TESTING INFORMATION Hawai i Teach for America Region Name 1
IN THIS SECTION: Testing Information Overview of Testing» Testing Action Steps» Testing Timeline» Placement Specific Testing Instructions Registration Instructions» Testing Preparation» Additional Math/Science preparation Teach for America Hawai i 2
Overview of Testing In order to meet the requirements to be able to teach in Hawai i, all teachers must take and pass one or more exams depending on your teaching assignment. This document will provide you with information about the steps you will need to take in order to make a smooth transition into a Hawai i classroom. Taking and passing the applicable test(s) are required in order to be hired by and teach in our partner school districts and charter sites. If you do not take and pass the required test(s), you will not be able to be placed in a Hawai i classroom. While we will recommend resources for you to use in order to prepare for your test and to assist you in the registration process, it is ultimately your responsibility to take and pass all of your exams. Those who do not pass will be unable to teach in Hawai i and may need to request a deferral to join the 2017 corps. For this reason, we strongly urge you to take the earliest possible exam and to begin preparing now. We have found that when corps members have planned ahead and prepared adequately, they have been able to pass these exams. In 2015, as a result of studying, 80% percent of Hawai i corps members passed their exams. If you have concerns about passing your exams, please contact your regional office. TESTING ACTION STEPS Note the registration and testing deadlines for the tests that you are required to take and place these dates on your personal calendar to ensure you are able to meet these deadlines. Locate your teaching assignment in the table below to find information about the specific tests you will need to take based on your teaching assignment. Register for your test(s) according to the instructions below. When you receive your admission ticket by e-mail, please forward this e-mail to Kara Kusunoki, a TFA Hawai i staff member at kara.kusunoki@teachforamerica.org so we have a record of your registration. (Due to anticipating a high volume of emails, please do not worry if you do not receive a response email from Kara to confirm.) E-mail Kara (kara.kusunoki@teachforamerica.org) with your score report. The score report can be downloaded as a pdf from the ETS website where you register for the exams. This will help keep us informed of your progress. We may require additional information about your testing registration or scores and will communicate any additional action steps. TESTING TIMELINE In order to facilitate the placement process, it is important that you register for your tests and take them as specified below. In the past, failure to do so has resulted in significant consequences, including delayed placements and lower pay in best-case scenarios, and release from the corps in worst case scenarios. The Praxis II exam, the required exam for Hawai i, is offered on limited test dates at testing centers so we recommend planning early to secure a seat. NOTE: All corps members are required to take their required exams according to the timeline listed below. If you cannot test on the specified date for your application deadline, you will need to contact Kara Kusunoki immediately at kara.kusunoki@teachforamerica.org. Teach for America Hawai i 3
TESTING TIMELINE Exam Testing Fee Who Should Take It? Highly Recommended Testing Deadline Firm Deadline PRAXIS II $115-$150 All unlicensed teachers (Elementary, English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Special Education-Elementary or Secondary). Licensed teachers, taking the Praxis II exams in the box below is highly recommended. 1/2 DL or earlier: 02/15/16 3 DL: 03/15/16 4DL: 04/15/16 5DL: 05/15/16 (DL= deadline you applied for the corps.) Unlicensed teachers must pass the Praxis II exam(s) in the area you are hired to teach by the first day of school in Hawai i. This past year, the first day of school in Hawai i public schools was July 29. Please plan and prepare accordingly. ** see table below for placement specific testing information Teach for America Hawai i 4
PLACEMENT SPECIFIC TESTING REQUIREMENTS Please locate your placement on the table below to find out more information about the test(s) that you will be required to pass. Placement Exam 1 Exam 2 (Backup Exam) Elementary or Special Education Elementary English English majors tentatively assigned to teach English, please refer to the note on the next page for English majors. Mathematics* Math majors tentatively assigned to teach Math, please refer to the note on the next page for Math majors. Test Name: Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects Test Number: 5001 (comprised of 5002, 5003, 5004, 5005) Length: 4.25 hours total Passing Score: 157 for Reading, 157 for Math, 155 for Social Studies, 159 for Science Test Fee: $150 Test Name: English Language, Literature, and Composition: Content Knowledge Test Number: 5038 Length: 2 hours Passing Score: 167 Test Fee: $115 Test Name: Mathematics: Content Knowledge Test Number: 5161 Length: 2.5 hours Passing Score: 160 Test Fee:$115 FOR ALL PLACEMENTS: Taking a second exam is highly recommended to provide schools and yourself with the flexibility to meet the needs of our students. Please refer to the boxes on the left of this column to determine the appropriate test name, test number, and the passing score. Before registering, please read the note on the next page for additional guidance and placement needs. Science Social Studies Special Education-Secondary** Test Name: General Science: Content Knowledge Test Number: 5435 Length: 2 hours Passing Score: 152 Test Fee: $115 Test Name: Social Studies: Content Knowledge Test Number: 5081 Length: 2 hours Passing Score: 154 Test Fee: $115 English or Mathematics Praxis (See English or Mathematics boxes above for the appropriate test number). Teach for America Hawai i 5
