PRAXIS info
Core Academic Skills for Educators
Department of Teacher Education: As of January 1, 2025, the New Jersey Department of Education no longer requires that colleges to ensure that students majoring in education meet general knowledge requirements by passing the Praxis® Core. Therefore, Rider's College of Education was able to allow some flexibility in how our students will demonstrate that they meet general knowledge requirements. As a result, beginning in January 2025, students must show proficiency through ONE of the pathways below by the time they reach junior status (54 credits.)
The Department of Teacher Education requires the following for entry into the teacher education program, which starts in junior year. To register for any methods course, students must qualify in one of the following ways:
- Earn a grade of B or higher in one Rider Composition course AND earn a grade of B or higher in one Rider Math course.
- Pass the Praxis® II: Elementary Education Multiple Subjects Test for certification in Elementary Education OR the Praxis® II: Content Knowledge Praxis Test in the relevant Secondary Education area.
- Pass the Praxis® Core subtest for the necessary content area (math and/or writing) based on the 2024 NJ state requirements for cut scores (or qualify for the SAT/ACT exemptions with scores above the 50th percentile).
- Earn a grade of B or higher in a math or composition course completed at another college before transferring to Rider. Such courses, if accepted by Rider's Registrar as 3-credit equivalents to Rider courses, will replace one or both required courses under option (1).
Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, & Counseling: Any student planning to enroll in the Alternate Route or Full-Time Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification program must pass all three Praxis® Core Tests (or suitable alternative) as well as the required Subject Assessment exam(s) prior to the start of their program. Any student planning to enroll in the Part-Time Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program must pass all three Praxis® Core Tests (or suitable alternative) prior to the start of their program. Please contact Graduate Admissions for more information.
Subject Assessments
Department of Teacher Education: Elementary Education students may not register for ELD 308/376 or apply for student teaching without passing all four sections of the Elementary Education Multiple Subjects tests. Students minoring in Early Childhood Education have the option of submitting passing scores on the Early Childhood Education test instead. Any Elementary Education student with 75 or more credits who has not passed all four sections will receive a formal letter explaining that remaining in Teacher Education while unable to take ELD 308/376 may cause a delay in graduation and meet with advisors regarding requirements to graduate if at some point they transfer to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
All Secondary Education majors must submit evidence of a passing score on all sections of the Praxis® Subject Assessment for their specific certification content area six months prior to student teaching. Students applying for student teaching for the Fall semester must submit Praxis® scores no later than March 1, and those applying for Spring semester must present Praxis® scores no later than July 1. Students also applying for Early Childhood Education Certification and/or Middle School Certification are required to take an additional Praxis® test for their certification area prior to graduation.
Department of Graduate Education, Leadership, & Counseling: Any student planning to enroll in the Alternate Route or Full-Time Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification program must pass all three Praxis® Core Tests (or suitable alternative) as well as the required Subject Assessment exam(s) prior to the start of their program. Any student planning to enroll in the Part-Time Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program must pass the required Subject Assessment exam(s) before registering for student teaching.
All department policies are subject to change. Please consult your program handbook or faculty advisor for the most up-to-date requirements.