PSS outlines passing scores for Praxis II

The State Board of Education and the Public School System recently issued its standard test scores for Praxis II to remind teachers of the cutoff scores that they must meet to remain with PSS.

Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos sent a memorandum to all schools last month informing public school teachers about the Praxis II scores, listing the possible range, the average scores, and the CNMI minimum scores, which are the standard scores required for passing content knowledge exams.

Inos said that, for Praxis I tests, the State Board of Education has set 170 out of 190—or 85 percent—as the passing score for teachers taking the first Praxis. The score, she said, is very close to the national median of minimum passing scores for the exam.

For Praxis II, which consists of content Knowledge tests, the Education office established the following cut-off scores, which are the standard scores in the CNMI: Art Content Knowledge, 166; Biology Content Knowledge, 152; Chemistry Content Knowledge, 152; Earth and Space Sciences Content Knowledge, 152; General Science Content Knowledge, 153; Mathematics Content Knowledge, 136.

Other content knowledge tests with the CNMI standard scores are: English Language, Literature and Comprehension, 164; Social Sciences, 155; World and U.S. History, 152; Spanish, 160; Music, 150; and, Health and Physical Education, 150.

Passing scores for middle school courses were also included in the memorandum. Inos said the standard score for middle school Mathematics is 150; Science, 145; Language Arts, 158; and, Social Studies, 150.

Inos earlier said that Praxis is mandated by the “Highly Qualified Teacher” requirement under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 as well as the Board of Education, which made Praxis a CNMI requirement in July 2004.

Teachers whose contracts will expire after Aug. 5, 2005 will still be hired even if they have not taken and passed the Praxis test, albeit only as “substitute” teachers. If the contract ends before August 2005, it would still be renewed for one year but only as a substitute teacher.

If the teachers’ contracts end after August 2005, they would be rehired until they pass Praxis I and II. The Education office said they would just want to make sure they prepare a contract that ends in August 2006. The board is giving CNMI public schools teachers until August 2006 to take the exam; otherwise, their contract will not be renewed even as substitute teachers.

The new policy was disclosed during the monthly Board of Education meeting last week.