Now that my academic course load is done for the year (yay!) I am beginning to focus on studying for the Praxis exam. I recently signed up for the June date and am feeling the impending pressure of all things school psychology.
I attended a Praxis session at the NASP Conference this year. I am including some information for this presentation and my own research and materials provided by my graduate program.
Registration
The Praxis exam (0401) is required to gain certification/licensure in many states and is required to gain the title of Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). The exam is put out by ETS, the very same people who brought your the GREs. The cost is $130.00, which covers the exam fee ($80) and the annual registration fee ($50).
When registering you are given the option of sending your scores to three places. Be sure to send them to your graduate school and NASP. NASP needs to have these documents in order to process your NCSP. Additional copies of your scores are available for the price of $40 each.
Content
As you will see through preparation materials the exam is broken down into six sections:
- Data-Based Decision-Making
- Research-Based Academic Practices
- Research-Based Behavioral and Mental Health Practices
- Consultation and Collaboration
- Applied Psychological Foundations
- Ethical, Legal, and Professional Foundations
Preparation Materials
The ETS website provides an overview of the exam at this link. The site also provides an information bulletin and test prep materials. ETS also has a study guide available in an e-book format found here. There is also a hard copy book for purchase titled PASS: Prepare, Assist, Survive, and Succeed: A Guide to PASSing the Praxis.
Note: I have not purchased the e-book or PASS so I cannot speak to their content or helpfulness.
NASP provides resources for preparing for the Praxis as well. Recommendations, References and Study Tips for the Praxis II Exam in School Psychology is available for download. Its a great resource and was written by MSPP's very own Arlene Silva!
In addition to these two study guides you can order one from School Psychology Exam. This site allows you to subscribe (for a fee) which gives you access to many features or you can purchase their study guide in either PDF, Kindle, or hard copy. There is also a FREE practice exam on this site. I do have a copy of the School Psychology Exam study guide listed above. It is quite extensive totaling around 440 pages (phew!). There is a some content that I am not familiar with, such as lesser used assessment measures. I haven't made a dent in this study guide yet so I can't really speak to how well its preparing me. In speaking with my professor recently, she let our class know that there was a significant amount of questions on her exams she had to guess at. You can't know everything!
In the age of technology there are also apps to help you study on the go! You can buy them for the iPhone and Android. There are also Android flashcards available.
In addition to this prep material that is available, it is recommended that you study with members of your cohort, dividing up content areas and reviewing the information. A great review would be to go through your Best Practices texts. As you study make notes of content areas you are unsure about to go back and study further as well.
Wow, that was a lot of links!
I hope that this is a helpful resource to get acquainted with and prepare for the exam. Feel free to comment on any additional resources you have or if you used any of the above for your studying.
Good luck!
Until next thyme,
Erika
