Praxis Test Adoptions for New Jersey Peter V. Yeager, Client Relations Director, ETS New Jersey State Board of Education July 7, 2010

Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved ETS Test Development National Advisory Committee (NAC) –Reviews standards that the test should reflect –Organizes overall structure of the job domains –Defines competencies for beginning practitioner –Develops a job analysis survey –Develops test specifications (test map) Test Development Committee –Writes questions to align with test specifications Multiple forms of the test are created Presented to states for review/adoption

Standard Setting Process of deciding how much knowledge and/or skills needs to be demonstrated on a licensure test to be considered ready to enter the profession The process of standard setting is based on expert judgment There is no single correct or true passing score 3

What Is the Process of a Multi-State Standard Setting? States are asked to nominate candidates for multi-states – include teachers and higher education Depending on number of states, either one or two panels are held with care given to a diverse and representative panel. 4

Process of a Multi-State Standard Setting Panelists define the knowledge and/or skills expected of a candidate who should just barely pass the test (Just Qualified Candidate) Two rounds of judgments, with feedback and discussion –Multi-Choice Items –Number of JQCs who would know correct answer –Constructed-Response Items –Rubric score JQC would likely earn

What Was the Process for the Multi-State Standard Setting Studies? Each panel provides a recommended cut score Each panel judges the importance of the content specifications for entering professional practice Study Report Documents Process and Results Each state reviews the information in the report and decides what it will adopt as its cut score(s) 6

Tests for Adoption by New Jersey Test Adoption for –World Languages: Spanish (0195) –World Languages: French (0174) –World Languages: German (0183) –Teaching Reading (0204) –Business Education (0101) Replacing existing tests used by New Jersey that underwent significant change and needed new Standard Setting Studies –Teaching Reading a new test

Why change the current World Language tests? To align with ACTFL Standards which emphasize –Performance-based assessment –Producing competent language users to interact in a global community To adhere to ETS standards for periodic review and if necessary, revision of our assessments To improve our delivery system for language tests

What has changed? New WL Series will offer 1 test (not 2) to assess: –Reading –Writing –Listening –Speaking –Cultural Knowledge Improved test delivery –Digital voice capture on assessments Pedagogy test kept separate

Test Design – Language Tests Language Tests – Uniform Design (2 hours and 45 minutes) –Listening with Cultural Knowledge 36 mc questions (50 mins.) –Reading with Cultural Knowledge 39 mc questions (50 mins.) –Writing 3 cr questions (50 mins.) –Speaking 3 cr questions (15 mins.)

New Reading test fully aligned to National Reading Panel Reflects the 5 essential components of reading instruction identified by the National Reading Panel –Phonetic awareness –Phonics –Fluency –Comprehension –Vocabulary Appropriate for licensure or adding a reading endorsement to an existing license 2 hour multiple-choice and constructed-response Copyright © 2010 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo and LISTENING. LEARNING. LEADING. are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS). PRAXIS and THE PRAXIS SERIES are trademarks of ETS

Aligned to the National Standards for Business Education and the National Educational Technology Standards International business content added 2 hour multiple-choice Copyright © 2010 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo and LISTENING. LEARNING. LEADING. are registered trademarks of Educational Testing Service (ETS). PRAXIS and THE PRAXIS SERIES are trademarks of ETS Global perspective to Business Education test

Results: World Language Tests Spanish: cut score is 67 (on the raw score metric), which represents 70% of total available 96 raw points. The scaled score associated with a raw score of 67 on the Praxis Spanish assessment is 168. French: recommended cut score is 63 (on the raw score metric), which represents 65% of total available 97 raw points. The scaled score associated with a raw score of 63 on the Praxis French assessment is 162. German: recommended cut score is 64 (on the raw score metric), which represents 65% of total available 98 raw points. The scaled score associated with a raw score of 64 on the Praxis German assessment is

Results: Business Education & Teaching Reading Teaching Reading: recommended cut score is 68 (on the raw score metric), which represents 64% of total available 107 raw score points. The scaled score associated with a raw score of 68 on the Praxis Teaching Reading assessment is 159. Business Education: recommended cut score is 75 (on the raw score metric), which represents 62.5% of total available 120 raw score points. The scaled score associated with a raw score of 75 on the Praxis Business Education assessment is

Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved Questions? Peter V. Yeager Client Relations Director, ETS Rosedale Road, MS 51-L Princeton, NJ