MC Elementary Education Students Reach Pinnacle of Praxis Performance in Mississippi

According to PraxisExam.org, great students are rising out of Lowrey Hall, home to the School of Education at Mississippi College.

The School of Education at Mississippi College has long produced some of the finest elementary school educators in the state.

Now it has the ranking to prove it.

PraxisExam.org, a leading online resource for aspiring teachers seeking to excel on certification exams, has ranked MC No. 1 among colleges with the best Praxis elementary education pass rates in Mississippi.

Cindy Melton, dean of the School of Education at MC, said the ranking validates the exceptional work faculty and students do to prepare for the Praxis exams each day.

“We are delighted for our elementary education program to be recognized for this outstanding accomplishment,” Melton said. “While the average first-attempt pass rate for the state of Mississippi hovers at 88 percent, Mississippi College is rated as the top university in the state at 96 percent.

“Our students and faculty continue to work diligently in preparation for the required Praxis licensure exams, and this rating demonstrates that our students are ready to enter the teaching profession as effective, impactful educators.”

The Praxis is a suite of exams that include the Praxis Core Tests, the Praxis Subject Assessments, and the Praxis Content Knowledge for Teaching tests. The core tests are designed to test teaching candidates’ foundational reading, mathematics, and writing knowledge, while the subject assessments evaluate test-takers’ content knowledge and skills in a specific subject area. The CKT tests measure elementary school teachers’ understanding of content and their ability to apply it in their classroom instruction.

To become a certified teacher in Mississippi, candidates must pass the Praxis exams, among other requirements.

Jennifer Stafford, chair of the Department of Teacher Education and Leadership at MC, credited the elementary education students for exceeding the rigorous requirements of Praxis preparation.

“Our MC students portray excellence in academic growth in many ways,” Stafford said. “Our community partners continuously seek out our students, the students they help to shape, as their future employees.

“We celebrate the success of our students.”

Katherine Horlock, associate chair of the Department of Teacher Education and Leadership at MC, said the high Praxis passage rate indicates MC students are fully equipped to offer the finest classroom instruction for their students.

“We are so proud of our hardworking students at Mississippi College and the efforts by our department to prepare our students,” Horlock said. “With the best Praxis scores in the state, we know our students are ready to become the highest achievers in education statewide.”

PraxisExam.org provides a wide selection of services and materials to help credential candidates prepare for and pass the Praxis exam. Made up of education and teaching experts, teachers, credentialing experts, coaches, and academics from across the country from diverse educational backgrounds, the organization’s chief goal is to help teachers and aspiring teachers with their credentialing assessments.