How Important are Praxis Scores?

November 3, 2016

Many Praxis test-takers wonder, “Just how important are Praxis scores?” The important part of Praxis scores is simply whether or not you passed! Why? Because the Praxis is essentially a pass/fail test. That doesn’t mean it is necessarily easy; it just means that your precise score matters less than if you pass or not.

What is a passing Praxis score?

A passing Praxis score is different for each test and each state. For most states that require the Praxis, passing scores on the Core are as follows:
• Praxis Core Math: 150
• Praxis Core Reading: 156
• Praxis Core Writing: 162
There are a couple of exceptions, so make sure to check out the full state-by-state table of passing scores, which also includes Praxis subject tests.

How important are Praxis scores for the job search?

As long as you pass, Praxis scores aren’t that important for the job search. You need to pass the Praxis test and earn your licensure. If you are in the testing process, a school may ask you about your unofficial scores to make sure you’re on track to earning your licensure. If you do very well on the Praxis (for instance, if you earned a Recognition of Excellence award), it’s worth mentioning that in your cover letter or resume, but it isn’t a big ranking factor for employers. David wrote a great post on how to understand your unofficial Praxis scores. Understanding your scores (and the differences between raw scores, unofficial scores, and official scores) is important if you’re asked about them.

I passed. Should I retake the Praxis to get a higher score?

You may remember being in high school and taking standardized tests like the ACT or the SAT. On these tests, there is no “passing” score. You simply score as high as you possibly can before you apply to colleges. For ACT and SAT scores, you are mostly relying on your score to be competitive.

The Praxis is different. You need to pass in order to earn your teaching license. Beyond that, there are limited benefits to having a very high score. It doesn’t hurt, of course, and it can look good on teaching applications. However, there is very little reason to retake a Praxis test that you have already passed. Save yourself the stress, study time, and money. Instead, focus on the job hunt (résumé tips, anyone?) and take time to celebrate your success! You earned it.

Author

Allison White

Allison is an Early Childhood Educator who has been a teacher since 2010. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2010 with a degree in Psychology, focused in Child Development. She began her teaching career as a 2nd grade teacher in Washington, D.C. After moving to Denver, Colorado she discovered a passion for Early Childhood Special Education. She earned a Master’s in the subject from University of Colorado Denver in 2015. She spent Spring 2016 teaching pre-service early childhood educators at the undergraduate level. Now she and her husband are on a big adventure travelling around the western United States in an RV!

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Comments

3 responses to “How Important are Praxis Scores?”

sanie a qosaj

April 16, 2017

I am having serious anxiety for this exam. I break down at least 10 times a day for the past three weeks. My question is, if I need
“• Praxis Core Math: 150
• Praxis Core Reading: 156
• Praxis Core Writing: 162 ”

Roughly how many questions would I need to get right in order to get these scores?

Reply
1. Magoosh Test Prep Expert
  
  April 18, 2017
  
  They say knowing is half the battle. And knowing exactly how many questions you need to get right certainly can set your mind at ease.
  
  For Core Math and Core Reading, it’s very easy to get an estimate of how many questions you need to get right. Praxis Core Math and Praxis Core Reading are both 100% selected response. In other words, there are not essay questions, just multiple choice and numeric entry. That means you can just look at your score in temrs of the percentage of questions you answer correctly.
  
  A 150 is the same as 50%. So on Praxis Core Math, you’ll need to get at least 50% of the questions correct in order to have a chance at 150. Scores may be adjusted slightly, so it’s better to get a little more than 50%. But you definitely want at least 50% there. Core Math has 56 questions, which means you should try to get at least 28 questions right on Core Math.
  
  For Core Reading, you need 156, or approximately 56%. This means you need to correctly answer at least 32 of the 56 Core Reading questions directly.
  
  Core Writing is a little trickier. This is because Praxis Core Writing has two constructed response questions (AKA essay questions). It’s hard to predict exactly how these questions will affect your score, because essay questions aren’t marked right or wrong— they’re graded on a scale.
  
  But let’s look at an unlikely worst case scenario. Suppose you got a zero on your essays. The essays make up roughly 30% of your score. This means the remaining 40 multiple choice questions make up 70% of your score, with each question being worth 1.75% of your score. That means you need to get at least 36 questions right to top 62%.
  
  I hope this helps. 🙂
  
  Reply
2. sheeza
  
  July 3, 2017
  
  me too…
  
  Reply