Licensure Tests for Special Education Teachers: How Well They Assess Knowledge of Reading Instruction and Mathematics

To determine the extent to which knowledge of evidence-based reading instruction and mathematics is assessed on licensure tests for prospective special education teachers, this study drew on information provided by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the American Board for Certification of Teacher Ex...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of learning disabilities 2009-09, Vol.42 (5), p.464-474
Main Author: Stotsky, Sandra
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Beginning Teachers
California
Certification
Child
Course Descriptions
Disabilities
Education policy
Education, Special - standards
Educational Measurement - standards
Educational Testing
Educational Theories
Evidence based
Humans
Independent Reading
Knowledge
Knowledge Base for Teaching
Learning
Learning disabilities
Licensing
Licensing Examinations (Professions)
Licensure - standards
Massachusetts
Mathematics
Mathematics Achievement
Mathematics Education
Phonemic Awareness
Phonemics
Phonics
Preservice Teachers
Professional Competence - standards
Reading
Reading Achievement
Reading Comprehension
Reading Instruction
Reading Programs
Reading tests
Reference Standards
Special Education
Special Education Teachers
Teacher Certification
Teacher Competency Testing
Teachers
Teaching
Teaching Methods
Test Items
United States
Virginia
Vocabulary
Vocabulary Development
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Summary:To determine the extent to which knowledge of evidence-based reading instruction and mathematics is assessed on licensure tests for prospective special education teachers, this study drew on information provided by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, and National Evaluation Systems (now Evaluation Systems group of Pearson). It estimated the percentage of test items on phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary knowledge and on mathematics content. It also analyzed descriptions of ETS’s tests of “principles of teaching and learning.” Findings imply that prospective special education teachers should be required to take both a dedicated test of evidence-based reading instructional knowledge, as in California, Massachusetts, and Virginia, and a test of mathematical knowledge, as in Massachusetts. States must design their own tests of teaching principles to assess knowledge of evidence-based educational theories.
ISSN:0022-2194
1538-4780
DOI:10.1177/0022219409338740