Testing Requirements
In order to teach in D.C., candidates must take and pass the Praxis Series Exam, a credentialing test administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Although successful completion of Praxis I and Praxis II is not required during the initial application process, prospective Fellows must submit passing scores on both exams by June 1st, 2013 in order to be fully admitted into the program and begin your Pre-Service Training. All final acceptances are contingent upon passage of all required tests; we therefore strongly encourage you to register and take required tests as early as possible.
Please visit ETS to register online for a test and make sure to have your score reports sent directly to you. Please note that score reports for paper and computer exams can take several weeks to be generated and sent to you. Candidates are responsible for all fees associated with these tests.
Praxis I
The Praxis I exam assesses reading, writing, and math skills, and is administered by computer at a designated testing center. We strongly encourage candidates to register for all three components of the Praxis I as soon as possible because testing centers fill up quickly. The computer-based version of the test is administered on a rolling basis and can be taken anytime throughout the year. Be aware that candidates must take the computer-based version of Praxis I as the paper-based version is only offered on dates that conflict with the Praxis II exam.
As an alternative to the Praxis I, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education will accept qualifying scores on the ACT, SAT, and GRE in lieu of the Praxis I exams. For more information, please reference the OSSE Testing Guide here.
Praxis II
For the Praxis II, candidates must take and pass all required content-area exam(s) in the subject they will teach. The Praxis II is offered on a limited basis throughout the year and can be either paper-delivered or computer-delivered, depending on subject area. Depending on your subject area assignment, you may have to take more than one Praxis II exam.
Registering for Praxis
Registration for Praxis exams is handled by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Please visit the Praxis website to learn more about the content covered on each of the tests and to register for all required examinations. If selected to participate in an Interview Event, you will be notified about which Praxis II exam(s) you must successfully complete at the time of your invitation. You should immediately sign up for the Praxis I and all appropriate Praxis II test(s) as proof of registration is required to take part in the Interview Event.
While the Praxis I exam is offered year-round, you may only take the exam once every 30 days, and testing centers fill up quickly. The last date to take the Praxis I exam and still be eligible for our program is May 1st, 2013. The Praxis II content examinations are only offered a handful of times each year, and we strongly recommend that candidates sign up for the earliest available examination date to maximize opportunities to retake the examination if needed.
Test Preparation Resources
Teachers report that the Praxis exams are extremely difficult and require careful preparation. It is not unusual for candidates to take these exams two or three times before achieving passing scores. We therefore encourage candidates to devote serious time and energy to studying for the exams.
You may wish to take advantage of some of the following resources to ensure that you are well-prepared on examination day:
- Visit the Praxis website to access test preparation resources including overviews of exam content and sample test problems.
- Review your college and high school textbooks covering the relevant subject matter for your Praxis II exam(s).
- Consider purchasing study guides from ETS or other major test prep providers. You may be able to obtain these materials free of charge at your local library.
- Actively search the internet for additional test prep materials and resources.
- Form study groups with other candidates or teachers you may know who are preparing for the exams.