Teacher Quality in a Changing Policy Landscape

Teaching candidates who take the Praxis tests required for certification scored slightly higher than average on the SAT in 2005, an improvement over a decade previous, concludes this policy report from the Educational Testing Service. Teachers who do not major in education or education-related fields score higher on both the Praxis teaching tests and the SAT. Teachers who take alternative routes to traditional certifications also have higher SAT scores. Elementary, special needs, and physical education teachers tend to have the lowest scores, significantly below average.