Education & Human Development

About Praxis

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Praxis Meetings | Frequently Asked Questions | When to take Praxis I and Praxis II

What is the Praxis Test Series?
The Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers® is a set of validated assessments that provides information for use by state education agencies in making licensing decisions. Nearly 80 percent of states requiring tests as part of the teacher licensure process – including Maine – use Praxis, an Education Testing Service program.

Many colleges and universities – including the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development – also use the basic academic skills assessments to qualify individuals for entry into teacher education programs.

The three categories of assessments in the Praxis Series correspond to the three milestones in teacher development:

Entering a teacher training program
Praxis I™: Academic Skills Assessments (Reading, Mathematics, and Writing)

Licensure for entering the profession
Praxis II™: Subject and Pedagogy Assessments

Why is it important for me?

• The State of Maine requires successful scores on the Praxis I exam for teacher certification.

• The College of Education and Human Development, in order to recommend graduates for initial certification, requires that students pass Praxis I basic skills test as part of the application to Teacher Candidacy.

• Undergraduates in the College’s Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Early Childhood Education and the Kinesiology and Physical Education Coaching/Teaching programs should apply for Teacher Candidacy in the second semester of their sophomore year. Teacher Candidacy status is required to enroll in all upper division education courses and for student teaching.

• Admissions into some certification graduate programs may require Praxis. Check this out with your advisor.

• As a State of Maine-approved program, the College adapts its requirements to meet changing state regulations. State licensing procedure encompasses Praxis II and the College requires passing scores in the content test as a part of the teacher preparation program. Pass scores are necessary for application to student teaching.

How Does it Work?
Maine’s cut-off scores on the test are among the highest in the nation. The minimum scores required to pass Praxis I in Maine are:

Reading 176
Writing 175
Math 175

Students may also pass by using a Composite Model which requires a combined score of 526 or higher AND Reading must be 173 or higher, Math and Writing must be 172 or higher. NOTE: all three tests must be within 3 points of the original passing scores AND add to 526 or greater.

Praxis I is offered both as a pencil and paper exam (PPST) and as a computer-based test (CBT). Both include multiple-choice questions in the categories of Reading and Mathematics, and a writing essay.

The Praxis I pencil and paper version is offered on specified dates during the year.

Registration is required 30 days prior to the test date and is available on-line at www.ets.org/praxis. Scores are mailed out approximately four to six weeks after taking the test.

Arrangements to take the computer-based tests are made by appointment by contacting the nearest Praxis I testing center. At the University of Maine, the Prometric Testing Office is located at 1406 Outer Hammond Street, Unit 8; Bangor ME 04401. Phone: 1-800-853-6773. Scores for the Reading and Math sections of the CBT are reported on the screen immediately following the test. Official scores for these sections and for the Writing section are mailed in approximately four to six weeks.

Effective Planning and Preparation
Planning ahead is extremely important, as there is a lag time of approximately three months between registering for the test and receiving scores. If you do not pass a section of the test, you must take it again, going through the same process.

Help is Available
The College offers helpful sessions in test -taking preparation and strategies, as well as targeted assistance for students who are having difficulty passing various sections of the exam. Diane Jackson, clinical instructor and special education consultant, provides test-prep sessions at designated times throughout the academic year. For more information, see Praxis Information Meetings.

For test takers with disabilities or English as a Second Language (ESL), the Praxis Series program provides services and reasonable accommodations appropriate to the purpose of the test. Non-standard testing accommodations are available for those who meet ETS requirements.

Notice: Individuals requesting such must send documentation of disability or ESL to ETS six weeks prior to registering for the exam. Please allow ample time for this process. ETS will determine if your documentation is sufficient to grant you an accommodation. This is not a University decision.

Other Resources

At UMaine

• Office of Educational Field Experiences and Certification – 136 Shibles Hall

• The Learning Plus study guides and Barron’s Review Guide –Reserve Room, Fogler Library

Web sites

• Educational Testing Service – www.ets.org/praxis

• Maine Department of Education – www.state.me.us/education/homepage