Click “Start Test” above to start a free ETS ParaPathways practice test! Get a head start by practicing Reading, Writing, and Mathematics questions before test day.
ParaPathways Assessment Outline
The ParaPathways Assessment (5757) contains 90 questions and has a total testing time of 2.5 hours. It’s divided into two separately timed subtests, which can also be taken individually.
I. Reading and Writing
The Reading and Writing subtest contains approximately 30 Reading questions and 21 Writing questions.
Reading
- Identify main ideas, purposes, supporting ideas, and key details
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases using context, word parts, and reference tools
- Understand the components of reading fluency: accuracy, rate, and expression
- Draw inferences and identify implications based on information in a text
- Evaluate how word choice affects meaning and tone
- Recognize common text structures, such as cause and effect, comparison and contrast, sequence, description, and problem and solution
- Analyze how an author’s perspective and purpose influence a text
- Interpret information presented in maps, tables, diagrams, charts, and graphs
- Evaluate whether textual evidence supports an argument or claim
- Understand phonemes and syllables in spoken words
- Apply grade-level phonics and word-analysis skills
- Support students’ participation in evidence-based discussions about texts
Writing
- Apply standard English conventions, including grammar, usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
- Recognize clear, coherent, appropriately organized writing
- Improve written work through planning, composing, and revising
- Distinguish credible sources from noncredible sources
- Use quotations, paraphrases, and citations appropriately
- Analyze the evidence and reasoning used in argumentative texts
- Recognize features of informative and explanatory texts
- Recognize narrative elements such as character, plot, theme, and setting
- Support the responsible use of technology, including AI and collaborative digital tools, when producing and publishing writing
II. Mathematics
The Mathematics subtest contains approximately 36 questions. An on-screen four-function calculator is provided during this subtest.
Numbers and Operations
- Perform arithmetic with integers, fractions, and decimals
- Solve problems involving percentages
- Interpret place value, number lines, and equivalent forms of numbers
- Interpret mathematical terminology and symbols
- Apply basic concepts of exponents
- Use the order of operations
- Solve word problems using numerical calculations and basic algebraic expressions and equations
- Reason about and solve one-variable linear equations
Geometry, Measurement, and Data Analysis
- Measure and estimate time, length, volume, and mass
- Work with U.S. customary and metric units
- Convert units within a measurement system
- Identify and classify common two-dimensional shapes
- Solve problems involving perimeter, area, surface area, and volume
- Identify points in the coordinate plane
- Interpret data presented in lists, tables, bar graphs, line graphs, circle graphs, and pictographs
- Calculate and interpret mean, median, mode, and range
- Recognize effective ways to help students solve geometry, measurement, and data problems
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Registration
Before registering, confirm that ParaPathways is accepted by your state education agency, school district, or prospective employer. You can register for the full ParaPathways Assessment (5757) or for either subtest individually.
At-Home Testing
To register for an at-home appointment, create or sign in to your ETS ParaPro account, select ParaPathways, and schedule an available test date. ETS currently lists the full assessment at $75 and each individual subtest at $37.50.
Before registering, install the ETS Secure Browser and run the equipment check on the computer and internet connection you will use on test day. You will need a compatible desktop or laptop computer, a camera, a microphone, speakers, and a private testing space. Tablets, Chromebooks, and mobile devices are not supported.
In-Person Testing
ParaPathways is also offered at participating school districts, education service centers, regional offices, and other community-based testing locations. Contact the testing center directly to confirm that it offers ParaPathways, choose an appointment, and ask about its registration process and fees.
Local centers may charge more than ETS’s base institutional price.
Test Day
In-Person Testing
Follow the arrival instructions in your appointment confirmation. Bring an acceptable, valid ID, and make sure the name on your ID matches the name in your ETS account. Personal calculators, electronic devices, notes, and study materials are not permitted. An on-screen four-function calculator is available during the Mathematics subtest.
Testing-center procedures can vary, so check the center’s rules before test day. Store personal belongings as directed and complete the required check-in procedures before you are seated at the testing computer.
At-Home Testing
Use the same computer and internet connection that passed the equipment check. Sign in at the time stated in your appointment confirmation and have an acceptable, valid ID ready. You must test alone in a private room, keep your work surface clear, and be prepared to show the proctor a 360-degree view of the room and your workspace.
Regular scratch paper is not permitted. ETS allows approved erasable note-taking materials, such as a small desktop whiteboard or a sheet of paper inside a transparent sheet protector. You will need to erase your notes in view of the proctor at the end of the session. Personal calculators are prohibited, but the on-screen four-function calculator is available during the Mathematics subtest.
