you do not actually have), ETS can decide to use that as grounds to disqualify you and any scores you may earn through testing.
As you go through the application process, double-check your information. For example, ensure that your name and address reflect the information on the ID you will use to identify yourself at the testing time.
Taking the Praxis for Teacher Certification Exam
Unless you have specific testing accommodations, you will likely take the Praxis exam in an approved testing center. Some states offer candidates the option to take certain Praxis tests from home, too — but only under particular circumstances, which we'll discuss momentarily.
If you take your Praxis exam in a testing center, you'll only be able to bring in specific items (e.g., your ID, a light sweater, your glasses, and specific brands of calculators). Bringing anything else into the testing room could constitute a breach of testing rules, which may trigger an ETS investigation. Your testing center should have a designated area to leave bags and prohibited items.
The main breach of conduct that occurs in Praxis test-taking centers concerns attempts to record the exam or content from the exam. Bringing any smart device into the testing room may already constitute test misconduct, but being caught recording the exam, taking notes or written materials out of the testing room, or even discussing the exam with other test-takers outside the testing room may also result in a sanction from ETS.
Finally, if it's discovered that you hired someone else to take the Praxis examination for you or if you provide inaccurate identification, that could also result in the cancellation of your scores and even an ETS testing ban.
If you take your Praxis exam at home, as it is becoming more and more common, you'll take the test with an assigned proctor, who will initiate a video call with you to check your testing environment for unauthorized materials. You will need to comply with several optimized-for-video-proctoring testing requirements, such as:
- Being alone in a room with a closed door
- Removing all items from your computer tabletop other than your computer (and mouse and keyboard, if applicable)
- Ensuring that your ears remain fully visible to the camera throughout the test
- Removing all unnecessary jewelry or accessories
- Only taking notes on a small whiteboard, with a dry-erase marker, that you show to the proctor and erase in their sight at the end of each testing section
Complying with all testing rules, whether you take your test in person or remotely, is expected and necessary. If you fail to follow all stated rules, even if you didn't cheat or broke a rule accidentally, ETS may decide to launch an investigation into your potentially-problematic behavior.
Contesting Scores, Appealing Bans, and More: After the Praxis Test Goes Away
If ETS believes it has reason to investigate you or your scores, the group should initiate this process by sending you a notice. This notice will contain further information about your current status (e.g., if you're under a temporary testing ban or if your scores have been considered null for some time). This notice should also contain the next steps, such as details regarding ETS's investigational activities and any actions required on your end.
The moment you receive this notification, you need to reach out to education defense lawyer Joseph D. Lento.
ETS and other standardized testing services want to make sure that their processes remain trusted. These groups will not have any incentive to prioritize your rights or protect your invested time, stress, and money. You are the only person who will work tirelessly for your rights and your future. You, that is — and the Lento Law Firm Team.
ETS could conclude its investigation without recommending any sanctions. However, it's likely that ETS will invalidate your score, require you to retest, or even put a temporary or permanent ban on your testing account.
If the group's concerns about your testing performance are unsupported, these sanctions are extremely unfair. And even if there is evidence to suggest that your testing actions were suspect, slapping you with a sanction that destroys your ability to pursue education as a career is likely out of line. Before ETS moves on, you need to negotiate with them to reduce the sanctions against you and restore your ability to take the Praxis tests you need for qualification.
Your Next Steps After Experiencing Praxis for Teacher Certification Exam Issues
After you retain the services of Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team, take the following steps to bolster your case and support your success:
- Save all documentation regarding your test-taking experience. Download a copy of your application form, save screenshots of all the testing instructions you were given, and find every piece of mailed information ETS has ever sent you about your Praxis tests or your ETS account.
- Determine how you will reach out to ETS to initiate the appeals or negotiation process. Joseph D. Lento can review your information and recommend the best course of action. If you have a valid score, it may make sense to begin with the score review process. If your scores have been invalidated or if you have an ETS testing ban, it may make more sense to reach out to ETS directly.
- Consider the best possible defense for your case. Joseph D. Lento has years of experience negotiating with standardized test groups such as the ETS, and can help you decide how best to frame your experience so you can achieve your end goal. Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team can coach you in conversations with ETS or negotiate directly with the group on your behalf.
Retain Education Lawyer Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team
If you've taken the Praxis for teacher certification — or are about to take it! — you've spent a long time getting to this point. Between test study materials, your education, the time you've put into prep, application fees, and more: You've invested a lot into this step.
If your scores got invalidated for an unsupported reason or (worse) ETS has decided to ban you from taking future tests, that would make it difficult or impossible for you to progress toward your career goals.
At the Lento Law Firm, we're passionate about making sure that people like you don't get caught in labyrinthine, wildly-unfair standardized test disciplinary processes. You need to make sure that your rights are respected — and that all of your hard work doesn't go down the drain.
Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team are ready to ensure that you have the best chance of pursuing your education career by achieving your teacher certification. The Lento Law Firm Team is ready to assist with defense, negotiation, appeals, and more. Call
888-535-3686 or contact us online to discuss your case and find out how they can help.
