PRAXIS II Requirements for Certification
The Praxis II Exam in required by the state of Connecticut as pre-condition for certification. All students in the IB/M Teacher Preparation Programs must complete and pass the Praxis II Exam in your certification area. The Neag School of Education can not recommend teacher candidates for certification until you have completed the Praxis II requirement, as well as all other program completion requirements. All students in the IB/M program take the Praxis II regardless of their future career plans to become certified or to teach in other states.
For complete information on the Praxis II Exam, visit the Praxis website.
In the IB/M program, students must complete and pass the following exams which are required by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE). The Praxis website, State Requirements page lists the required tests for certification in Connecticut.
For World Language Students: The CSDE has approved the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) for any world language endorsement. Call ACTFL at 1-800-486-8444 or register on line at http://www.languagetesting.com
For Agriculture Education Students: There is currently no Praxis II or testing requirement for Agriculture Education certification.
When should I take the Praxis II?
We require you to complete and pass the Praxis II so that we can recommend you for certification.We strongly recommend that you take the Praxis II exam before you begin your fifth year in the teacher preparation program.
Overall, the earlier you take the Praxis II, the earlier you are able to check off the requirement, insuring fewer complications with your certification papers. You may take your Praxis II exams as early as your junior year, although most students take the exam during their senior year or during the summer following their student teaching assignment.
Because the secondary education Praxis II exams tests your content knowledge, we recommend that secondary education majors complete Praxis II when you have completed your content area major courses and your content knowledge is at its strongest. For most people in secondary education, this means taking the Praxis II during at the end of your 6th semester. Elementary Education and Special Education students have suggested that taking the pedagogy section of the Praxis II is easier once you have completed your methods courses and your student teaching. Music Education students generally take the Praxis II in their ninth semester either in November or January.
Praxis II Exam Schedules
Praxis II exams are held according to the ETS schedule and are generally scheduled during the academic year. Praxis II scores arrive at the University 4 – 8 weeks after your test date. Therefore, you must plan ahead to make sure your test scores arrive in plenty of time to support your certification process. While most UConn students pass the Praxis II on the first try, some do not. We recommend that you take the test early enough so that, if you do not pass, you will have a chance to take the exam again before your certification papers are to be sent.
If you have any questions about the Praxis II requirement, please contact your major advisor or the Teacher Education Office.
You can find the latest information about Praxis II at the ETS Praxis Series website.
