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Our Educator Licensure and Renewal (ELAR) system will be unavailable from 9:00 a.m. on April 25 until May 2 while we move data into the new ELAR system that will launch on May 2. Thank you for your patience.
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, April 10, 2002
Contact:Heidi B. Perlman, 781-338-3106 or Jonathan Palumbo, 781-338-3105

Steady Results Reported From Candidates Taking Teacher Test

MALDEN - The pass rate for candidates taking the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) has remained steadily close to 60% over the last several administrations of the exams. All candidates seeking certification in Massachusetts must pass the MTEL. The exams are broken into three parts, the Communication and Literacy Skills test of reading and writing, and the subject area tests. On the December 8, 2001 administration, a total of 59% of 4,872 first time test takers passed all three parts of the tests. The overall pass rate for the subject tests for first time takers was 65%, while a total of 69% passed both the Communication and Literacy skills tests with 76% passing the reading portion and 79% passing the writing portion. A total of 7,205 people took at least one part of the tests. On the February 23, 2002 administration, a total of 58% of 5,225 first time test takers passed all three parts of the test. The results showed that 83% of first time test takers passed the reading test and 76% passed the writing test, with a total of 70% passing both. For the subject tests, 66% of first time test takers passed their exams. A total of 7,592 people took at least one part of the exams. Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll said he believes that the steady results will be critical in helping school districts fill open teaching positions with highly qualified candidates. "I am pleased to see that even in these tight financial times people are actively trying to get into the teaching profession," Commissioner Driscoll said. "I stand by my belief that every student deserves a certified teacher in all of their classes. Hopefully, the higher number of candidates passing the licensure tests will help districts move toward that goal." The next test date is May 11, 2002. The complete results for the December and February exams are listed in the table below along with the results from the first test administration in April, 1998.

Massachusetts Educator Certification Tests
Test Date: December 8, 2001 and February 23, 2002

(Numbers in parentheses represent total # of examinees in each group)
 Communication & Literacy Skills TestSubjectAll Three
ReadingWritingBoth
Reading/
Writing		SubjectOverall
(Comm. Lit.
and Subject)
% pass% pass% pass% pass% pass
 
February, 2002
1st time83%(3,709)76%(3,681)70%(3,608)66%(3,110)58%(1,458)
Re-takers61%(906)30%(1,012)13%(326)38%(898)9%(23)
 
December, 2001
1st time76%(3,667)79%(3,620)69%(3,515)65%(2,381)59%(1,081)
Re-takers49%(893)39%(1,042)14%(341)43%(882)8%(26)
 
April, 1998
1st-time only71% (1794)59% (1808)51% (1794)62% (1830)41% (1776)




Last Updated: April 10, 2002



 
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