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457 of 593 CNMI teachers certified
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Posted on Aug 28 2005
Seventy-seven percent or 457 of the CNMI’s 593 public school teachers have attained full state certification and possess a bachelor’s degree or higher degree, according to a ranking Public School System official.
Federal Programs advisor Tim Thornburgh said the remaining 23 percent—some 136 teachers—possess a bachelor or higher degree and have provisional certification for up to two years as these teachers work toward attaining the basic three-year certificate.
In his presentation during the two-day State-wide Professional Development training for public school teachers last week, Thornburgh said early indications are that at least 80 percent of CNMI teachers would pass the PRAXIS exams the first time they take the test. This is based on the results of both the first and second groups of elementary school teachers who were tested for PRAXIS I.
“We anticipate that the vast majority of our teachers will be taking the PRAXIS tests during the next six testing dates beginning this September,” Thornburgh said.
He said the PSS would again offer PRAXIS II refresher courses at least three more times before the Aug. 1, 2006 deadline for teachers to have taken and passed the PRAXIS exams.
The dates for these refresher courses will be on Dec. 26 to Jan. 6, to meet the test date of Jan. 7. Another review classes will be held on April 10 to15 to meet the test date on April 29. Thornburgh said the dates in June would be determined and announced later this year.
Thornburgh said that PSS is doing all it can to help the teachers meet the “highly qualified teachers” standards of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Board of Education regulations require teachers to have attained at least a bachelor’s degree, to obtain at least a 5-year certification, and to pass the applicable PRAXIS exams.
