The Praxis Core Exam
The proven resources you need to help pass the Praxis 5001 sooner and score higher.
View Full Praxis Core Study GuideThe complete Praxis Core study guide includes all subtests: Reading, Writing, and Math.
The proven resources you need to help pass the Praxis Core sooner and score higher.
As a dedicated test prep specialist, I've supported thousands of aspiring educators to pass their teacher and leadership certification exams.
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Meet Kathleen Jasper
For the last 8 years, I've been helping prospective teachers and school leaders pass their certification exams and get the positions they want in education.
To date, I've helped over 80,000 educators during their certification journeys.
I've developed a comprehensive range of resources and products designed specifically to improve exam scores and pass rates. Below are my study guides specifically for the Praxis II 5901 Elemetary Education.
Individual Praxis Core subtests
Individual and comprehensive study guides for individual subtests within the Praxis Core exam.
Alternatively, you can get all of the subtests included in the full Praxis Core study guide.
Reading 5713
View Praxis Core Reading Study Guide- Detailed explanations for all reading skills assessed
- 99+ practice problems with answers explanations
- Testing tips specific to the exam
- Various types of reading passages
- Two full practice tests included
"I got the Praxis CORE study guide and passed the Reading with 174 and Math with 184. This is the best resource to have, and the format of the study guide is very helpful and not overwhelming. On to Writing. Love the tips box, which is easy to review before the test day."
Writing 5723
View Praxis Core Writing Study Guide- Detailed explanations for grammar and mechanics
- Multiple examples to help you pass
- Testing tips specific to the exam
- Comprehensive preparation for the constructed-response
- Two full practice tests included
"This study material was wonderful! I was really struggling with passing the math and writing parts. This broke it down to where I understood the problems and how to write the essays. After using this to study I went and took my test two weeks ago and passed math and writing. I do recommend this book to study! "
Math 5733
View Praxis Core Math Study Guide- Detailed explanations for all math skills assessed
- Multiple examples with detailed figures and tables
- Testing tips specific to the exam
- Complete prep for all math subjects tested
- Two full practice tests included
"Before this study guide, I failed the math portion of the core test twice. This study guide was the only one I found that broke down the entire test. Every question in this study guide prepared me for the test. It explained each question and why a certain answer was the correct one! It took my math score from 120 to 186 in a month."
Praxis Core Online Courses
Want access to comprehensive videos, additional resources, and online practice questions to better increase your chances of passing? Take a look at my Praxis Core online courses.
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Your Praxis Core FAQs Answered
Is the Praxis Core hard to pass?
While the Praxis Core is referred to as a “basic skills exam,” it’s quite difficult. The skills needed to pass this exam are comparable to the skills required of tenth-grade students in the areas of reading, writing, and math. The test is similar to the ACT and SAT.
- Reading (5713) - 56 selected-response questions, 85 minutes
- Writing (5723) - 40 selected-response questions, 40 minutes & 2 constructed-response questions, 60 minutes (30 minutes each)
- Math (5733) - 56 selected-response questions, 90 minutes
Because the subtests are scored separately, you can pass all or some sections of the exam. If you pass some sections but not others, you can retake just the sections you were unsuccessful in. For example, if you pass the reading and writing portion but are unsuccessful in the math, you will only retake the math section the next time.
You might be thinking, I graduated high school--certainly have the skills of a tenth grader. Please don’t underestimate this exam. You’ll need to refresh skills you haven’t used since middle or high school. First-time pass rates for many Praxis exams are less than 50%.
You’ll need to brush up on content you may have forgotten and skills you haven’t used in quite some time. But fear not! Our study guide covers it all.
What's the passing score for the Praxis Core?
It is difficult to predict exactly how many questions you must get correct to pass the Praxis Core because a scale score is used rather than a raw score. This means that your raw score–the number of questions you get correct–is put into a formula to calculate a scale score.
To keep things simple, we recommend scoring at least a 75% on the practice tests before you go in to take the exam. Getting 75% of the questions correct when you practice indicates you are ready to take the actual test.
Remember, each section of the exam is scored separately. If you would like to learn more about how Praxis exams are scored, check out this blog.
The exam's writing section (5723) contains 40 selected-response questions and two constructed-response questions (essays). One essay is an argumentative essay, and the other is a source-based, expository essay. You will have 30 minutes for each essay. To learn more about how to pass the Praxis Writing 5723 exam, click here.
