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UoG agrees to lend professors for PRAXIS review
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Posted on Jul 03 2005
The University of Guam has agreed to partner with the Public School System and has pledged to send college professors to the CNMI to facilitate a PRAXIS review.
Commissioner on Education Rita H. Inos said she is pleased to announce to agreement with UoG, which has generously extended its hand in helping CNMI teachers review for the upcoming PRAXIS exams through the establishment of the institute.
Inos said the institute would start on July 11 instead of the original kick-off date on July 5. She said the college professors who will facilitate the institute would share their expertise in Mathematics, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Vocational Education, and Elementary Education.
She added that the training would be refresher courses that would be taught at a graduate level. The courses are designed to help teachers prepare for PRAXIS II content knowledge tests.
Inos said she is also pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has approved the reprogramming of funds and that was the reason why the training will be held.
The commissioner also thanked UoG for its commitment to excellence in education. She said she is very confident that the partnership would the PSS to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 as well as the Board of Education’s teacher certification requirements.
Inos said the PSS would publish a revised summer seminar next week.
Education officers from the Pacific attended a conference late last month and were surprised to find out that the U.S. Department of Education has raised its standards for elementary school teachers by requiring them to also pass the PRAXIS II exam. Elementary teachers before only had to hurdle the PRAXIS I test.
The BOE said the new policy was set in line with the definition of acquiring and maintaining “highly qualified” teachers under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. BOE policy made Praxis a CNMI requirement in July 2004.
The board said the elementary school teachers would need to focus now on taking PRAXIS II with respect to their content knowledge specialization. (Marconi Calindas)
