Praxis Health Education (5551) Practice Test

The Praxis Health Education exam is designed to measure your knowledge of the core educational practices that are essential for entry-level K-12 health education teachers.

Click “Start Test” above to take a free Praxis Health Education practice test, and check out our premium-quality Praxis test prep resources by clicking the links below!

Praxis (5551) Exam Outline

The Praxis Health Education exam contains 120 selected-response questions and four constructed-response questions, and you will be given 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 professional health educator should possess.

I. Health Education as a Discipline (20 questions)

• Major health behavior theories
• Extracurricular and curricular programs for student health needs
• Physical growth and development
• Effective communication with staff, parents, students, and the community
• Concepts of character education
• Health-related data
• Appropriate educational materials from professional organizations, associations, and agencies
• Professional, ethical, and legal practices pertaining to sensitive issues
• Models for responsible decision-making
• Valid and reliable data sources and databases
• Resources involved in a coordinated approach to school health
• Continuing education and professional development as a health educator

II. Health Promotion and Prevention of Injury and Disease (36 questions)

• Nutrition
• Effects of substance use and abuse
• Communicable and noncommunicable diseases
• Stress management and coping skills
• Personal hygiene
• Disease etiology, prevention practices, treatment, and management
• Behaviors that can compromise health and safety
• Care for injuries and sudden illnesses
• Goal-setting and decision-making for heathy lifestyles
• Personal hygiene
• Research on practices that prevent chronic and communicable diseases
• Anatomy, physiology, and body system interrelationships
• Reduce and prevent health risks
• Relationship between health outcomes and lifestyle choices

III. Healthy Relationships and Mental and Emotional Health (36 questions)

• Interpersonal communication
• Factors affecting healthy and unhealthy relationships
• Causes, consequences, and prevention of different types of abuse and violence
• Skills that promote healthy interactions
• Causes and consequences of various mental and emotional health issues
• How decision-making skills affect relationships
• Concepts and issues related to human sexuality
• Psychosocial development throughout the stages of life

IV. Community Health and Advocacy (14 questions)

• Consumer health issues
• Opportunities available for health education advocacy
• Laws and regulations governing health and safety
• Role of the health educator as a liaison between school staff, parents, students, and the community
• The concepts of individual responsibility to society and the environment
• Factors that influence the content of school health education
• Community health agencies available for assistance and referral
• Factors that influence decision-making in health policies
• Methods for delivering appropriate health-promoting messages
• Health careers that are available
• Environmental health issues
• Valid sources of health information, products, and services

V. Health Education Pedagogy (14 questions)

• Curriculum aligning with national, state, and district standards
• Classroom-management strategies
• Sequential instruction planning using performance-based objectives
• Assessing learning needs for individuals and diverse groups
• Reflective process of teaching
• Assessment of student learning
• Effective methods, strategies, and techniques to implement instruction

Praxis (5551) Exam Registration

To register for the Praxis Health Education exam, you will need to create an online account with ETS. Through this account, you can submit an application to take the exam.

During 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

On exam day, you should plan to arrive at the testing center 30 minutes before the scheduled testing appointment. When you arrive, you will be asked to provide a printed copy of your admission ticket and two forms of valid identification.

You will also be asked to store all personal items, such as your cell phone, keys, and wallet in a secure locker before entering the testing area.

Once the check-in process is complete and you are fully approved for testing, you will be led to the testing station and given a brief tutorial on the testing system.

Remote Testing

To take the exam remotely, you must use a laptop or desktop computer that has the ETS Secure Test Browser downloaded and installed on it. This is the browser you must use to take the exam. You will also need a functioning webcam, speakers, and a microphone.

When you check in to take the exam, the remote proctor will ask you to show proof of identification and to move your webcam around the room so that your testing area can be observed. Once the proctor has approved your testing area, they will walk you through the testing process and begin your exam.

How the Praxis (5551) Exam is Scored

Your score is based on the number of questions you answer correctly (your raw score). Your raw score is converted to a scaled score. The scaled score you need to obtain differs slightly depending on which state you take the exam in.

You should receive an official score report about five weeks after testing.

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