You, the PRAXIS II, & Teacher Jobs

This summer, as school officials scramble to fill teacher jobs, they’ll seek out highly qualified new hires who have met state licensure requirements and are ready to teach. And as far as teacher jobs in NC, IN, and IA are concerned, one of those licensure requirements is passing one or more PRAXIS II tests. The same requirement is true for many other states as well, including CT, MD, NJ, and VA.

Teacher Jobs in NC

Teacher jobs in NC are easier to get if you’ve passed the required PRAXIS II tests and obtained state certification. Why would a school system hire an unlicensed teacher when a certified one is available? In addition to the PRAXIS II, new teachers in NC must also pass the PRAXIS I with a composite score of 522 (or have a suitable score on their SAT or ACT). They must also complete the PRAXIS II in order to obtain endorsements on their teaching licenses in these areas : Elementary Education K-6, Middle School Education (Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies), Secondary Education (Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Economics, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Physics, Political Science, Science, Social Studies, Sociology), All Grades K-12 (Art, Health, Music, Physical Education, Reading, Speech Communication), World Languages (ESL K-12, French K-12, German K-12, Latin 9-12, Spanish K-12), Special Education, and Career and Technology Education. Clearly, grads who want teacher jobs NC are more likely to get them if they’ve passed the required exams and obtained certification prior to interviews.

Teacher Jobs in IN

Passing one or more PRAXIS II tests is one of the requirements for teacher certification in IN too. As in other states that require the test for certification, job candidates who’ve passed the PRAXIS have an advantage over the competition when vying for teacher jobs in IN. If your field falls within these certification areas specified by the Indiana State Department of Education, you must pass the PRAXIS II: Early Childhood Education, Pre-Kindergarten Education, Elementary Education, Middle School Education (English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies), Secondary Education (Biology, Chemistry, Earth/Space, English, Mathematics, Physics, Social Studies), World Languages (French, German, Spanish), and All Grades (Art, Health, Media Specialist, Music, Physical Education).

Those who hold teacher jobs in IN must also pass the PRAXIS I Pre-Professional Skills Test in reading, writing, and mathematics (or some other comparable state-approved exam). The passing PRAXIS I composite score is 527. As in many other states, those who pass the PRAXIS I and PRAXIS II exams and are certified in their field prior to job interviews are more likely to be seriously considered for teacher jobs in IN.

Teacher Jobs in IA

For teacher jobs in elementary education in IA, passing the PRAXIS II is required. As part of the successful completion of an Iowa state-approved teacher preparation program, all elementary teacher candidates must pass the content test applicable to them to acquire these endorsements on their K-3 or K-6 licenses: PK-3, including Special Education; K-6 Elementary Classroom; PK-3. The PRAXIS II, however, is not a requirement for endorsements in K-12 programs such as art, music, and physical education.

Seek Online Teaching Jobs or Work in a Traditional Classroom

Job seekers who pass the PRAXIS II have a nice item to add to their résumé, one that says, “I’m well-trained, I’m capable, and I’m ready to teach!” Whether you’re seeking teacher jobs IA, IN, or NC or looking for online teaching jobs, passing the PRAXIS II says something good about you. So go ahead! Improve your chances of getting a traditional teacher job and/or an online teaching job. Before you go into another interview, pass the PRAXIS II. In the meantime, check out these sites. They can help you prepare for PRAXIS II.