READ BEFORE REGISTERING To increase options and flexibility in placement to address our students and schools needs, we highly recommend preparing for and taking two Praxis II exams listed in the chart above. When admitted into the Hawai i corps, the subject area assigned is a tentative placement which means it is subject to change. In Hawai i the highest need placement and highest number of vacancies is in Mathematics. Placements and vacancies in other content areas vary by island. Historically, Hawai i Island has a relatively higher need for Elementary educators (though there are still limited vacancies). O ahu has a slightly higher need for General Education and Special Education English Language Arts teachers relative to Hawai i Island, and tends to have a higher need for Special Educators at the secondary and elementary school levels. District and school needs are subject to change so we continue to request your flexibility but this context may be useful for you when determining which additional tests you would like to prepare for and register. Please contact Kara (kara.kusunoki@teachforamerica.org) if you will, or have, graduated from a non-accredited institution of higher learning at the undergraduate level. To check on your school s accreditation status, visit this page: http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/. If you will, or have, graduated from a non-accredited institution, you will be required to take the Praxis I exam. Kara can provide you with more information on the Praxis I exam, as needed. For incoming corps members who already possess a teaching license or possess an Education degree that can qualify you to receive a teaching license in the state of Hawai i, we recommend that you take the Praxis II exam in your tentative placement area as passing the Praxis II exam is a requirement to receive your State of Hawai i teaching license in most situations. For more information on licensing and the reciprocity process as applicable, please visit: www.htsb.org. You may contact HTSB with questions. *Though Math is one of our highest need placement areas and we strongly encourage you to focus on studying for the Math Praxis II exam, we strongly recommend registering and studying for another Secondary Praxis II exam (English, Science, or Social Studies) should you not pass the Math exam to increase options and flexibility in placement. **Special Education corps members are required to pass the content exam in the area hired to teach and will need to pass a Special Education Praxis exam in the first year of teaching. Since the overwhelming majority of our Secondary Special Education corps members teach Math or English in a Special Education setting, select the Math or English Praxis exam as your first exam. We recommend you wait until you are hired to determine if the Special Education Praxis II exam is necessary. Math majors: If you have at least 30 credits (with at least 15 being upper level credits) that are clearly considered Math coursework, usually labeled Math in the course registration number, at the undergraduate or graduate level, you DO NOT need to take the Praxis II Math exam since your coursework will be used in lieu of a Praxis II Math exam. Reach out to Kara (kara.kusunoki@teachforamerica.org) if you believe you qualify for this exemption. English majors: If you have at least 30 (with at least 15 being upper level credits) credits that are clearly considered Teach for America Hawai i 6
English coursework, usually labeled English (ENG) in the course registration number, at the undergraduate or graduate level, you DO NOT need to take the Praxis II English exam since your coursework will be used in lieu of a Praxis II English exam. However, you are still required to take at least one Praxis II exam. Reach out to Kara (kara.kusunoki@teachforamerica.org) if you believe you qualify for this exemption. HOW TO REGISTER Praxis II: 1. Register at ets.org or consult The Praxis Series Information Bulletin on ets.org for alternate registration methods. 2. Test Session/Test Selection: List the test numbers indicated above when you register 3. Designated Score Recipients: When you register, you will be instructed to indicate Designated Score Recipients. Please use the following codes to designate where your score reports need to be sent: 4200- Teach For America Hawai i regional office 7778- Teach For America National Office 8620- Hawai i Teacher Standards Board 4. Pay for your test using a major credit card, or follow instructions at www.ets.org/praxis to receive authorization to pay by check. Praxis costs are covered by the corps member. 5. Study for your exams. Test prep materials can be found at www. ets.org/praxis. 6. On the Test Day: You will receive an admission ticket via e- mail when you complete your registration (unless you select an alternate registration method). Bring your ticket, photo ID, and this document with you to the test center on your test day. Teach for America Hawai i 7
