Because educator licensure is gained by passing licensure examinations in most states, scores on high stakes tests are determining factors as to who will be teaching in America's classrooms. Due to a focus on program graduation rates, state funding cuts, and production of quality teachers, it is vital that teacher preparation programs produce the…

This investigation examined the Praxis I perceptions of Black undergraduate Education majors seeking admission into the Teacher Education Program at a historically Black university. Participants were 52 students conveniently selected from an Introduction to Teacher Education course where preparation for the Praxis I is emphasized. Academic…

This article is a description of the process of constructing an assessment of written and oral language for pre-service teachers. This assessment was used prior to their formal admission into the teacher education programme. The rationale for this evaluation is presented along with the actual processes involved. Finally, comparisons are made…

Considers equity issues of highstakes tests conducted by computer, including whether this new form of assessment actually helps level the playing field for students or represents a new cycle of assessment inequality. Two computer tests are assessed: Praxis I: Academic Skills Assessment; and the computerized version of the Graduate Record…

One of the three components of The Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers (trademark) is a classroom performance assessment concerning the new teacher's ability to apply basic elements of good teaching in a classroom setting. At the core of this classroom assessment are 19 criteria for which assessors are to identify…

A job analysis was conducted, focusing on the knowledge and abilities important for beginning French teachers. The results of the job analysis are to be used to define the content domain of the subject assessment in French for the Praxis series of professional assessments for beginning teachers. A domain of 212 knowledge statements and ability…

The operating characteristics of 114 mathematics pretest items from the Praxis I: Computer Based Test were analyzed in terms of item attributes and test developers' judgments of item difficulty. Item operating characteristics were defined as the difficulty, discrimination, and asymptote parameters of a three parameter logistic item response theory…

A job analysis was conducted of the knowledge and skills important for the competent performance of beginning business education teachers. The results of this job analysis will be used to define the content domain of the subject assessment in Business Education for the Praxis Series of professional assessments for beginning teachers. A domain of…

The Educational Testing Service is preparing to introduce a new generation of teacher assessments, the Praxis Series of professional assessments for beginning teachers. Preparatory to test development, a job analysis was conducted to define a knowledge and ability domain important for newly certified Spanish teachers to perform their jobs in a…

A job analysis was conducted focusing on the knowledge important for beginning Earth and Space Science teachers. The results of the job analysis will be used to define the content domain of the subject assessment in Earth and Space Sciences for the Praxis series of professional assessments for beginning teachers. A domain of 292 knowledge…

The Educational Testing Service is preparing to introduce a new generation of teacher assessments, the Praxis Series of professional assessments for beginning teachers. At one level, the assessments will be used to decide whether prospective teachers possess an acceptable level of competence, while at second and third levels the tests will measure…

The Educational Testing Service is engaged in developing tests for teacher licensure, The Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers (TM). A central component of Praxis III: Classroom Performance Assessments is a set of proposed criteria that have been developed to assess the classroom performance of beginning teachers. The…

This paper discusses underlying beliefs about teaching that are related to the assessment of prospective teachers and elucidates some basic beliefs that are guiding the development of new types of assessments for new teachers. These new assessments are called "The Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers(TM)."…