Taking a substantial exam, such as any of the many, many Praxis exams, can seem daunting, and most people worry about if they will pass when taking such a big exam. Although you should prepare so you are ready and able to pass the exam, you should also be aware of the Praxis retake policy before taking the test.
In this article, we’ll be discussing the Praxis retake policy, which states that you can retake any Praxis test as many times as you want, so long as you wait 28 days between the tests. This policy is only the surface, though, as it is essential to understand why you don’t want to have to retake any of your Praxis tests.
What is the PRAXIS Test?
What is the PRAXIS Test?The term Praxis test actually refers to many tests that all fall under the general heading of the Praxis tests. These tests are used to help test the knowledge and skills that are necessary to become a teacher. Some students take a Praxis exam in a teacher prep program, and others take a Praxis exam during their certification to become a teacher.
Overall, there are three different types of Praxis tests and a number of tests that you can take in each category. The three types of Praxis tests are Praxis core, Praxis subject exams, and Praxis Content Knowledge for Teaching (CKT) tests.
The Praxis core tests are a core set of tests that cover the most standard and basic academic subjects. This category has three tests; reading, writing, and math, but most people will take all three tests.
The Praxis subject tests are more specific to a subject. These tests are numerous and can range from topics such as elementary school math to world languages. These more than 90 tests are used to help make sure that teachers who are teaching specific age groups or subjects are prepared and ready to enter a classroom.
The final category of Praxis exams is the Praxis CKT test. These tests are designed specifically for those going for a general elementary school license and focus not only on the information that the students will learn but also on the ability of the teacher to understand the curriculum on a deeper level.
What is Considered a Good PRAXIS Score?
It’s hard to give a short answer to what is considered a good Praxis score since each of the over 90 Praxis exams is scored differently. When you receive your scores back after your test, you will receive the following information:
- Your numerical score
- If you passed or failed the exam
- The possible range of scores
- The middle 50% of scores
Since not all states accept Praxis exams as a means of teacher certification, we are only referring to the states that do accept Praxis results here. In each of these states, the passing number varies based on state requirements, meaning that in one state, you could pass a particular Praxis exam but fail it with the same score in a different state.
In general, most states set the Praxis exam passing scores somewhere around 150. This means that it could be in the 140s, the 150s, or the 160s, depending on which exam you are looking to take and in which state you’ll be taking it. The lowest score required to pass a Praxis exam is a 137, and the highest score is a 186, so passing scores can really vary a lot.
The Praxis core exams have the most standard passing scores, but even those vary slightly. The core math test has a passing score of 150 in all states except for Washington, where the passing score is 142. If you are taking the Praxis core reading exam, all states have a passing score of 156. If you are taking the Praxis core writing exam in most states, your passing score would be 162. The two exceptions are Washington, which has a passing score of 158, and North Dakota, which requires a 160 to pass.
It is essential that you check the Praxis exam website to make sure that you know what the passing score is for your exam and in your state. The ETS website, the testing organization that publishes all Praxis exams, has great score information for each state and each exam.
What If You Fail the PRAXIS Exam?
Luckily for you, you can take the Praxis exams as many times as you want. This means that failing the Praxis test the first time you take it is not the end of the world. It does mean that you will end up paying more since you will need to re-register for the exam, but it does not mean that you have failed permanently.
A fail is a fail, regardless of the score you get. Unfortunately, you can fail the Praxis test by as little as one question and still have to retake the exam. If you have failed the Praxis by one point or if you have failed the Praxis by 50 points, your ability to retake the test is the same.
Remember that the average passing rate of Praxis exams is usually only around 60%, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you fail. This rate changes slightly from year to year and will vary based on your test, but these tests aren’t designed to be easy to pass. You will be expected to work hard in order to pass the Praxis.
How Many Times Can You Take the PRAXIS Exam?
There really is no answer to this question. As long as you have paid to take the test and you have waited at least 28 days since you last took the test, you can retake any Praxis exam as many times as you want. So when asking yourself if you can take the Praxis more than once, the answer is always yes.
The downfall of having to retake Praxis exams is that the mandatory waiting period of 28 days does not change regardless of how many times you’ve taken the test. You will also have to pay each time you take the test, which quickly adds up. Each Praxis test can cost anywhere from $50 to over $200, depending on your test, so they are not cheap tests.
At first glance, this financial commitment might not seem like too much to some people, but just remember that you are likely going to be taking multiple exams, and you have to pay for each of them. There are ways to get deals if you are taking numerous tests, but you will still be paying to sit the three core exams and likely at least one subject Praxis exam. This can add up fast, just for the first time you take the tests.
The good news is that if you opt to pay for all three core tests at once and receive the discount, each test is still treated as its own entity. This means that if you fail the math test but pass the reading and writing tests, for example, you would only need to retake the math test. The negative of this is that you won’t get the discount when you are only registering for the math test since that’s the only test you have to retake.
How Many Times Can You Fail the PRAXIS?
Asking how many times can you fail the Praxis or how many times can you take the Praxis core is the same thing. You can fail the Praxis core, subject, or CKT as many times as you want or probably don’t want to. There is no penalty for failing the Praxis. You simply have to wait 28 days, re-register, and retake the test.
The main disadvantages of failing any of the Praxis exams are listed below:
- It could put you behind on becoming a teacher and mean you have to wait another year before becoming a paid, fully-accredited teacher.
- You may become discouraged and slack off on your studying, thus increasing the chances of failing the exam again.
- You will have to pay to take the exam again. This could end up costing you a lot of money.
Ultimately, according to the Praxis retake policy, you can retake any of the Praxis exams many times. Since each Praxis score is valid for ten years, eventually, you will have to retake the exams anyway, but failing, means you will have to take it many more times. Each Praxis exam can cost anywhere from $50 to over $200, so you can potentially save a lot of money by passing the Praxis exams the first time around.
One thing that you’ll want to consider when asking yourself how many times you can fail the Praxis exams is how it will affect you mentally. Having to retake a test repeatedly can drain you and make you doubt yourself, so setting yourself up for success the first time you take any of the Praxis tests is crucial to your success. Being prepared will help give you the confidence you need to crush any other Praxis test you might have to take.
Wrapping Things Up: How Many Times Can You Take the PRAXIS Exam?
Although it is nice to know that you can take any Praxis exam as many times as you want, don’t let this information justify slacking off while studying. There are lots of disadvantages to failing the Praxis and having to retake the exam, so remember that just because you can retake the exam doesn’t mean you should bank on retaking it.
Prepare for your Praxis exam as if you are going to pass it. Think about your Praxis exam as if you are going to pass it. Having a positive mindset about the exam and really dedicating yourself to preparing for the exam will help minimize the chance that you will need to retake the exam. But, as a safety net, you can absolutely retake any Praxis exam as many times as you want or need.