TEST PREPARATION IMPORTANCE Test preparation and passage is fully your responsibility. We cannot stress enough the importance of prioritizing test preparation. These exams can go into great depth and breadth, be very difficult, and have different types of questions. They can also be longer than previously taken standardized tests. Unfortunately, we have had corps members fail these exams despite having majored in the same field as the exams they took. As noted below, the consequences of failing to prepare for a test are significant and costly. You must pass your tests before you can begin teaching. Those who do not pass may be unable to teach in Hawai i and may need to request a deferral to join the 2017 corps. While test passage itself is not presently an indicator of teacher s effectiveness, building content knowledge in your license area will better prepare you for the 1st day of school. Retaking tests is expensive. PREPARATION It is crucial to budget enough time to thoroughly prepare for the actual test. We have found in the past that corps members spent anywhere from 10-25 total hours in order to adequately prepare for certification tests. Below we have included key steps to consider when planning your test preparation. Understand what the test covers Diagnose how well you know the test material Gather study materials Plan and organize your time Practice explaining the key concepts Learn how questions will be scored If you have any questions about test preparation or feel you need support, please contact your staff point of contact with general questions or Kara (kara.kusunoki@teachforamerica.org) if it s a specific concern. You can access test preparation materials and information by visiting www. ets.org and TFA-Hawaii will provide several free testing resources available online. REGISTRATION AND TEST TAKING TIPS We strongly encourage you to register for the earliest possible test date in order to facilitate early placement and to allow time to retake your exam if necessary. We also encourage you to begin studying for your exams as soon as possible. Keep in mind that you must register for your tests several weeks prior to the actual testing dates. If you do not meet the registration deadline or you mistakenly sign up for the wrong tests you may be subject to late registration fees and change request fees. If you are in need of special testing accommodations, please visit www.ets.org for more information. Please check the ETS website to ensure you have all necessary materials. Commonly requirement documents to bring on the testing day include: photo ID and a test confirmation document that you received upon registration. These documents vary slightly by test and company therefore, please be sure to check the testing website to be sure you have all necessary materials to test for your specific test. Teach for America Hawai i 8
FOR MATH/SCIENCE TEACHERS ONLY Passing the Praxis II exam is just your first step towards becoming the incredible math/science teacher that your students desperately need. It ensures that you can solve problems and answer questions, but our most successful teachers, regardless of what they studied in college, also develop a deep understanding of mathematical and scientific ideas, theories, and themes. The spring is the perfect opportunity to get a jump start on that preparation. While you re studying for your Praxis exam, we also recommend doing one or more of the following so that you ve got a solid content foundation to build on at institute: at high school students: http://ocw.mit.edu/high-school/ Audit a remedial math course or entry-level science course at a local college/university and talk to the instructors about the content that their students find most challenging. Ask how they typically explain it to struggling students. During institute and in the region, your primary focus will be pedagogy-- how to teach math/science, rather than what to teach-- and the more you can do to master the content in advance, the more effectively you ll be able to learn the pedagogy! In addition to test preparation books specifically designed for the Praxis exam, check middle and high school textbooks out of your local library. Take the included chapter tests and use your results as an indicator of which topics to prioritize. Download and take sample student tests from these highlyregarded sources:» NY Regents (all subjects) http://www.nysedregents.org/» MCAS (all subjects) www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testitems. html» College Board AP tests (all subjects) http://www. collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/subjects.html» The American Diploma Project Assessment Consortium (math) http://achieve.org/adpassessmentconsortium Watch videos and complete practice problems on LearnZillion.com. Unlike many video sites, it has been carefully designed to model strong pedagogy and includes teacher narration. For higher-level courses, consider MIT OpenCourseWare online courses, particularly those targeted Teach for America Hawai i 9
TESTING INFORMATION Hawai i Teach For America Hawai i: O ahu Office 500 Ala Moana Boulevard, Suite 3-400 Honolulu, HI 96813 808.521.1371 Teach For America Hawai i: Hawai i Island Office 75-170 Hualalai Road, Suite D-216A Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 808.769.4526 Teach for America Region Name 9