Education Accountability and the Praxis II Exams
ODE Annual Reports
Wittenberg University's Education Department regards educational accountability as a central element of public trust. For this reason, we report to the community how well our teacher candidates have done on statewide tests that provide one type of evidence about their knowledge of teaching and their knowledge of content.
We continue to abide by the original intent of the federal legislation mandating that all of the institutions in Ohio report the scores of students in their teacher preparation programs. However, all institutions preparing teachers in Ohio have not followed this intent. Faced with declining scores or low pass rates, many institutions have started to require that their students pass one or all of the elements of the Praxis II tests prior to completing student teaching. This requirement allows them to report 100% passage rates for program completers. In effect, where Wittenberg is reporting how well all of its students are doing on the tests, some institutions are reporting only information about the selected population that has taken the tests, passed, and has then been allowed to complete their program.
We are proud of our program and our students. We are committed to gathering information about our program and the performance of our teacher candidates so that we can continue to improve. This information includes the state wide Praxis II examination, but it also includes how well the teachers educated at Wittenberg affect the learning of students in their care. For us, this is the most significant concern. We want our teacher candidates to make a difference in the lives of children, because this fits our mission of producing educational leaders working toward constructive social change. Please contact us if you wish more information about the success of Wittenberg-prepared teachers.
Sincerely,
Education Department
Wittenberg University
