Secondary Education

Although some of these classes are solely taught through e-learning, due to mandatory supervision requirements these programs are currently only available to candidates who live in Alaska. Candidates living outside Alaska are welcome to apply to this program, but should understand that this program is specifically designed to train teachers for the unique teaching conditions of various Alaskan communities and that applicants will need to reside in Alaska to complete the program.

See the following link to schedule your Praxis tests: Schedule your Praxis test. Select the test you want to take and enter the city or postal code to find test locations and dates convenient for you.

The Praxis Core may be taken at a Praxis testing center (recommended) or through online proctoring (the "at home" method of testing). However, this second method of testing is new and still undergoing improvements. We strongly urge students to test at a Praxis testing center if possible.

Please note that students must pass the Praxis Core test or one of the other approved Basic Competency Exams prior to admission. If students do not pass all sections of the test, they must retake it or an equvalent section of another BCE. Students must have a passing score for reading, writing, and mathematics. Passing scores from different tests may be combined to form a set of passing scores.

At least one passing Praxis II Content Area Exam score is required before students can be considered for admission to the program. Content areas must be approved by the Program Coordinator, Dr. Elaine Alvey. Students should have an appointment with the Program Coordinator before prepareing to take a Praxis II exam.

See this list of current Praxis II Content Area Exams and register online at ETS.

Free exam preparation materials:

1. You can also find free preparation materials for various Praxis exams by selecting a Praxis exam from the dropdown menu at the ETS Preparation Materials website. 
2. Free ebooks and practice Praxis tests for most Praxis exams can be accessed by setting up a free account with Learning Express (UAS applicants and students can set up a free account with Learning Express at this link). Once in the system, use the "Career Preparation" menu to scroll down to the "Prepare for Teaching Exams" link. Additional links will be shown. You can find Praxis Core Practice Exams and Prep Ebooks. The Prep Ebooks are available to download, while the Practice Exams give you multiple options for practice: "simulation" - timed practice test, "practice mode" - answer explanations at the end, and "learner" - view answer explanations as you go along.

If you have questions about which Praxis II exam to take, please contact the Program Coordinator. Please note that students must pass at least one Praxis II Content Area Exam prior to admission. If students do not pass on their first attempt, they must retake it.

Candidates seeking the graduate certificate must submit documentation for the Qualifying Educational Credential (QEC). This documentation must verify at least one of the following criteria:

• A completed master’s degree in a relevant field (Content area discipline or education)
• Documented teaching experience*
• Coursework in education from an approved teacher preparation program
• Current certified position, or job offer from Alaskan school district (verification required) to include emergency certification positions

* In order to meet the criteria for teaching experience, applicants must provide documentation (evaluations, employment verification, lesson plans etc.) from a teaching position in a private school, an outdoor or experimental education program or an internal school. Substitute teaching or early childhood experience does not apply. The documentation should demonstrate that the applicant planned for instruction, facilitated learning, and completed all duties related to the teaching assignment.