Nevada education commission adopts expanded Praxis Bridge option for multiple exams

The Nevada Department of Education commission voted to adopt expanded Praxis Bridge options on a motion approved during its meeting, adding basic skills, secondary English, special education foundational knowledge, and the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) for grades K–6 and 7–12.

The Praxis Bridge option lets an educator who fails a Praxis test “within 1 standard error of measurement, 1 SEM, of the passing score” take an aligned professional learning module instead of retaking the entire exam, Jeff Briski, director of educator development, licensure and family engagement, told commissioners.

The commission adopted the Praxis Bridge for one elementary exam earlier in the year and voted to expand the option after Briski reviewed the program and impact data. "The module includes content overview, practice items, and a knowledge check designed to affirm their understanding of the material," Briski said. He told the commissioners Nevada was the fourth state to adopt the option and the first to do so after the initial three pilot states.

Briski presented impact figures for the Elementary Multiple Subject Praxis Bridge rollout: 10,093 total test takers, 6,367 passers, 1,180 candidates who scored within 1 SEM and were therefore eligible for the module, 347 who purchased the module, and 281 alternate passers after taking it. He said additional Praxis Bridge exams are scheduled to be rolled out in the fall and would be brought back to the commission when available.

Commissioner Teresa Schultz, a new commissioner and school counselor, asked whether there is an exam after completing the module or whether passing the module is treated as meeting the exam requirement; Briski said the learning module includes multiple knowledge checks that candidates can retake until they demonstrate the targeted competency. Commissioner Hawkins moved adoption of the expanded set of modules; Commissioner Collier seconded. The motion was adopted by voice vote.

The commission did not specify implementation dates for the newly added modules at the meeting; Briski said additional exams scheduled for rollout would be returned to the commission for formal availability dates. The department materials provided to commissioners include the earlier Praxis Bridge overview and an impact table for the Elementary Multiple Subject exam.

The commission's action expands alternatives to full exam retakes for educators who narrowly miss passing scores and is intended to reduce barriers to licensure while targeting instruction to areas of demonstrated need.