Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is partnering with Study.com, a national EdTech platform, to assist aspiring educators in preparing and passing the Praxis exam. This test is required to earn a teaching credential in West Virginia.
The collaboration is a part of Study.com’s Keys to the Classroom Program, and the company has committed to donating 400 comprehensive, cost-free sets of digital materials and resources to students enrolled in the Grow Your Own WV Pathway to Teaching initiative. To date, the WVDE is working with 31 counties and 14 colleges and universities in the state to facilitate a career path for high school students interested in pursuing education as a profession.
The exam support provides students unlimited access to Study.com’s PRAXIS test prep resources and its learning academy with more than 84,000 video lessons. The EdTech platform reports a 92% pass rate among those who used its resources. Unlimited access includes Praxis Core, Praxis PLT, and Praxis II Subject Assessments areas for an entire year.
Throughout the country, students struggle to pass their first certification exam, such as the Praxis. According to a 2019 National Council on Teacher Quality report, half of teachers fail their first certification exam and a quarter never pass. In West Virginia, the Praxis pass rate is 50 percent.
“Our focus and commitment to improving student achievement requires that we approach the challenge from many angles,” said Superintendent of Schools David L. Roach. “Teacher recruitment and preparation are key to our efforts, and this partnership will be of great benefit to ensure those taking these important exams are not only prepared but also successful.”
Keys to the Classroom offers prospective educators of all backgrounds can access the profession to help address both the overall teacher shortage and the lack of diversity in the existing teacher pipeline in West Virginia – ultimately increasing educational outcomes for all students.
According to data provided by the WVDE for the 2020-21 academic year, 1,196 classrooms across the state were staffed by non-certified teachers. This number has risen more than 55% in the past three years.
“One barrier for aspiring teachers is passing their teacher certification tests, including the PRAXIS,” said Dana Bryson, SVP of Social Impact at Study.com. “Keys to the Classroom works to remove that barrier and provide resources to ensure more West Virginia classrooms are staffed by fully certified teachers, while emphasizing a strong commitment to strengthening the teacher pipeline in West Virginia.”
For more information on Study.com’s Keys to the Classroom scholarship, please visit https://study.com/blog/study-com-s-keys-to-the-classroom.html.
To learn more at the TeachWV Grow Your Own Pathway to Teaching Initiative, visit https://teachwv.com/grow-your-own/.
For media inquiries, contact Christy Day, West Virginia Department of Education Office of Communications, at 304-558-2699 orChristy.Day@k12.wv.us.
About Study.com
Study.com is a leading online education platform providing academic support for learners and educators. Recognized on the GSV EdTech 150 as a leading EdTech company, Study.com simplifies learning for over 30 million learners and educators a month. Study.com has donated $24 million in-kind value across social impact programs committed to Making Education Accessible through our Pledge 1% partnerships and programs focused on increasing access and equity in education for underserved learners.