Public school teachers’ Q&A

I’m writing this in light of the recent news article about the Praxis testing. I have recently been bombarded with questions from teachers, teacher representatives, and people in the community about the Praxis testing and BOE should have known this would happen. I hope this letter will help to enlighten those who have asked me on this matter (although all of these questions should have been answered prior to passing the policy and not after the fact).

The most asked question is, “Why do present teachers have to pay for the test?” especially when it is not part of their contract? Teachers that have already passed the Praxis test in another state want to know, “Why do I have to take it again?” with it being a “one-time” requirement? Another concern was how hard was the test and what kind of support or preparation is BOE and PSS going to provide and will teachers have to pay for the review? How hard is the test and what is the focus of the test? Some teachers want to know why they have to take the test when they are already certified in the CNMI—why wasn’t the test just applied to new applicants? Which Praxis test will they be taking and how will PSS determine the minimum score? There are many other legitimate concerns of teachers but these should be enough to demonstrate the point I have been trying to make.

Brante Dashiell answered some these questions in the news article but I would like to put things in perspective for the public school teachers. Teachers are being forced to pay for the test simply because BOE said teachers would pay and PSS hasn’t told me anything about teachers paying for the review. Teachers who have passed the test should not be required to retake the same test. We call this redundancy and being teachers’ representative on the board you’d think I should know but I don’t. Based on the statement by Dashiell, who will be conducting the preview for testing, “the test is very difficult and I will not teach it. I will only show them ways on how to take the test (no subject matter)—give them the tools, but it’s up to them (teachers) how to put them to use.” This statement should be clear that the burden to prepare and pass the test is totally on teachers, not Dashiell or PSS.

I still don’t know which test Praxis test will be used and what the minimum score will be, which should have also been established before passing the policy, making this policy incomplete. The qualifying score may be the only safety net, which is why it hasn’t been determined. But if our minimum score requirement is the lowest in the nation just to make sure all teachers pass, we will have defeated the whole purpose of setting a standard for teachers in testing.

I’m for the testing; we are far behind all the states when it come to certifying teachers because most states only had to change their teacher certification test for Praxis. But I’m also sure the average teachers and reader can tell that the BOE and PSS put the cart (their agenda) before the horse (teachers and the BOE Rep). What happened to this collaboration we always talk about in PSS workshops? Evidently there is a double standard for collaborating within PSS.

I’m sure the average teacher doesn’t mind taking the test under the right conditions, especially when they are well informed. Many teachers may have also been willing to pay if BOE had shown just a little respect and asked teachers for their help. We already know there is no money! But more importantly, BOE should know teachers now have real representation and the old tactics of the board and PSS are becoming obsolete. Just as BOE and PSS are raising the bar for teachers’ qualifications, the bar is also being raised for BOE and PSS to show more respect for teachers. All teachers, one direction.

Ambrose M. Bennett
BOE Teacher Rep.