The Praxis II Subject Matter Assessment is the approved teacher licensure exam for the State of Alabama. Praxis II is developed and administered through the Educational Testing Service (ETS). To be certified to teach in the State of Alabama, teacher candidates are required to take and pass the Praxis II Subject Matter Assessment in their initial area of certification.

 

If a teacher candidate is obtaining advanced certification in an area where initial certification has already been obtained, the teacher candidate is not required to take Praxis II. For example, if a teacher holds a certificate at the Bachelor's level (i.e. Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education) and is obtaining advanced certification st the Master's level or beyond in the same area (i.e. Elementary Education), Praxis II is not required for the advanced certification. However, if a teacher hold initial certification in Elementary Education and seeks to obtain certification in an instructional support area (i.e. Educational Leadership, School Counseling, Library Media), the teacher will be required to take and pass Praxis II in the area of certification.

 

Each degree-granting teacher certification program has a specific corresponding Praxis II Subject Matter Assessment, except Early Childhood Education, Special Education Collaborative K - 6, and Special Education Collaborative 6 - 12. Candidates seeking initial certification in Early Childhood Education and Special Education Collaborative K - 6 are required to take and pass the Elementary Education: Content Knowledge Assessment (0014). Candidates seeking to obtain certiifcation in Special Education Collaborative 6 - 12 are not required to take and pass a Praxis II Subject Matter Assessment. However, Special Education Collaborative 6 - 12 teacher candidates will not be granted highly qualified status unless the candidate takes and passes a Praxis II Subject Matter Assessment in a particular content area.

No student will be allowed to enroll in the professional internship course for their major if the student has not taken and passed the Praxis II exam.

 

Currently, all teacher certification areas have a Praxis II cut score. Please visit the Alabama State Department of Education's website for current cut scores for each tests at http://www.alsde.edu.

  

The only teacher certification area exempt from a Praxis II exam is Special Education Collaborative 6 - 12. However, the only way for a SPED 6 - 12 student to become highly qualified is if he/she takes and passes a content area exam.

 

 

One of the most important things to understand about Praxis II cut scores are their effective dates. THE EFFECTIVE DATE FOR YOUR PRAXIS II EXAM DEPENDS ON THE DATE YOU WILL APPLY FOR CERTIFICATION. The following are two examples to illustrate this point.

 

 

I took the Elementary Education Content Knowledge 0014 test during the "no fault" period and made a 135. The cut score is 137. I applied for certification December 2005. I didn't get my certification. What not?

 

The "no fault" period ended April 15, 2005. Therefore, you must retake the exam and score 137 if you want to be certified to teach in an elementary school in Alabama. The date you took the exam is not important. When you applied for certification the cut score at that time (137) is the cut score you needed to make.

 

 

I took the Mathematics Content Knowledge 0061 exam on November 18, 2006. I scored 119. I graduate August 2007. Will I be certified with my 119 cut score?

 

No, you will not be certified with the 119 cut score unless you graduate and apply for certification before June 1, 2007. According to what you have indicated, you will apply for certification after June 1, 2007. The cut score you will need to make is 126 to be certified.

 

 

I am a Special Education Collaborative 6 - 12 student. I recently changed my major from SPED K - 6 because of the Praxis II. My advisor said I do not have a test I must pass for certification. Is this true? Will this change.

 

It is true that you do not have to take or pass the Praxis II. There has not been an exam established for Special Education Collaborative 6 - 12. However, the state is currently working on assigning a teacher licensure exam for SPED 6 - 12. When you graduate, assuming you meet all course and field and clinical criteria, you will be certified, but not highly qualified. The only way you will be highly qualified is if you take and pass a Praxis II subject matter assessment.