The Praxis examination consists of the Praxis Core Tests, Praxis Subject Tests, and Praxis Content Knowledge for Teaching (CKT) Tests. These exams are used by many different states in the licensure or certification process of prospective teachers. Each state's teacher licensing board determines its own requirements for teaching licensure or certification, including which, if any, Praxis exams are required and the Praxis passing scores. The Praxis California is almost non-existent, as the state's licensing board has decided to use other exams in its place (see more below). Currently, the state only uses the Speech-Language Pathology (5331) exam for those wishing to earn the speech-language pathology services credential. This exam is part of the Praxis Subject Assessments and is designed to test students' specific knowledge and skills in the field.
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Create AccountThe Praxis Series II or Praxis Subject Assessment requirements for aspiring California teachers was phased out in January 2005 and the final administration of the multi-subject exam was June 28, 2003. For teacher certification purposes, these Praxis tests were replaced by the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) exams. Therefore, students in California should focus on preparing for their CSET in their designated subject area rather than study for the Praxis. Most teachers in California will also be required to take the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) for certification. The CBEST tests students' basic skills in writing, mathematics, and reading. The certification process for aspiring teachers in California still requires students to complete a state-approved teacher preparation program and experiential requirements, such as student teaching. Students who wish to teach in specific subject areas will then need to pass the CSET exam for that specific area, such as art, French, business, science, mathematics, American Sign Language, and more.
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Create AccountThe Praxis consists of the Praxis Core, Praxis Subject Assessments, and Praxis CKT tests. The Praxis Core is designed to test students' basic skills and knowledge in mathematics, reading, and writing before entering a teacher preparation program. The Praxis CKT tests students' knowledge of elementary education content and how they apply it to the classroom. The Praxis Subject Assessments are most like the CSET, as these exams test students' specific knowledge and skills in various content areas. Both the Praxis II tests and CSET help students earn certification in their given subjects.
These exams are also both computer-based and do cover some of the same subject areas, such as English, science, writing skills, French, business, agriculture, and more. However, the Praxis Subject Assessments offer over 90 different tests, while the CSET offers 42 subject exams. Some other similarities and differences between the two exams are listed in the table below.
| Category of Comparison | Praxis Subject Assessments | CSET |
|---|---|---|
| Question Format | Selected-response and constructed-response | Selected-response and constructed-response |
| Testing Location | Depending on exam, at-home testing and test center | Depending on exam, at-home testing and test center |
| Duration of Exam | Varies, up to 4 hours | Varies, up to 5 hours |
| Exam Fees | Yes, varies | Yes, varies |
| Registration Methods | Online, mail, or phone | Online |
| Scoring | Selected-response by computer, constructed-response by scorer | Selected-response by computer, constructed-response by scorer |
The exact licensure tests that a student will need to take to become a teacher in California depends on where students completed their education and what subject or subjects they plan to teach. All teachers must meet the basic skills requirements for the state after earning at least a bachelor's degree. The basic skills requirements can be met through coursework, earning a qualifying SAT or ACT score, or by passing any one of the following:
Aspiring teachers must also meet at least one requirement for demonstrating subject matter competency. Other requirements may vary by the type of teacher. For example, a teacher who studied in California and plans to teach multiple subjects will also need to pass the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA), while adult education teachers do not. To find out what tests you'll need to take, check out the Commission on Teacher Credentialing in California.
Corey Sexton, M.Ed. has over 16 years of experience as a high school library media specialist. She holds teaching certificates for Pre-K, K-3, 1-8, and K-12 Library Media, as well as administrative licenses for 4-9 and 7-12. Corey graduated with an M.Ed. in Leadership from Concordia University and an M.Ed. in School Library Media & Information Technology from Mansfield University.
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The Praxis Subject Assessments are most like the CSET, as these exams are designed to test students' specific knowledge in a given subject area. However, there are some differences between these exams as well.
The only Praxis California exam that is required is the speech-language pathology exam. Instead of the Praxis, California uses the CSET for subject exams.
The Praxis Core may be most similar to the CBEST, as these exams test teachers' skills in math, reading, and writing. However, the CBEST is only for aspiring teachers in California.
