Only half of SPED teachers have taken PRAXIS

Special Education contact teachers were reminded to comply with the U.S. Department of Education’s requirement to also take the certification exams PRAXIS 1 and 2.

PSS SPED program officer Joanne Nicholls stressed the importance of taking the exam during a regular monthly meeting Friday for CNMI contact teachers at the Pacific Resources for Education and Learning.

Of some 40 NMI contact teachers who attended the Friday meeting, only 10 of them had already taken and passed PRAXIS 1, while 10 have taken and passed PRAXIS 2. Ten of the 40 contact teachers said they are still waiting for the results of their exam. The rest have signed up for future exams.

Nicholls said a highly qualified SPED teacher in the CNMI must have a bachelor’s degree, must have passed PRAXIS 1 and 2, and must have obtained full state special education certification or equivalent licensure.

Special Education teachers are not exempt from taking PRAXIS I and II as the exams are part and parcel of the Board of Education’s continuing effort to achieve “highly qualified teachers” in the CNMI.

Special Education coordinator Joanne Nicholls earlier said the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001’s definition of “highly qualified teacher” requires special education teachers to take PRAXIS as part of their certification.

Based on earlier reports, PSS associate commissioner for administrative services David M. Borja said SPED teachers must also satisfy the HQT requirement for CNMI public school teachers. Initially, PRAXIS I was a requirement for the teachers, Borja said, but if they are teaching a specific subject content area, then they must also take and pass PRAXIS II.

Currently, there are 47 teachers under the PSS Special Education program. There are also 132 teacher aides assisting these SPED teachers. The CNMI has currently over 723 students enrolled in the Special Education program.

In Friday’s principals’ meeting, also held at the PREL office, Public School System Associate Commissioner for administrative services David M. Borja and Federal Programs adviser Tim Thornburgh presented an update on the numbers of public school teachers who have taken, passed and signed up for PRAXIS 1 and 2.

Thornburgh said that, of the 612 public school teachers, 491 or 80 percent have either signed up or have taken PRAXIS 1 while only 394 teachers have thus far signed up and taken PRAXIS 2.