Before you may student teach, you must pass a subject area test in each certification area. The applicable tests are listed below. Plan to take this test no later than March of the year before student teaching (register at least a month in advance). It can take up to six weeks for your scores to reach Lawrence, and official scores from ETS Praxis or ACTFL must be on file before you may begin.
Test information is available from Carol Marx in the Education Department office (Briggs 117, 7:30-11:30 a.m.). For Praxis II, check the ETS Praxis website for test centers, dates, and registration (the nearest test center is UW-Oshkosh). For ACTFL, contact the chair of the Education Department to arrange the oral interview and writing proficiency test. Be sure to request that your scores be reported to Lawrence University to avoid a delay and additional score reporting fee.
Some subjects are covered by broad tests, which means that you'll need to brush up on topics outside your major. For example, the social studies test asks about U.S. history, world history, government, geography, economics, and psychology, and the science test asks about the scientific method, physical sciences, life sciences, earth sciences, and technology. A list of Wisconsin's required Praxis II tests and qualifying scores can be found on the ETS website at Wisconsin: Praxis Test Requirements.
If you do not pass, you may retake the test as many times as necessary to receive a passing score. You must pass the subject area test before you may begin student teaching; there are no exceptions to this policy.
