This
series of blogposts examined NYSTCE
tests, including
the ALST, EAS, edTPA, and now the Content Specialty Tests (CSTs). The explicit purpose of the NYSTCE tests is
to help identify for certification teacher candidates that demonstrated the
appropriate level of knowledge and skills considered important for performing
the responsibilities of an educator in New York State public schools. As such, the NYSTCE
tests collectively serve as trailing
indicators of success whereby teacher candidates demonstrate the appropriate level of knowledge and skills for
performing the responsibilities of a beginning teacher.
In order to qualify for an
early childhood or childhood education certificate, the teacher candidate must
take the Multi-Subject CST, regardless of his or her major. For the redeveloped CSTs that initially became
operational in September 2014, the NYSED Board of Regents created a safety net provision.
Teacher candidates who are applying for the Students with
Disabilities-Grades 7-12 - Generalist certificate are required to take and pass
the newly developed Multi-Subject: Secondary Teachers (Grade 7– Grade 12) CST. There will be no safety net for the Multi-Subject:
Secondary Teachers (Grade 7– Grade 12) CST.
Preparation
and practice guides are available for all NYSTCE tests. The guides contain complete content outlines
for tests, sample test questions, and general advice on how to prepare for the
tests. These guides are available free
of charge at the NYSTCE web site: www.nystce.nesinc.com
NYSED
provides digital access to the Content Specialty Tests (CSTs) design and framework documents. These framework documents reveal the content
and format of the CSTs. The CST Multi-Subject
tests all include
three parts. Teacher Candidates may
register to take either one part during a specific test appointment or register
and take all three parts during a single test appointment. Although there are four distinct Multi-Subject
tests based on the four specific grade levels, each Multi-Subject test has
three parts. Part Three is shared by all
four Multi-Subject tests. Thus, a
teacher candidate seeking more than one Multi-Subject certificate will only
need to pass Part Three once.
Digital
information on the five most accessed CSTs follow:
- Multi-Subject: Teachers of Early Childhood (Birth–Grade 2) (211/212/245)
- Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood (Grade 1–Grade 6) (221/222/245)
- Multi-Subject: Teachers of Middle Childhood (Grade 5–Grade 9) (231/232/245)
- Multi-Subject: Secondary Teachers (Grade 7–Grade 12) (241/242/245)
- Students with Disabilities (060)
Teacher
candidates who take and fail one of the eligible redeveloped CSTs listed below will
have the option of taking the corresponding predecessor CST (the Safety Net
CST) in lieu of retaking the redeveloped CST. However, the redeveloped CST must be first be taken
and failed. Teacher candidates who take
a Safety Net CST without first taking the corresponding redeveloped CST may not
use that Safety Net CST for certification purposes. In such an instance, the teacher candidate will
have to retake the Safety Net CST after receiving a failing score on the
redeveloped CST. Teacher candidates
taking a redeveloped CST with multiple parts must take and submit all parts of
the redeveloped CST, but need only fail one part of the three-part assessment
to be eligible for the safety net.
“The
following CSTs will be covered by provisions of the Redeveloped CST Safety Net:
Agriculture Library Media Specialist
Business and Marketing Literacy
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Mathematics
Educational Technology Specialist Multi-Subject: Teachers of
Early Childhood (Birth – Grade 2)
English Language Arts Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood
(Grade 1 – Grade 6)
Family and Consumer Sciences Multi-Subject: Teachers of
Middle Childhood (Grade 5 – Grade 9)
Gifted Education Physical Education
Health Education Students with Disabilities” (D’Agati, 2015).
Consistent
with the Redeveloped CSTs, the Safety Net CSTs will also be computer based. Pearson plans to offer the Safety Net CSTs
beginning in July 2015. The Safety Net
CSTs will be effective through June 30, 2016. When necessary, teacher candidates may exercise
multiple safety nets to meet the requirements for certification. They will have until June 30, 2017, to meet all
other certification requirements. Registration
and payment for the Safety Net CST will be offered through the NYSTCE website
The diversity of assessed skills and the use of multiple
modalities to evaluate the teacher candidate’s professional readiness increase
the integrity of the NYSTCE
tests. The
NYSED Board of Regents creation of a safety net provision
mitigates perception of unfairness. The safety net provides additional time and opportunity for
programs to align their curricula and implements reforms to optimize essential
skill development. NYSED Deputy
Assistant Commissioner D’Agati (May 28, 2015) emphasized the need for teacher
preparation programs to encourage teacher candidates to make their very best
effort with NYSTCE tests. Potential employers
will have access to the teacher candidate’s pass/fail data through the TEACH
system.
To cite:
Anderson, C.J. (May 29, 2015) NYSED Content
Specialty Tests and the Redeveloped CST Safety Net
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