Need to improve your résumé? Want to increase your chances of finding a new job teaching high school math? Take one or more PRAXIS II math exams! To learn more about the PRAXIS II tests that are right for you, visit http://www.ets.org/praxis today.
Which PRAXIS II Math Exam Is Right for You?
If you’re a math education major, earning a passing score on one or more PRAXIS II exams for high school math teachers is a great way to perk up your résumé. And if you plan to relocate, scoring well on at least one PRAXIS II test will give you an edge over the competition.
Although state requirements vary, many require at least one of the PRAXIS II math exams below for certification in high school math.
PRAXIS II Mathematics: content knowledge Exam (0061)
You’ll need a graphing calculator for this two-hour PRAXIS II math exam. It contains 50 multiple-choice questions on topics that include algebra and number theory, calculus, and functions.
PRAXIS II Mathematics: Proofs, Models, and Problems, Part I (0063)
The PRAXIS II Mathematics: Proofs, Models, and Problems, Part I (0063) is a one-hour test that’s comprised of two problems worth 40 percent total, one model worth 30 percent, and a proof worth 30. Graphing calculators are required.
PRAXIS II Mathematics: Pedagogy (0065)
This PRAXIS II test is about teaching. It consists of three essay questions on the subject. One concerns lesson planning, another deals with presentation, and a third pertains to assessment. Calculators are allowed but not required.
Required PRAXIS II Tests
Graduates with degrees in mathematics who seek high school math certification are often required by their licensing states to pass a PRAXIS II math exam. If you’re a certified math teacher who wants to relocate to a new state, you may also have to pass a PRAXIS II math test to meet local requirements. Those who teach math on a temporary license also often must pass a PRAXIS II exam to obtain full certification.
Go to the Educational Testing Service (ETS) website at http://www.ets.org/praxis to find out which PRAXIS II math tests you need to take.
PRAXIS II Test Options
ETS offers both content knowledge exams and pedagogy exams. Content knowledge tests deal with a specific area of study, like physics, chemistry, or business education. PRAXIS II pedagogy exams are about the art of teaching.
Some teaching certificate applicants are required by their states to pass both types of exam. If you seek high school math certification in Ohio, for example, you’re required to pass both the PRAXIS II Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7-12 Exam (0524) and the PRAXIS II Mathematics: Content Knowledge Exam (0061). If you apply for a license in Pennsylvania, however, only the content knowledge exam is necessary.
PRAXIS II Passing Scores
Not only do test requirements vary by state, but so do passing scores. Pennsylvania considers 136 as a passing score on the PRAXIS II Mathematics: Content Knowledge Exam. Connecticut requires 137. And if you’re applying for certification in Virginia, you’ll need a score of 147 to pass.
