State Board Delays Raising Teacher Requirements

State Board Delays Raising Teacher Requirements

The New Jersey State Board of Education delayed a proposal last week to raise the minimum test scores that teacher candidates must receive before they can be certified by the state.

The proposal would have raised passing scores required on the Praxis II math, social studies and language arts tests. The concept was to align New Jersey’s requirements with passing scores required in other states.

Representatives from the state Department of Education said only about a third of those taking the test in New Jersey actually become teachers in New Jersey; most end up working in other jobs or teach in other states. Therefore, officials said the pass rates were not indicative of who is being certified to actually teach in New Jersey.

State Board members also raised concerns at the Nov. 7 meeting that the pass rate among minorities lags behind those of whites and Asians. The board asked the education department to provide more information about inherent racial bias in the test, as well as ideas to increase the minority pass rate. One board member suggested colleges should offer test preparation programs to help students prepare for the test.

Department of Education officials are expected to return to the State Board in December or early next year with additional information.