If you plan to teach elementary school students, your state may require you to pass the NES Elementary Education exam.
The Elementary Education test assesses your basic knowledge of subjects that include ELA, social studies, math, science, and the arts, ensuring you’re ready for classroom teaching. To prepare for the exam, it’s crucial to understand its scoring system. This article delves into everything you need to know about NES Elementary Education exam scores.
Overview of the NES Elementary Education Exam
The Elementary Education exam will evaluate your basic content knowledge via these two subtests:
- NES Elementary Education: Subtest I (102)
- NES Elementary Education: Subtest II (103)
Overall, the test consists of 150 multiple-choice questions. Each subtest is timed separately. Subtest I has a time limit of 1 hour and 30 minutes, while Subtest II has a time limit of 1 hour and 45 minutes. Altogether, this amounts to 3 hours and 15 minutes of testing time.
Our NES Elementary Education exam overview can give you more information about the structure of this test.
How the Exam is Scored
The NES Elementary Ed exam is scored by taking the sum of your correct answers and converting this into a scaled score that takes test difficulty into account. The exam is scored via computer.
Passing Score
To pass the Elementary Education exam, you must pass both subtests. The minimum passing score for each subtest is generally 220, but you should verify this is true for your state.
For more scoring information on the individual subtests, check out our Scoring Guides for the first two exams:
NES Elementary Education: Subtest I: Reading Scoring Guide
NES Elementary Education: Subtest II; Writing Scoring Guide
Understanding Your Score Report
our NES Essential Academic Skills score report will include:
- Whether you passed
- Your score on each subtest
- The minimum passing score for each subtest
- A detailed performance breakdown by content area and question type
Your score report will consist of at least four sections:
The Test Results section will generally include:
- Each exam and/or subtest you took
- The date you took these tests
- Your total score for each test
The National Benchmark section includes:
- The National Benchmark score for NES tests (which is 220)
Remember: the National Benchmark is not necessarily the same as the minimum passing score for your state. While they are usually the same, you should verify what your state considers the minimum score to pass. Visit the NES website to see state-specific standards.
The Score Reporting section includes:
- Each state and institution that will receive your scores
The Testing History section includes:
- The highest score earned on each test so far
The Diagnostic Information section includes, for each subtest:
- The number of multiple-choice questions that corresponded to each content area
- The percentage of these questions you answered correctly
- The score you were given for your written response (if applicable)
For more information about interpreting your score report, refer to this NES explainer.
Retaking the Exam
If you don’t pass the Elementary Education exam, you can retake it. You will need to re-register and submit a new payment for each subtest you have yet to pass. You will need to wait 30 days between attempts.
Before you re-register, it’s crucial to evaluate what went wrong on your previous attempt. Carefully analyze your score report to identify areas of weakness and develop a targeted study plan to improve your performance on those subtests, content domains, or question types.
Conclusion:
Your NES Elementary Education exam scores help gauge your basic readiness to teach in a classroom. Understanding how this test is scored and what is required to pass should help you prepare more effectively, maximizing your chances of success. If you don’t pass the exam on your first try, remember to take advantage of the detailed performance breakdown on your score report. It may provide helpful insights.
With diligent study and a clear understanding of the test, you will be prepared to excel on the Elementary Education exam.
More NES Elementary Ed Resources
- Start your exam prep with free practice tests for both subtests of the Elementary Education exam.
- Dig deeper into the structure of the exam using our NES Elementary Ed exam overview.
- Looking for even more study help? Check out our study guide for the NES Elementary Education exam.
