Aspiring educators in Mississippi are facing a significant obstacle in their path to certification: the PRAXIS exam. Many graduates from university education programs are struggling to pass the required tests, a situation that is contributing to the state's persistent teacher shortage and forcing some to reconsider their career choice.
Key Takeaways
- Many Mississippi education graduates fail the PRAXIS exam on their first attempt, creating a barrier to teacher certification.
- The exam requirement is worsening a teacher shortage in a state with many critical-need areas.
- Educators report a mismatch between their university training and the content covered on the PRAXIS tests.
- High costs for retakes and travel place an additional financial burden on aspiring teachers.
The PRAXIS Challenge and Its Impact
For many who have completed four years of university education, the PRAXIS exam has become an unexpected and formidable challenge. Jennifer Allen, a graduate of Delta State University, felt prepared for the classroom after her studies and a full-time teaching position during her senior year. However, the certification test made her question her career path.
"Much of what I learned over the four years of college is not in the practice material," Allen said, expressing a sentiment shared by many of her peers. This disconnect between university curriculum and test content is a central issue.
Data indicates a widespread problem. In about half of Mississippi's universities with education programs, 50% or more of students do not pass at least one section of the PRAXIS exam on their initial attempt. This high failure rate has tangible consequences for the state's education system.
By the Numbers: PRAXIS Failures
From 2015 to 2018, nearly a quarter of the 1,892 individuals who took the most common PRAXIS Elementary Education exam in Mississippi did not continue after failing on their first try. This trend reduces the pool of qualified teachers available to fill a growing number of vacancies.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mississippi Board of Education implemented a waiver that allowed graduates to become certified without passing the PRAXIS. That waiver ended in December 2021, and now universities and school districts are grappling with the return to stricter licensure rules.
Educators on the Front Lines
The impact of the PRAXIS requirement is felt deeply by those working in schools. Clayton Barksdale, a former public school principal and executive director of the West Mississippi Education Consortium, criticized the system.
"It’s outrageous that effective educators are dismissed by the profession for not passing PRAXIS. Many prove their impact while on emergency licenses, only to be fired then immediately rehired as a long-term substitute – doing the same work for a fraction of the pay, with no benefits or retirement."
Barksdale added, "We must do better." His comments highlight a frustrating cycle where capable individuals are prevented from having stable, fully compensated careers in education due to a single test.
Personal Stories and Financial Burdens
The struggle with the PRAXIS exam is not just a statistic; it affects individuals' lives and careers. Didriquez Smith, a physical education teacher and football coach in the Clarksdale Municipal School District, has taken the content test three times, spending nearly a thousand dollars in the process.
Smith works on an emergency license and has failed the Foundations of Reading portion of the exam. The test costs can be substantial, with the elementary education exam priced at $209 per attempt and the core test at $90. For one attempt, Smith had to travel nearly 300 miles to Birmingham, Alabama, because no closer testing sites were available.
Despite the setbacks, he remains committed to his students, especially in the Mississippi Delta, where the childhood obesity rate is 29%. However, if he cannot pass the required tests within the next year, he risks losing his job, as state regulations penalize schools for employing unlicensed teachers.
A Dream Delayed
Skylar Ball, a graduate of Blue Mountain Christian University, dreamed of becoming a kindergarten teacher. A year and a half after graduating, she works as a teacher's assistant, earning significantly less than she would as a certified teacher. She is saving money to take the PRAXIS for a third time after falling just two questions short on her last attempt.
"I am currently a paraprofessional in an amazing district, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t upset about not being able to lead a classroom of my own," Ball said. She struggled with the Elementary Education exam, which has the lowest pass rate in the state and covers a broad range of subjects from kindergarten through sixth grade, including science, math, and art.
Exam Content Under Scrutiny
An analysis by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) found that Mississippi’s Elementary Education content test is not an effective measure of a candidate's readiness. Hannah Putman of the NCTQ stated, "Does this test tell districts if they are prepared to lead an elementary school classroom in this content area? It does not."
The Role of Universities and Potential Solutions
Mississippi's universities are the primary source of new teachers, but their students' success on the PRAXIS varies dramatically. In the 2022-2023 school year, Mississippi College reported that over 93% of its students passed the pedagogy section, and 100% passed the content and Foundations of Reading tests. The University of Southern Mississippi also saw pass rates above 90%.
In contrast, Alcorn State University had the lowest first-time pass rates. Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) reported that none of its students took two of the three main PRAXIS exams that year.
Timolin Howard, an MVSU graduate, felt her program prepared her for classroom teaching but not for the certification exams. She said the university canceled a PRAXIS preparation workshop, leaving her feeling overwhelmed. "It significantly impacted my confidence, academic performance and health," she said. Her school district later released her from her contract due to her lack of licensure.
Exploring New Pathways to Certification
Educators and administrators are exploring alternative solutions. Adrienne Hudson, who leads the nonprofit organization RISE, helps recruit and retain teachers in the Mississippi Delta. She supports performance-based licensure, which would allow teachers to earn certification by demonstrating their effectiveness through student test score improvements.
Another trend is the shift toward alternative-route programs. In the 2022-2023 school year, 45% of students earning an education degree did so through an alternative route, up from 27% in 2018-2019. These programs often have fewer testing requirements.
Tony Latiker, dean of Jackson State University’s school of education, suggests that students take PRAXIS exams closer to when they complete the corresponding coursework. His university also offers an elective course to prepare students for the tests.
Latiker believes the high-stakes nature of the exams should be re-evaluated. "I’m not against the exams and testing, but I’m against them being the high stakes tests they are," he said. "It should be a part of a more holistic process."