Graduates in Baylor’s education programs for the 2013-14 year achieved a 100 percent pass rate on certification exams in the State of Texas. The overall state average in Texas for degree completers in 2013-14 was 94 percent.

The rate includes all tests taken by Baylor graduating students, with more than 70 percent of testing students coming from the School of Education (SOE). SOE students who take certification tests include not only undergraduates training for a career in preK-12 education, but also graduate students who take the principal certification exam, Sports Pedagogy Masters graduates taking the physical education certification exams, and those who seek first-time certification after finishing the master’s-level Strickland Scholars Program.

“Baylor teacher candidates consistently outperform the state average on certification exams,” said Dr. Doug Rogers, associate dean of the Baylor School of Education. “That is a testimony to the candidates recruited by Baylor and to the faculty who prepare them for those exams.”

Baylor students outside the SOE who take certification exams include those in programs such as Music Education, Deaf Education, Business Education and programs such as Math, History and sciences with education as a minor.

Each student seeking certification in Texas must take at least two tests: the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities exam (PPR) and a specific content-area exam. Some students also take tests for supplemental certification in areas such as Gifted and Talented education, Special Education, and ESL (English as a Second Language).

Baylor graduates for 2013-14 outperformed the other Big 12 schools in Texas and also outperformed former Big 12 member Texas A&M University.

For the three previous years, Baylor’s pass rate was 99 percent, and 99 percent has been the average since 2006. —Meg Cullar