‘PSS teachers must now pass both PRAXIS I, II’

The Public School System’s Board of Education has amended its regulations governing PRAXIS requirement and teacher certification, making PRAXIS II a compulsory requirement for all public school teachers in the CNMI. This is on top of regulations mandating that PSS teachers should also pass PRAXIS I.

Board chair Roman C. Benavente signed the amendment on July 14, pursuant to the BOE’s authority as provided by Article XV of the CNMI Constitution, Public Law 6-10 and the CNMI Administrative Procedures Act. The amendment was then approved by the Attorney General’s Office last week.

The amendment states that the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires all elementary and secondary school teacher in the United States and its territories to possess a bachelor’s degree or higher and to have attained full state certification. The amendment also provides language that teachers should demonstrate subject matter competency through a rigorous test.

Benavente said PRAXIS II meets this rigorous testing requirement. “Therefore, PSS will require PRAXIS II of all teachers, including early childhood, special education and elementary school teachers.”

He said the amendment to PSS regulations would make clear that PRAXIS I and II are required for all teachers, except licensed related service providers. The changes would ensure that the CNMI would meet the definition of highly qualified teachers, pursuant to the NCLB, he added.

Current teachers who have not taken the PRAXIS examinations would be given until Aug. 1, 2006 to take and pass the exams, instead of having the deadline based on the expiration of their individual contracts. This will allow current teachers and teacher applicants to have the same deadline.

Last May, Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos issued new standard test scores for Praxis II to remind teachers of the cutoff scores that they must meet to remain with PSS.

Inos sent a memorandum to all schools informing public school teachers about the Praxis II scores, listing the possible range, the average scores, and the CNMI minimum scores, which are the standard scores required for passing content knowledge exams.

For Praxis I tests, the State Board of Education has set 170 out of 190—or 85 percent—as the passing score for teachers taking the first Praxis. The score, Inos said, is very close to the national median of minimum passing scores for the exam.