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I'm a teacher candidate at a university/college I'd like to transition to teaching I'm a current / former teacher I'm in leadership for K-12 or Higher Ed (EPP)Everything You Need To Know About CSET & CBEST Scores
Preparing for your CSET, CBEST or another CTC exam and wondering what score you will need to pass? Concerned about how difficult it might be to pass? Maybe you already took your test and are wondering how to interpret your score report or how long you need to wait before retaking it. Whether it’s for your CSET, CBEST, CPACE, CTEL, RICA, or NES test, if you have a question about CTC scores, you’re in the right place!
In this article we will cover :
- How CTC tests are scored
- How long it will take to get your scores
- The minimum score that you need to pass your CTC, CSET or CBEST test
- How to interpret your CTC score report
- How long you have to wait before you can retake a CTC exam
- How hard it is to pass a CSET, CBEST or CTC exam
Are you ready to get started? Let’s go!
How Are the CTC Tests Scored?
Whether it’s the CSET, CBEST or another CTC exam, it is scored based on the type of questions included in each exam. Multiple-choice questions are scored by a computer and scores are verified before your results are reported.
Questions that require a written, oral, or video-recorded response are graded by trained and calibrated scorers. These scorers have professional backgrounds that are relevant to the test you are taking. They are trained on standardized scoring procedures and are monitored during scoring sessions. Your responses will also be graded by more than one scorer.
How Long Does It Take To Get CTC Scores?
The amount of time you’ll need to wait before getting your CTC test results varies based on which test you are taking. Check out your test below to find out how long it will take for you to get your CTC scores.
CBEST RESULTS
Your results for the CBEST will depend on the test option you choose. Note that the paper-based test option is in the process of being phased out as of 2021-2022.
If you take the computer-based CBEST, you will receive preliminary test results at the conclusion of your test center appointment for the Reading or Math sections. Those taking the Writing section will receive a receipt of completion. Official results are available within 2 weeks of testing. The exact amount of time you’ll need to wait will depend on when you take a test during a testing period. For example, let’s say that a testing period is from June 1st to June 7th, with a results date of June 12th. If you take your test on June 1st, you will wait 9 business days (11 calendar days) before you get your results. If you take your test on June 7th, you will only need to wait five days until your results are available.
If you take the online-proctored test, you will not receive preliminary results or a receipt of completion. However, the same rules apply regarding the delivery of your results.
If you take the paper-based CBEST, your scores will typically be available within 3 weeks of testing. Check out this article on how to prepare for and pass the CBEST.
CPACE RESULTS
Your results for the CPACE will be available three to five weeks after your testing date. If your testing date is earlier in the testing window, you’ll be waiting longer than you would if your test is later in the testing window. For example, let’s say that a testing window is from October 1st to October 14th, with a results date of November 4th. If you test on October 1st, you’ll wait about five weeks for your results. If you test on October 14th, your results will be available in three weeks.
CSET RESULTS
The CSET exams are subject-specific and each test will have a different wait time for your results. For most CSET exams, your results will be available within three to six weeks. However, you can check the specific wait time for your CSET scores here.
CTEL RESULTS
Your results for the CTEL will be available three to five weeks after your testing date. If your testing date is earlier in the testing window, you’ll be waiting longer than you will if your test is later in the testing window. For example, let’s say that a testing window is from July 30th to August 12th, with a results date of September 2nd. If you test on July 30th, you’ll wait about five weeks for your results. If you test on August 12th, your results will be available in three weeks.
RICA RESULTS
Your results for the RICA exam will depend on whether you choose the written RICA exam or the video submission. If you take the written exam, your results will be available between 10 and 23 days after your test, depending on when your test date falls within the testing window. If you choose to submit the RICA Video Assessment, your results will be available three weeks after the submission deadline. Keep in mind that if you submit your video assessment early, you’ll wait a little longer than three weeks. Check out this article on how to study for and pass the RICA.
NES RESULTS
Your NES score report will be available to you within four weeks of your testing date.
What Score Do You Need To Pass the CSET or Any CTC Test?
Different CTC exams have different passing requirements. Check out your specific CTC exam below to find out the minimum score you will need in order to pass.
CBEST PASSING SCORE
The CBEST exam includes three sections: Reading, Mathematics, and Writing. Your score for each section will range from 20 to 80. In order to pass the CBEST you need a total score of 123 for all three sections. The passing score for each section is 41, but you can still pass the CBEST while scoring below 41 on one or two sections as long as your total score is 123 or higher and you score at least 37 on each section.
Let’s consider two different scenarios for CBEST scores. Let’s say that you score 45 on the reading section, 37 on the math section, and 43 on the writing section. This would give you a total score of 125. You would still pass the CBEST since your total score was high enough and your lowest score was at least 37. On the other hand, let’s say you scored 48 on the reading section, 50 on the math section, and 36 on the writing section. Even though your total score of 134 is a passing score, you would not pass the CBEST because you scored below 37 on one of the sections.
