'Red flag': New Jersey no longer requiring teachers to pass basic skills test for reading, math

Michie · Jan 7, 2025

Aspiring educators in New Jersey are no longer required to pass a basic skills test for reading, writing and math due to a new law intended to address the state's teacher shortage by lowering the requirements for certification.

New Jersey's Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed Act 1669 in June, with the law taking effect on New Year's Day. As a result, individuals seeking an instructional certification no longer need to pass the Praxis Core Test administered by the state's Commissioner of Education.

Continued below.

'Red flag': New Jersey no longer requiring teachers to pass basic skills test for reading, math

Aspiring educators in New Jersey are no longer required to pass a basic skills test for reading, writing and math due to a new law intended to address the state s teacher shortage by lowering the

www.christianpost.com

PloverWing · Jan 7, 2025

The Christian Post's unfortunate headline suggests that New Jersey K-12 teachers no longer have to be able to read and do math. But remember that our K-12 teachers have to have bachelor's degrees, and many have master's degrees. Of course they can read and do math; they wouldn't have their degrees otherwise. The question is the value of a particular standardized test. Our state's education experts have determined that the test isn't measuring what they want it to measure, so they've decided not to use it any more.

Note this quote from the Christian Post article:

In a statement to CP, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, stated that to become a teacher "candidates must complete extensive college coursework, graduate from an accredited teacher preparation program with at least a 3.0 GPA, successfully complete months of classroom teaching experience and pass a rigorous PRAXIS subject area test based on their particular area of certification."

"The additional requirement to pass the PRAXIS Basic Skills test did nothing to elevate standards and amounted to a corporate money grab from the pockets of successful college graduates trying to enter the teaching profession," the statement reads. "New Jersey has among the best public schools in America because we have talented, dedicated and successful teachers."

SavedByGrace3 · Jan 7, 2025

They are shooting for a return to the caveman days.

RileyG · Jan 9, 2025

This is very unfortunate. No wonder many people cannot read at age appropriate levels anymore.

eleos1954 · Jan 9, 2025

Michie said:
Aspiring educators in New Jersey are no longer required to pass a basic skills test for reading, writing and math due to a new law intended to address the state's teacher shortage by lowering the requirements for certification.

New Jersey's Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed Act 1669 in June, with the law taking effect on New Year's Day. As a result, individuals seeking an instructional certification no longer need to pass the Praxis Core Test administered by the state's Commissioner of Education.

Continued below.

'Red flag': New Jersey no longer requiring teachers to pass basic skills test for reading, math

Aspiring educators in New Jersey are no longer required to pass a basic skills test for reading, writing and math due to a new law intended to address the state s teacher shortage by lowering the

www.christianpost.com

this is crazy

FreeinChrist · Jan 11, 2025

Here is another article:

New Jersey Officials Defend Law Dropping Test Requirement for Would-Be Teachers

The new year brought changes to requirements for New Jersey teachers, including a new law eliminating a basic skills test that lawmakers overwhelmingly advanced in both houses. Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bipartisan bill eliminating the Praxis basic skills test for people seeking teaching...

www.yahoo.com

The new year brought changes to requirements for New Jersey teachers, including a new law eliminating a basic skills test that lawmakers overwhelmingly advanced in both houses.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bipartisan bill eliminating the Praxis basic skills test for people seeking teaching certifications in June, and it went into effect Jan. 1. Lawmakers said the legislation aimed to address a long-standing teacher shortage and remove duplicative, costly tests that create barriers to pursuing a career in education.

At the time, it faced little controversy. Just three Republicans voted against it....

“My largest concern was it was an extra expense for teachers just starting out, and for taking a test, actually, that is much easier than the current tests you already have to take,” said Fantasia, who obtained her teaching certificate in 2008 and now works as an administrator at a charter school.

I believe the key phrase here is "remove duplicative, costly tests". I worked in a school system for 18 years, not as a teacher but as a nurse. I saw teachers having to retake courses that they already took in order to meet the requirements to keep their license and that was for all, regardless of how good they are.
The teachers already had to have the basics to get their degree.

'Red flag': New Jersey no longer requiring teachers to pass basic skills test for reading, math

Michie

Well-Known Member