The Nation - News from Oct. 28, 1988

A computerized new teacher licensing exam, which includes simulations of classroom situations, was announced by the Educational Testing Service in New York. It is designed to weed out incompetents while satisfying complaints by teachers’ unions that teacher tests do not accurately assess classroom skills and are unfair to minority members. The exam, designed to test reading, math and writing skills, knowledge of subject matter and teaching principles and classroom performance, will replace a multiple-choice test taken by about 200,000 new teachers each year. Aspiring teachers will take it in three stages: during undergraduate study, after graduation and after having some classroom experience.