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The Department has moved to 135 Santilli Highway in Everett. The Department's office and Licensure Welcome Center are open. The new location has free parking and is a short walk from the Wellington station on the MBTA's Orange Line.
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, February 20, 2001
Contact:Jonathan Palumbo

Record 62 Percent of Candidates Pass Massachusetts Teacher Certification Tests

Malden - A record 62% of first-time test takers passed all three parts of the Massachusetts Educator Certification tests administered in January. Of the first-time test takers who took all parts of the certification test, 62.28% passed both the communication and literacy skills (reading and writing) and subject knowledge tests- up from the 41% pass rate for the first test administration in April 1998, and up from the 56% pass rate in October 2000. The reason for the greater pass rate percentage were the scores on the subject tests, which showed 72% passing, up from 69% in October and 62% in April 1998. Also, the percent who passed writing rose to 79%, up from 75% in October. The pass rates for three of the subject tests showed particular improvement. Pass rates for first-time test takers on the Early Childhood test improved from 67% (with 193 test takers in October) to 74% (with 198 test takers in January). Also, the pass rate for first-time test takers on the English test rose from 64% (with 153 test takers in October) to 78% (with 160 test takers in January). Another subject test that showed improvement was the Mathematics test where the pass rate for first-time test takers improved from 48% (with 85 test takers in October) to 53% (with 102 test takers in January). This was the twelfth test administration for prospective educators in Massachusetts. The total number of test takers was 5,306. Attached is a table of results from the most recent tests compared to the previous and to the first administration in April 1998.
Massachusetts Educator Certification Tests
Test Date: October 28, 2000
Communication & Literacy Skills Test SubjectAll Three
ReadingWritingBoth Reading/
Writing		SubjectOverall(Comm. Lit.and Subject)
% pass% pass% pass% pass% pass
January 20011st-time82%
(2564)		79%
(2541)		71%
(2487)		72%
(1946)		62%
(809)
Re-takers63%(559)46%
(829)		15%
(239)		40%
(661)		20%
(15)
October 20001st-time83%
(2969)		75%
(3005)		70%
(2900)		69%
(1824)		56%
(787)
Re-takers61%
(762)		40%
(1102)		16%
(356)		42%
(778)		10% (38)
April 19981st-time only70%
(1794)		59%
(1808)		51%
(1794)		62%
(1830)		41%
(1776)
(Numbers in parentheses represent total # of examinees in each group)



Last Updated: February 20, 2001



 
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149

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