The objective of this study was to identify factors that may be related to performance of prospective teachers of agricultural science on the TExES. The purposes of this study were to 1) identify demographic characteristics of pre-service agricultural science teachers, 2) describe academic performance and reading abilities of pre-service agricultural science students, 3) describe relationships among demographics, academic performance, reading abilities, and perceptions about their reading, 4) determine if differences existed between students who chose to take the TExES versus those who chose not to take the TExES test, 5) identify relationships between students’ reading abilities and their performance on TExES, and 6) explore relationships between performance on the TExES and rival variables (predictors of TExES performance in addition to reading ability). Pre-service agricultural science students from six Texas universities were administered a Reading Placement Appraisal (RPA) which indicates grade equivalent reading levels, reading rates and vocabulary levels. One hundred sixteen students completed the survey, the reading appraisal, and the TExES exam and participated in the research. These students were either in their final semester of school or in their student teaching semester. These students took their Professional Development TExES test during this semester or in the semester following. The instruments used to collect information were a two page questionnaire created by the researcher and a computerized reading appraisal provided by Taylor Associates. The results from the TExES were evaluated on a pass/fail basis instead of a numerical score. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficient revealed a low but positive relationship between gender, age or ethnicity and passing the TExES; however, there were interesting trends observed. Positive relationships were found between reading levels, vocabulary levels, and self perception of students’ reading ability. Additionally, a relationship was detected when reading and vocabulary varied by more than two grade levels. The higher discrepancy was found to be indicative of failure on the TExES exam.

In response to a growing teacher shortage, increasing numbers of secondary teachers are prepared through streamlined certification programs. For this reason, assessing candidates' content area knowledge gained from institutions of higher education across the United States is an important program admission factor as candidates must demonstrate content area knowledge by passing a Texas content area certification test (TExES). This study examines content knowledge for candidates enrolled in an online post­-baccalaureate program from September 1, 2002 through April 30, 2005. Academic transcript analysis and grades 8-­12 subject tests of the TExES were used as a proxy for subject matter knowledge for a sample of individuals seeking initial teacher certification in a post­-baccalaureate teacher certification at the University of North Texas. Descriptive data,linear regression, and logistic regression analyses were used to draw conclusions about the content area knowledge of the individuals in the sample. Scores on the TExES were used to determine the relationships between the content area knowledge of initial certification students and the number of content area courses completed, the grade point averages, and time elapsed between the completion of the last content area course and the student's initial attempt on the TExES. Results differed by the content area of the candidates. Analysis of variance results indicate significant differences between the five test groups with regard to number of courses taken F(4,139) = 9.334, p < .001 grade point average F(4,139) = 5.733, p < .001 and time between the last course taken F(4,139) = 6.135, p < .001. The three­-predictor model was statistically significant F(3,32) = 3.753, p = .02 for the History test group. The variable, upper-­level grade point average accounted for approximately 12% variance among scores within the History test group, and the variable months of time elapsed between last content area course work and the initial state content examination accounted for approximately 13% of variance among scores.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the current and pre-service conditions that can affect student teachers' preparedness to pass the science portion of the EC-6 Texas Examinations for Educator Standards (TExES), one of the mandatory certification exam to become a teacher in Texas. Two types of prediction models were employed in this study: binomial logistic regression and multiple linear regression. The independent variables used in this study were: final grade in BIOL 1082, classification of students, transfer status, taken college biology, taken college chemistry, taken college physics, taken college environmental science, taken college earth science, attending college part-time, number of credits taken during the semester, first-generation college student, relatives with degree in education, and current GPA. The dependent variable of this study was the posttest score on science portion of the EC-6 TExES practice exam. A total of 170 preservice teachers participated this study. This study used students enrolled in BIOL 1082, who volunteered to take a Biology for Educators QualtricsTM survey and the EC-6 TExES practice exam in a pretest (start of semester) and posttest (end of semester) form. The findings of this study revealed that the single best predictor of preservice teachers' performance on the science portion of EC-6 TExES practice certification examination was the Grade in BIOL 1082.