CPACE PASSING SCORE
The CPACE exam is made up of two subtests: CPACE–Content and CPACE–Performance. To pass the CPACE, you need to score at least 220 on each subtest. Scores for each subtest range from 100 to 300.
CSET PASSING SCORE
To pass any of the subject-specific CSET exams, you need to score at least 220. CSET scores range from 100 to 300.
CTEL PASSING SCORE
The CTEL exam includes three subtests: CTEL 1, CTEL 2, and CTEL 3. To pass the CTEL, you need to score at least 220 on each subtest. CTEL scores range from 100 to 300.
RICA PASSING SCORE
The RICA exam offers two options: the RICA Video Performance Assessment or the RICA Written Exam. You only need to pass one of these to pass the RICA exam. The passing score for each option is 220. Both options have a score range of 100 to 300.
NES PASSING SCORE
There are two NES exams available as a California educator assessment: the Assessment of Professional Knowledge–Elementary and the Assessment of Professional Knowledge–Secondary. Both exams have a passing score of 220, with a score range of 100 to 300.
How Do You Interpret a CTC Score Report?
Your CTC score report will tell you whether or not you passed the exam, along with other information about how you did on the test.
The most important part of the score report will be your passing status. If you passed the test, this will be indicated near the beginning of your report. If you did not pass, this will also be shown. For most CTC exams, your total score will be shown whether you pass or not. However, some CTC score reports will only show your overall score if you do not pass.
For CTC exams that focus on a variety of different skills, your report may also include information on how well you did on each skill area. For example, the CBEST score report will show how well you did in different areas by using + signs. If you correctly answered most or all of the questions related to a certain skill, this will be indicated by four plus signs (++++). If you correctly answer few or none of the questions related to that skill, this will be indicated by one plus sign (+). This breakdown of skills will help you determine what you need to work on if you need to retake your CTC exam.
How Long Do You Have To Wait Before You Can Retake a CTC Exam?
Any CTC exam can be taken as many times as needed to get a passing score. However, the amount of time you have to wait before retaking a CTC exam varies based on which test you are taking. Keep in mind that you’ll also have to pay the testing fee each time you retake a CTC exam, so you’ll want to be as prepared as possible before your testing date. Check out our CTC Study Guides so that you can feel confident on your first testing date.
If you need to retake the CBEST, CPACE, CSET, CTEL, or RICA test, you will need to wait 45 days from your previous testing date. One exception to this is if you choose to take a paper-based CBEST test. In this case, you may be able to retake the test before the 45 days have passed. Remember that the paper-based option is in the process of being phased out and may not be available.
If you need to retake the NES, you will need to wait at least 30 days from your last testing date before retaking the exam.
How Hard Is It To Pass a CTC Test?
Curious to know what percentage of test-takers have passed a certain CTC exam? Find your CTC exam below to see the first-time passing rate and the cumulative passing rate.
CTC exams are not easy tests, but with the right preparation and 240 Tutoring Study Guides, you can go into your test with confidence and the knowledge needed in order to pass. 240 Tutoring also offers free CTC test-specific practice tests and breakdowns for many of the CTC exams to help plan your studying process.
For the passing rates listed below, “first-time passing rate” refers to the percentage of test-takers who pass the test on their first attempt. “Cumulative passing rate” includes test-takers who passed the first time and those who passed after more than one attempt. The passing rates listed below are from 2015 to 2020.
CBEST PASS RATE
The CBEST has a first-time passing rate of 65.5% and a cumulative passing rate of 82.8%. Test-takers typically do better on the math and reading sections than the writing section.
CPACE PASS RATE
The CPACE is made up of two subtests: Content and Performance. The CPACE Content subtest has a cumulative passing rate of 79%. The CPACE Performance subtest has a cumulative passing rate of 45%. Keep in mind, though, that you need to pass both subtests in order to pass the CPACE.
CSET PASS RATE
The CSET exams are subject-specific, so each CSET test has a different passing rate. Some CSET exams have a very small number of people who take the test each year, so the data on passing rates is not very reliable. For the more common CSET exams, first-time passing rates range from 45% to 75% depending on the test, and cumulative passing rates range from about 51% to 81%.
CTEL PASS RATE
The CTEL has an average first-time passing rate of 49% and a cumulative passing rate of 73.1%.
RICA PASS RATE
The RICA Written Exam has a first-time passing rate of 62.2% and a cumulative passing rate of 88.6%. The RICA Video Performance Assessment has a first-time passing rate of 44.1% and a cumulative passing rate of 54.4%.
NES PASS RATE
There are two NES exams available as a California educator assessment: the Assessment of Professional Knowledge–Elementary, and the Assessment of Professional Knowledge–Secondary. The Elementary exam has a first-time passing rate of 94% and a cumulative passing rate of 96%. The Secondary exam has a first-time passing rate of 95% and a cumulative passing rate of 97%.
Source: https://www.ctc.ca.gov/docs/default-source/commission/agendas/2021-06/2021-06-4j.pdf
Check out more free CTC test prep resources.
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