Licensure Tests for Special Education Teachers
Open Access
- 26 June 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journal of Learning Disabilities
- Vol. 42 (5), 464-474
- https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219409338740
Abstract
To determine the extent to which knowledge of evidence-based reading instruction and mathematics is assessed on licensure tests for prospective special education teachers, this study drew on information provided by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, and National Evaluation Systems (now Evaluation Systems group of Pearson). It estimated the percentage of test items on phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary knowledge and on mathematics content. It also analyzed descriptions of ETS’s tests of “principles of teaching and learning.” Findings imply that prospective special education teachers should be required to take both a dedicated test of evidence-based reading instructional knowledge, as in California, Massachusetts, and Virginia, and a test of mathematical knowledge, as in Massachusetts. States must design their own tests of teaching principles to assess knowledge of evidence-based educational theories.Keywords
This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Reading WarsEducational Policy, 2004
- Can a State Department of Education Increase Teacher Quality? Lessons Learned in MassachusettsBrookings Papers on Education Policy, 2004