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Commission approves Praxis II report recommending Praxis Bridge and exploring attestation pathway
Summary
The commission approved a WestEd-backed report required by AB 428 that recommends using the Praxis Bridge for near-pass candidates and studying an attestation process by educator preparation programs; the attestation option would require regulation changes and dedicated staff.
The Commission on Professional Standards in Education approved a report on the Praxis II and pedagogy examinations required by Assembly Bill 428 (AB 428) from the 2023 legislative session and recommended two alternative pathways for candidates who narrowly miss passing scores.
Jeff Briskie, director of Educator Development, Licensure and Family Engagement, introduced the presentation and said the department contracted with WestEd to conduct the study and convene a work group. Heather Mattson, senior program manager at WestEd, presented the findings and two work-group recommendations: adoption of the Praxis Bridge for candidates who nearly pass the Praxis II and consideration of an attestation process administered by educator preparation programs (EPPs).
Mattson summarized research and other states' approaches, noting limited prior research that isolates Praxis II content/pedagogy impacts. She said Connecticut studies showed that failing Praxis II on the first attempt can reduce the likelihood of eventual certification and that nearly-passing candidates may be deterred from entering teaching. On the first recommendation, Mattson described the Praxis Bridge (recently piloted in Connecticut, Kansas and West Virginia): it targets the specific test sections where a candidate was within one standard error of measurement, costs a one-time fee (about $50) and gives candidates a six-month window to meet the requirement. The commission had previously approved the Praxis Bridge at its January meeting; WestEd presented it to the work group as a confirmed option.
The second recommendation — an attestation option in which an EPP would validate a candidate's content knowledge based on coursework, fieldwork and program assessment — would require a regulation change and substantial administrative work. Mattson said the department estimates the attestation path would need a full-time staff person funded from general funds to develop and maintain the process and documentation protocols. She also noted that attestation processes in other states are "quite lengthy and in-depth" and that there is limited long-term research on how these alternatives affect teacher retention and classroom outcomes.
Commissioner Jason Ginoza asked whether attestation would substitute for Praxis II or be available only to nearly-passing candidates; Mattson clarified the work group's model would make attestation available to candidates who nearly pass (within one standard error of measurement) rather than as a wholesale substitute for Praxis II. Commissioner Morgan asked about long-term evidence on retention; Mattson said that data are not yet available.
Commissioner Morgan moved to approve the WestEd report; Commissioner Ginoza seconded. The commission voted to approve the report. The commission listed future agenda items that include competency-based learning for educator preparation programs, Nevada registered apprenticeship programs and the Praxis Bridge pilot presentation.
