Praxis Test Types: Registration Process, Scoring System & Fees (2021)

Last updated 12/2020

Welcome to our comprehensive Praxis Test guide. On this page, you will find all the information you need to know about the Praxis exam, including how best to prepare for this test.

What is the Praxis test?

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) created and administers the Praxis test. The Praxis tests are a series of exams. These exams are used to measure the test taker’s academic knowledge and understanding of specific subjects. Prospective educators are required to take this test as part of their certification and licensing process.

There are three sorts of Praxis tests:

Praxis Core (Praxis I) – measures a candidate’s basic understanding of writing, reading, and mathematics.
Praxis Subject Assessments (Praxis I) – measures a test taker’s understanding of pedagogy and specific subjects.
Praxis Content Knowledge for Teaching Assessments (CKT) – assesses the candidate’s specialized pedagogical and content knowledge. Specifically, the knowledge needed to teach at an elementary level.

Every state that uses this test demands a different combination of exams.

Why do you Need to Take Praxis and where the License can be Used?

Prospective or new teachers who want to be certified in the state they will teach in, need to take the Praxis exam. Certain professional licensing agencies and some colleges also ask candidates to take the Praxis test.

Test-takers who pass the Praxis exam in a particular state can use their scores in any state. However, there may be specific state testing requirements.

The Three Types of Praxis Exams

Praxis Core Exam (Praxis I)

The Praxis Core test is commonly known as the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST). This exam is a basic test of your writing, reading, and maths skills. It is often needed before you can enter a teacher training program. While certain states demand the successful completion of the exam, to get your certification, others don’t.

The PPST can be completed in paper form, or on a computer. The computerized exam can be completed in two separate two-hour sessions, or as one test that takes four and a half hours. The paper-based test is made up of three separate one-hour exams. These can be completed on the same day or completed separately.

Reading, mathematics, and writing questions all feature in the Praxis I exam. The reading and math sections are multiple-choice. The writing section features both an essay question and multiple-choice questions. Every section comes with a time-limit. The PPST is scored according to the number of questions you answer correctly. You won’t lose points for incorrect answers.

Praxis Subject Assessments (Praxis II)

There are several Praxis II teaching tests that potential teachers can take. Every test assesses your knowledge of grade-level or subject-specific material – related to teaching skills. Praxis Subject Assessments are generally needed to attain your state teacher certification requirements. There are three types of exams:

Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT). This exam assesses your pedagogical knowledge of either 7th through to 12th grade, 5th through to 9th grade, kindergarten through to 6th grade, or early childhood.
The Teaching Foundations exam measures your understanding of pedagogy in 5 subject areas. These areas include language arts, English, math, social studies, and science.
Subject Assessment examines your teaching skills and knowledge of subject-specific material.

These exams are administered on paper. They are only given at specific testing locations. Each test comes with a time-limit.. Each test lasts for one, two, or four hours. All three versions of the Praxis II exams feature both constructed-response questions and multiple-choice questions.

Praxis Content Knowledge for Teaching Assessments (CKT)

Licensing bodies use the Praxis II test to see if a teacher is ready for full certification in specific states. It is given to beginning teachers to help with their teaching skills and classroom practice approach.

This exam is more flexible than the other Praxis exams. The Praxis CKT uses trained assessors to watch in-class teaching, to interview teachers, and more. Assessors look at 19 criteria, which fall under the following four groups:

Instruction
Professionalism
Classroom environment
Lesson plans

The degree of assessment will differ according to time constraints and state regulations.

Praxis Scoring System

Praxis multiple-choice questions are graded automatically. Each question equals one point. Essays, or Constructed-Response (CR) questions, are marked by content-area specialists. Each CR question is marked by two specialists. There are certain questions that are short-form. These are auto-graded. The Praxis scoring method invoices taking all these scores into account. These scores are added together to create a raw score, which is then converted into a scaled score.

What are the Praxis passing scores?

How much time does it take to get your Praxis scores?

Do Praxis scores expire?

Registration Process for Praxis Test

Every state has its own requirements for the exam, that need to be taken for certification. Before registering for the Praxis exam, prospective teachers look at the requirements of their state. After finding out the test(s) they need to complete, candidates should look at the Praxis Test Infomation Bulletin published on the ETS website.

You can register for the Praxis exam online, by telephone, or via U.S. Mail.

F.A.Q. about the Praxis Test

Where can I sit for the Praxis Exam?

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