Your essays are rated on a scale of 0 to 6, and the scores are combined to produce the overall score for the essay. The argumentative essay and the source-based essay are each scored separately, and the scores for the two essays are then combined to produce the overall score for the Praxis Core Writing test.
We also recommend examining the ETS study companion for this exam. There you will find the test specifications and blueprint for the exam and specific questions. We provide this information in our study guide as well.
Does the study guide have the same questions as the real exam?
While our study guide is aligned with the test, it is against testing policy to share items on the actual exam. State tests are secure, standardized, and heavily regulated.
There are hundreds of test questions in the item banks for each exam. When you take the exam, your version of the test will be different from other versions and will have questions randomly pulled from the item banks. This ensures test security, validity, and reliability. Trying to memorize what you think will be on your test is an exercise in futility. Instead, you should study the skills and content outlined in the specifications and blueprint of the exam. To learn more about this, watch this video.
Everything in our study guide is aligned with the test specifications and blueprint for the exam. That way, you can review how the test is designed and what skills are assessed. In fact, the questions in our study guide are structured similarly to what you will encounter on test day.
Is this the best study guide for the Praxis Elementary Education 5901?
Obviously, we believe our study guide is the very best resource you can purchase to prepare for the Praxis Core. Our Praxis Core test prep is 100%
aligned with the exam. The book is sectioned out by subtest, and within those subtests we’ve aligned all the information with the test specifications and blueprint. This ensures you are studying what you will see on test day–nothing more, nothing less.
In each section, there are practice items that align with the skills in that section, so you can practice specific questions for each skill. In addition, we have detailed answer explanations for every question in our study guide. This ensures you understand why you got something correct or incorrect. Finally, our study guide contains 2-3, full-length practice tests with answer explanations at the end of each subtest. Therefore, you have hundreds of practice questions to work with.
The study guide is an amazing resource to help you pass the Praxis Core. However, you might need more support in one or more areas. In that case, we have online courses packed full of video tutorials and extra practice. Our Praxis Core online course also includes the digital study guide. If you need more support, you can check out our Praxis Core online course. Like the study guide, you can purchase the whole course or individual subtests.
Does the study guide contain practice tests?
Yes. There are two full-length practice tests at the end of each subtest in our study guide, and there is practice test questions scattered throughout the book. All the questions are categorized by skill and contain detailed answer explanations.
How long should I study for the Praxis Core?
People have a range of skill levels in reading, writing, and math, so it is difficult for us to give you a specific number of days or hours you should spend on your studies. However, this is a very large exam that covers expansive content for each subtest. To be successful on test day, you will need to dedicate an extended period of time to your studies. We recommend short, incremental practice rather than cramming all your studying into one or two weekends.
We believe 20-30-minute study sessions over a 1-2 week period for each subtest is ideal. That means it will take you anywhere from 4-6 weeks in total to study for this exam.
At the beginning of each subtest in the study guide, we provide you with a study plan to help you manage your time.
Here is a video on how to study and use the study guide most effectively.
What can I teach by passing the Praxis Core?
If your state uses the Praxis Core for teacher certification, a passing score on this test is required of all teachers, regardless of the content area and grade level for which you are seeking certification. This is just one test you’ll need to pass to become a teacher. Every state is different regarding teacher certification, so be sure you check with your specific state’s Department of Education.
Do I need to take any other exams with the Praxis Core?
Most states that use Praxis exams also require prospective teachers to pass at least three tests–the Praxis Core, a subject-area exam, and a professional education exam. The Praxis Core is a basic skills test. Subject-area exams are aligned to specific grade levels and content areas. For example, if you are seeking certification in elementary education, you’ll take an elementary subject-area exam. If you’re seeking certification in high school English, you’ll take a secondary English exam. The professional education exam tests content related to teaching and learning practices, classroom management, and school law. The Praxis version of this is called the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT).
Finally, if you are seeking certification in special education or reading, you’ll be required to take additional exams for those areas.
Depending on the state in which you are seeking certification, this will vary. That’s why it is extremely important to check with your state’s Department of Education before you purchase test prep materials to determine exactly what tests are required.
FREE Praxis Core Resources
Praxis Core Webinar and Free Study Guide
Learn everything you need to pass the Praxis Core with my free webinar. The webinar comes with a free study guide and practice test. In the webinar, I review test structure, strategy, and content, so you can pass your exam fast.