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Exam Overview
Theparaproassessment(Test1755)
The ParaPro Assessment, developed and administered by ETS, is a general aptitude test for prospective and practicing paraprofessionals. It measures skills and knowledge in reading, mathematics, and writing, and the ability to apply those skills in a classroom context, such as helping a student sound out a word, explaining a math procedure, or guiding a student through revising a paragraph. States, school districts, and other employers use the results to decide whether a candidate meets their qualification requirements.
Exam Pattern
The assessment contains 90 selected-response (multiple-choice) questions, each with four answer choices, and you have 150 minutes (2½ hours) to complete it, an average of about 1 minute 40 seconds per question. The test is computer-delivered. Some questions stand alone; others are grouped around a reading passage, a table, a graph, or a classroom situation. Calculators are not permitted, so the mathematics questions rely on paper-and-pencil computation, mental math, and estimation.
What the Exam Covers
The questions are divided equally among the three subject areas, 30 questions each. Within each subject, about two- thirds of the questions measure basic skills and knowledge, and about one-third measure the application of those skills in the classroom.
| Reading 30 About20skills+10applicationquestions | |
|---|---|
| 90 QUESTIONS | Mathematics 30 About20skills+10applicationquestions |
| Writing 30 About20skills+10applicationquestions |
| Subject | SkillsandKnowledge(about2/3) | ApplicationintheClassroom(about1/3) |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | Mainideasandprimarypurpose;supportingideas; | Soundingoutwords;breakingwordsintosyllables , |
| organizationofatext;wordandphrasemeaningfrom | roots prefixes andsuffixes;usingsyntaxtodecode; , , | |
| context;inferences;factandopinion;tables diagrams , , | synonyms antonyms andhomonyms;alphabetizing; , , | |
| charts andgraphs , | prereadingstrategies;questioningandobserving | |
| comprehension;dictionaryuse;followingwritten | ||
| directions | ||
| Mathematics | Numbersenseandbasicalgebra(operations place , | Applyingthesameskillstoclassroominstruction: |
| value equivalentforms percents exponents orderof , , , , | representingproblems usingmodelsand , | |
| operations estimation equations patterns);geometry , , , | manipulatives recognizingstudenterrors using , , | |
| andmeasurement(shapes perimeter area volume unit , , , , | precisemathvocabulary | |
| andtimeconversion coordinategraphing);data , | ||
| analysis(tables charts graphs trends mean median , , , , , , | ||
| mode) | ||
| Writing | Errorsingrammar wordusage punctuation and , , , | Thewritingprocess(prewriting drafting revising , , , |
| spelling;partsofasentence(subject predicate);parts , | editing);usingreferencematerials;writingfordifferent | |
| ofspeech | purposesandaudiences;modesandformssuchas | |
| descriptive narrative persuasive andletters , , , |
Scoring and Qualifying Scores
Results are reported as a scaled score from 420 to 480. ETS does not set a single national passing score: each state, school district, or employer sets its own qualifying score, and requirements commonly fall in the mid-450s to mid-460s. Check the requirement for the state or district where you plan to work before you test. There is no penalty for incorrect answers, so answer every question.
Exam at a Glance
| ExamAspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Administeredby | ETS |
| Testcode | 1755 |
| Questions | 90 multiple-choice questions with four answer choices: 30 Reading 30 Mathematics 30 Writing , , |
| Time | 150minutes(2½hours) |
| Delivery | Computer-delivered by appointment at Prometric test centers and participating school districts , , |
| regionaleducationoffices andagencies orathomewithremoteproctoring , , | |
| Calculator | Notpermitted |
| Scoring | Scaled score of 420–480; the qualifying score is set by each state district or employer , , |
| Fees | $55 at a test center (some centers add a premium); $85 for at-home testing; $35 extra for registering |
| byphone | |
| Retakes | Oneretakemaybescheduledassoonasyoulike;afterthat youmustwait7daysfromyourmost , |
| recentattempt |
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