About the Praxis Tests

Information on the PRAXIS administered by ETS can be located at https://www.ets.org/praxis. 

The Praxis tests measure teacher candidates’ knowledge and skills. The tests are used for licensing and certification processes and include:

• Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Core)
  These tests measure academic skills in reading, writing and mathematics. They were designed to provide comprehensive assessments that measure the skills and content knowledge of candidates entering teacher preparation programs. See Praxis Core information.
• Praxis Subject Assessments
  These tests measure subject-specific content knowledge, as well as general and subject-specific teaching skills, that you need for beginning teaching. See Praxis Subject Assessments information.
• Praxis Content Knowledge for Teaching Assessments (CKT)
  These tests measure subject-specific content knowledge, with a focus on specialized content knowledge used in elementary school teaching. See Praxis Content Knowledge for Teaching Assessments information.

State Testing Requirements

Each state and licensing organization determines its own certification and Praxis passing score requirements. For more information about certification requirements, visit the state requirements section.

See also:

• Praxis Core Test Content and Structure
• Praxis Subject Assessments Test Content and Structure

Khan Academy Free Praxis Test Prep 

ETS's free Praxis^® webinars deliver in-depth information and demonstrations about Praxis test preparation products and services. Find a schedule here. 

ETS provides free and paid study materials by subject area. Locate those materials here. 

The Praxis test familiarization videos include important information you should know when preparing to take a Praxis test. View those videos here. 

Praxis FAQs

Free Praxis Practice Tests

Search for Praxis books in the Young Library Collection here. 

1. Learn what the test covers.
Review detailed test descriptions and sample questions with answers and explanations to help you prepare.

2. Assess how well you know the content.
Research has shown that test takers tend to overestimate their preparedness — this is why some test takers assume they did well and then find out they did not pass. If it has been longer than a few months since you've studied your content area, you will want to make a concerted effort to prepare for the Praxis tests.

3. Collect study materials.
Obtaining and organizing your materials for review are critical steps in preparing for the Praxis tests. Consider the following reference sources as you plan your study:

• Did you take a course in which the content area was covered? If yes, do you still have your book(s) or your notes?
• Does your college library have a good introductory college-level textbook in this area?
• Does your local library have a high school-level textbook?

4. Plan and organize your time.
You can begin to plan and organize your time while you are still collecting materials. Allow yourself plenty of time to review so you can avoid "cramming" new material at the end.

5. Develop a study plan.
A study plan provides a roadmap to prepare for the Praxis tests. It can help you understand what skills and knowledge are covered on the test and where to focus your attention. 

6. Practice explaining the key concepts.
What are the major concepts you will be required to teach? Can you explain them in your own words accurately, completely and clearly? Practice explaining these concepts to test your ability to effectively explain what you know.

7. Understand how questions will be scored.
Scoring information can be found on the Praxis website.