The Praxis Special Education Foundational Knowledge exam is designed to ensure individuals are prepared to serve as PreK-12 special education program teachers.
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Exam Outline
The Praxis Special Education Foundational Knowledge exam contains 120 selected-response questions and has a time limit of 2 hours.
The exam is split into five content categories, which are designed to cover the various competencies and points of knowledge that a special education teacher should possess.
I. Human Development and Individual Learning Differences (32 questions)
The questions in this category assess your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- Human growth and development
- Typical developmental milestones and how they may differ for individuals with exceptionalities
- Adaptive behavioral needs of individuals with exceptionalities
- Environmental and biological factors that influence development and learning
- The effect of disabilities on auditory and information processing skills
- Adapting the learning environment
II. Effective Planning and Instruction and Productive Learning Environments (38 questions)
The questions in this category assess your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- Using responses and errors from assessments to guide instructional decisions
- Promoting active student engagement and enhancing self-regulation
- Developing the learner’s cognitive and metacognitive skills
- Adapting the general curriculum to include special instruction for individuals with exceptionalities
- Developing IFSPs and IEPs
- The continuum of placement for individuals that is required to develop and implement instruction
- Developing culturally responsive transition plans and services
- Planning and implementing a productive and supportive learning environment
- Preventative and responsive practices
- Planning and implementing intervention plans
III. Assessment (27 questions)
The questions in this category assess your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- Developing and analyzing assessments to evaluate student learning and behavior
- Formal and informal assessments
- Interpreting assessment data for stakeholders
- Using assessment data to analyze student progress and monitor program effectiveness
- The process and intervention strategies based on data collection that address student needs
IV. Professional Learning, Practice, and Collaboration (23 questions)
The questions in this category assess your knowledge and abilities in the following areas:
- Legal definitions and processes
- Historical foundational theories
- Major legislation and current trends related to safe and evidence-based practice
- Applying policies and ethical guidelines
- Issues in equity for special education
- Deepening professional growth
- Supporting families and students to advocate for equitable student learning and services
- Collaborating with relevant stakeholders
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Registration
To register for the Praxis exam, you will need to create an online ETS account. Once this account is created, you can apply to take the exam.
During the exam registration, you will be asked to select the test-taking format (remote or at a testing center), test location (if you are taking the test at a testing center), and test date. You will also need to pay the $130 exam fee.
Test Day
In-person Testing
You should arrive at the testing facility about 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment to leave enough time for checking in. During the check-in process, you will be asked to sign in and present two forms of valid identification, one of which must be a photo ID.
Personal items will not be allowed into the testing room, so you will be asked to leave things like your phone, wallet, keys, and food items in your car or in a secure locker.
After you have been checked in and your personal items have been stored, you will be led to the testing area and given a brief overview of the testing system before starting your exam.
Remote Testing
To take the exam remotely, you must use a non-touchscreen laptop or desktop computer, and you must have a working speaker, microphone, and camera hooked up. Before test day, you will need to download and install the ETS Secure Test Browser on your computer, which is what you will use to take the test.
Your environment must be private, with no traffic in and out of your testing area. The area where you take the exam must be clear of all personal items, and you will not be allowed to wear headphones. The proctor will ask you to move the camera around so that your testing area can be observed.
Once the proctor has determined everything is ready, they will walk you through the examination process.
How the Exam is Scored
Your Praxis Special Education exam score is calculated using a scaled scoring system that takes your raw score (the number of questions you answered correctly) and turns it into a scaled score from 100 to 300.
The score you need in order to pass the test is different depending on the state you take it in, but the score most states require is 145.
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FAQs
Q
How many questions are on the Praxis 5355 exam?
A
There are 120 selected-response questions on the exam.
Q
How long is the Praxis 5355 exam?
A
The time limit for the exam is 2 hours.
Q
What is the passing score for the Praxis 5355 exam?
A
The passing score varies depending on which state you take the exam in.
Q
How much does the Praxis 5355 exam cost?
A
The examination fee is $130.
