‘Only 3 percent of public school teachers have taken Praxis test’

Of the 663 public school teachers in the CNMI, only a little over 3 percent have taken and passed the Praxis test since last year, according to a ranking Public School System official.

PSS director of finance Richard Waldo said this turnout does not seem to be very favorable for the CNMI as “very few take the test.”

Waldo stressed that public school teachers do not have a choice but to take the exam and the deadline for the teachers to fulfill this requirement is Aug. 31, 2006.

“Aside from being a federal requirement, we here at PSS is requiring it,” said Waldo. If they did not take the exam or fail it, the teachers’ contracts may not be renewed.

The Praxis test is designed to be used principally by state authorities for the purpose of licensing education professionals. Nearly 80 percent of states in the U.S. include Praxis test as part of their teacher licensure process.

The Board of Education announced earlier last year that teachers in CNMI public schools are given the whole of school year 2005-2006 to pass the Praxis or they will lose their jobs.

Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos said the test is meant to raise the standard of quality for local teachers.

“They can always re-take the tests should they fail the first time,” Waldo said.

He said PSS is making this test mandatory to ensure the highest quality education for public school students.

Praxis tests include both English and Mathematics categories.

Waldo said that even if teachers teach Mathematics, they should at least have a seventh to ninth grade level of English. “And if they are English teachers, they should at least know that 6 percent of 100 is not 60,” he said. “Teachers should exhibit these competence.”

Public school teachers should now be preparing for the test if they are to take it this coming June. In this regard, Waldo is inviting the teachers to take part in a 100-hour Praxis review that he would be conducting starting March 1. The review will be held at the Marianas High School cafeteria and will cost participants only $99 for the instruction.

The review is going to be held every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings, from 6:30pm to 9pm. The entire duration of the review classes will be from March 1 to June 7, 2005.

Waldo, a Certified Public Accountant with a master’s degree, has been conducting this type of training since 1979 in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. He will be conducting this review for the first time in the CNMI. He has taught Mathematics and Reading courses for 26 years now.

Participants will still have to acquire their own book such Barron’s How to Prepare for Praxis 3rd edition by Dr. Robert D. Postman, CliffsTest Prep Praxis I and PPST 3rd Edition, Kaplan Praxis Review. The books may cost the participants $60. (Marconi Calindas)