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Exam Overview
The APK for grades 7-12 is a computer-based test. You can take it at Pearson VUE test centers in Ohio and across the country year-round by appointment, or by online proctoring during one-week testing windows each month.
Key Facts About the OAE APK Adolescence to Young Adult (7-12) Test
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | OAE Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Adolescence to Young Adult (7-12) |
| Test field | 003 |
| Multiple-choice questions | 100, each with four answer choices (A to D) |
| Written assignments | 2: one Case Study and one Work Product |
| Testing time | 3 hours, plus a 15-minute tutorial and nondisclosure agreement |
| Passing score | 220 on a scale of 100 to 300 |
| Fee | $109 |
| Delivery | Test center (computer-based) or online proctoring |
| Reference materials | None provided |
The Three Domains
The framework divides the test into three domains and ten competencies. The multiple-choice questions make up 80% of your score and the two written assignments make up the remaining 20%.
Domains and Score Weights
| Domain | Competencies | Share of Total Score |
|---|---|---|
| I Student Development and Learning | 0001 to 0003 | About 24% (multiple choice) |
| II Assessment, Instruction, and the Learning Environment | 0004 to 0008 | About 40% (multiple choice) plus the Case Study (10%) |
| III The Professional Environment | 0009 to 0010 | About 16% (multiple choice) plus the Work Product (10%) |
Each competency carries about the same weight, roughly 10 of the 100 multiple-choice questions, so no competency can be skipped.
The Two Written Assignments
The Case Study gives you several exhibits about one teacher and class, such as background information, planning notes, the teacher's reflection and samples of student work. You answer a prompt, usually in two parts, by identifying an effective practice or a needed change and explaining why it works, using evidence from the exhibits.
The Work Product places you in a school situation, such as serving on a committee or communicating with families, and asks you to write a professional product such as a proposal or letter that explains why something matters, describes steps and explains the benefit of each step.
Each response should be about 200 to 300 words. Both are scored on a four-point scale for three qualities: how fully you fulfill the purpose of the assignment, how accurately and effectively you apply professional knowledge, and how sound and specific your rationale and support are. A response that is off topic, unreadable, mostly not in English or too short to score is marked unscorable, and a blank response earns no credit.
How the Test Is Scored
Your multiple-choice score is based on the number of questions you answer correctly, with no penalty for a wrong answer, so answer every question. A few questions on any form may be unscored items being tried out for future use, and you will not know which ones they are. The multiple-choice and written scores are combined into one scaled score from 100 to 300, and you need 220 to pass. Pass or fail is based on the total score, so strong work in one area can make up for weaker work in another.
Your score report also shows how you performed in each domain and on each written assignment, using performance indices from four plus signs (well above the passing level) down to one plus sign (well below it). Use them to target your study if you need to retest.
What Kinds of Questions to Expect
- Short classroom scenarios in grades 7-12 that ask which action, strategy or approach would be best, most effective or most appropriate
- Questions that ask which theory or principle best explains a student behavior or a teacher's choice
- Questions on assessment design and on interpreting and communicating results
- Questions on family communication, collaboration with colleagues, and legal and ethical responsibilities such as student privacy, special education and mandated reporting
- One Case Study and one Work Product written assignment
A Change on the Horizon
The OAE program has announced that field 003 is being redeveloped and is scheduled to be replaced by a revised assessment, field 103, Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Secondary Education (7-12). Until the change takes effect, field 003 is the test to take. Check the OAE test page for the date that applies to you before you register.
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