As educators, many of us in this community have at one point or another likely taken a teacher licensure exam. These tests have been around for decades and are intended to make sure that the people entrusted with our children's education are qualified instructors. These tests are constructed in a manner that reflects other standardized tests in SAT/ACT in which participants fill out a set number of multiple-choice questions. The procurement of a teaching certificate in many states is dependent on one's ability to pass these tests. In recent years, however, accusations have been levied against these tests that they are too difficult and serve as a barrier to entry for educators, are culturally biased and are not valid indicators of future classroom success (NCTQ 2021). From 2015-to 2016 in Indiana for example, the first-time pass rate for prospective middle school English teachers was 36%. For math teachers, the pass rate was 32% and for science teachers was 18% (Segall, 2017). In the video posted above, Veteran teachers attempting to renew their license face similar challenges as shown in the above video where a teacher with 21 years experience failed her respective content exam four times.

The National Council on Teacher Quality's investigation into the efficacy of teacher licensure exams as a predictor of instructional success did find a "modest but statistically significant" correlation between passing a licensure exam on the first attempt and higher student test scores on standardized exams. However, both the National Council on Teacher Quality (2021) acknowledge that this correlation is strongest in math and science and was limited to a 0.03 standard deviation difference in student achievement. In subjects such as English, Social Studies and the Arts, there is no correlation between first time pass rates and future student or teacher success.

Sources

ABC News . (2017, February 3). More teachers failing state-mandated FTCE, Florida Teacher Certification Exam. YouTube. Retrieved May 22, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/?watch=

Araujo P. M. D., Heineck, G., & Cruz Aguayo, Y. (2020). Does test-based teacher recruitment work in the developing world? Experimental evidence from Ecuador (No. 165), BERG Working Paper Series

National Countil on Teacher Quality. (2021). Driven by Data; Vusing Licensure tests to Build a Strong Diverse Teacher Workforce. https://www.nctq.org/dmsView/NCTQ_Driven_by_Data

Segall, A. B. (2017, February 7). Crisis in the classroom: New Indiana Teachers repeatedly failing state exams. wthr.com. Retrieved May 22, 2022, from https://www.wthr.com/article/news/investigations/13-investigates/crisis-in-the-classroom-new-indiana-teachers-repeatedly-failing-state-exams/531-35ed90dd-497e-4ca7-9c4e-074817f33a40