Test Scores
Reading and Writing and Mathematics are scored separately. Each subtest uses a scaled score range of 310–350. Each state sets the minimum passing score, so the score you need will be different depending on your state.
If your agency requires both subtests, you must meet its qualifying score on each one. A higher score on one subtest does not offset a lower score on the other.
Unofficial scores are generally available at the end of the test. Your official score report is posted in your ETS ParaPro account and sent electronically to your designated score recipient approximately 2–3 weeks after your test date.
Retaking the Exam
Because ParaPathways is modular, you can retake only the subtest you need instead of repeating a subtest on which you already met the required score. You must register and pay for each retake.
ETS’s current retake policy allows one retake without a waiting period. If another retake is needed, you must wait at least seven days after your most recent attempt; after the waiting period, you may make up to two more attempts before the pattern repeats.
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How to Prepare
Start with a ParaPathways Practice Test
Before creating your study schedule, take a ParaPathways practice test to establish a starting point. You do not need to wait until you have reviewed every topic. At this stage, the goal is to identify where your preparation time will have the greatest effect.
Review your results by content area:
- Reading: Can you identify main ideas and supporting evidence, draw reasonable inferences, analyze text structure and purpose, interpret visual information, and apply phonics and fluency concepts?
- Writing: Can you apply standard English conventions, improve organization and clarity, evaluate sources, use evidence responsibly, and recognize effective use of technology in writing?
- Mathematics: Can you work accurately with integers, fractions, decimals, percentages, basic algebra, measurement, geometry, coordinate graphs, and data?
Identifying specific weaknesses will show you where to devote more attention during your study time.
Review Difficult Questions
After each practice session, review every question you answered incorrectly and every question you guessed on or answered with low confidence. A correct guess does not demonstrate that you fully understand the topic.
For each difficult question, determine which of the following caused the problem:
- You misread what the question was asking.
- You overlooked that more than one answer choice had to be selected.
- You selected an answer that seemed reasonable but was not supported by the text or data.
- You made an inference that went beyond the available evidence.
- You confused a credible source with a source that only appeared authoritative.
- You relied on how a sentence sounded rather than identifying the grammar or usage rule.
- You used the wrong operation, formula, or unit in a mathematics problem.
- You entered a numeric response in the wrong form.
- You spent too long on one question and rushed later questions.
Then, create a specific plan based on what you discovered. Replace a vague goal such as “study math” with a concrete task such as “practice converting among fractions, decimals, and percentages.” Replace “study reading” with a task such as “practice identifying which evidence directly supports an author’s claim.”
Utilize Answer Explanations
Answer explanations are an underused study resource. Read the explanation for every question you found difficult, including questions you answered correctly.
For each one, make sure you can confidently explain:
- Why the correct answer is correct
- Why each incorrect answer is wrong
- Which reading, writing, or mathematics skill is being tested
- Which information in the question supports the answer
- How the skill applies in a classroom setting
- How the same skill could appear in a different ParaPathways question
For reading and writing questions, identify the exact evidence, rule, or literacy concept that determines the answer. Do not select an option merely because it agrees with something you already know; base your answer on the text and the task presented.
For mathematics questions, determine what the problem is asking for, identify all relevant numbers and units, choose the appropriate method, and check whether your answer is reasonable. Practice using a basic four-function calculator without depending on it for mathematical reasoning.
Study How to Support Learning, Not Just Isolated Facts
ParaPathways emphasizes how academic skills are used to support students in real classroom situations. You need to understand the content and recognize an appropriate way for a paraeducator to help a student work through it.
When working through classroom scenarios, use a repeatable process:
- Identify the skill the student is trying to learn.
- Examine the student’s work or response.
- Determine what the student already understands.
- Identify the specific misunderstanding or missing skill.
- Select an appropriate prompt, example, question, or strategy.
- Help the student complete the reasoning rather than simply doing the work for the student.
The strongest answer will not necessarily solve the problem fastest. Look for the response that supports the student’s understanding while keeping the paraeducator within an appropriate instructional role.
FAQs
Q
What is the passing score for the ParaPathways Assessment?
A
The score you need to achieve to pass the exam differs depending on which state you take the exam in.
Q
How many questions are on the ParaPathways Assessment?
A
There are 90 selected-response questions on the exam.
Q
How long is the ParaPathways Assessment?
A
The time limit for the exam is 2.5 hours.
Q
How much does the ParaPathways Assessment cost?
A
The examination fee is $75.
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