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Exam Overview
An Overview of the Exam
The Praxis Early Childhood Education (5025) test is developed and administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS). It assesses the content knowledge that prospective early childhood teachers must have to support children's learning in the content areas. Many states require a qualifying score for an early childhood license; the grade band that license covers (commonly birth or PreK through grade 3) is set by each state.
Test at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Test name and code | Early Childhood Education (5025) |
| Administered by | Educational Testing Service (ETS) |
| Questions | 120 selected-response questions (some may be unscored pretest questions) |
| Time | 2 hours (120 minutes) |
| Question format | Selected response; sample questions use four answer choices with one best answer |
| Calculator | Not permitted |
| Score scale | Scaled score from 100 to 200 |
| Passing score | Set by each state or licensing agency (156 in many states); confirm on the ETS state requirements page |
| Delivery | Computer delivered at a test center or at home with remote proctoring |
| Test fee | $130 (verify current fees with ETS) |
| Retakes | Allowed after a 28-day waiting period |
| Scores | Unofficial score on screen at the end of most selected-response sessions; official scores posted to your ETS account a few weeks later |
Content Categories and Weights
Share of Questions by Content Category
Language and Literacy — 30%About 36 questions
Mathematics — 25%About 30 questions
Social Studies and Science — 28%14% each · about 17 questions each
Health, Physical Education, and the Arts — 17%About 20 questions
| Category | Approx. questions | Share | Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Language and Literacy | 36 | 30% | Language acquisition, print and phonological awareness, phonics, word analysis and fluency, reading literature and informational text, writing, speaking and listening, and the conventions and vocabulary of English. |
| 2. Mathematics | 30 | 25% | Emergent mathematics, whole-number place value and operations, fractions, algebraic thinking, and geometry, measurement, and data. No calculator is allowed, so every skill is practiced by hand. |
| 3. Social Studies | 17 | 14% | Identity and social-emotional development, culture and cultural identity, geography and map skills, time and chronology, and civics and government as taught from PreK through grade 3. |
| 4. Science | 17 | 14% | Scientific inquiry and its unifying concepts, physical science, Earth and space science, life science, and engineering, technology, and applications of science. |
| 5. Health and Physical Education; Creative and Performing Arts | 20 | 17% | Health concepts and safety, nutrition and body systems, motor development and fitness, and the purposes, elements, and processes of visual art, music, dance, and theater. |
How the Questions Are Written
Classroom scenarios
Many questions name a grade or age (preschool, kindergarten, first, second, or third grade) and ask which concept, skill, or stage the situation shows, or which next step is most appropriate.
Direct content knowledge
Others test the content itself: a sentence type, an irregular word, a chemical change, a primary color, a musical element, a locomotor skill.
Student work and data
Expect to analyze a child's spelling, an oral reading error, an arithmetic mistake, a small table, or a map.
One best answer
Distractors are real terms from the same domain, so precise knowledge matters more than general teaching sense.
Why the Test Matters
- Ensures educator readiness. The test verifies that teachers have broad subject knowledge across the content areas taught to young children.
- A requirement for certification. Many states require a qualifying score as part of the licensure process for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary teaching.
- Aligns with learning standards. Its content reflects state curriculum standards and national frameworks in literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, health, and the arts.
- Expands career opportunities. A license opens positions in public and private schools, Head Start programs, and other early learning settings.
- Supports quality early learning. High-quality early education has lasting effects on children's academic, social, and emotional growth.
Registration and Preparation Tips
- Register through your ETS Praxis account, where you choose a test date and either a test center or at-home testing.
- Confirm with your state or preparation program that 5025 is the test your license requires, and check your state's qualifying score.
- Allow at least four to eight weeks of preparation, using this guide alongside the free ETS study companion.
- Take a practice test early to identify strengths and weaknesses before building your study plan.
- Practice answering selected-response questions on a timer; the real test allows about one minute per question.
- On test day, bring valid, acceptable photo identification that matches your registration name, and arrive or check in early.
Confirm Current Details
ETS and your state set fees, policies, and qualifying scores, and they can change. Check the ETS Praxis website and your state's requirements before registering.Finished reading?
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