The New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) are criterion-referenced tests designed to measure an applicant’s knowledge and skill and determine whether they meet the standards as set by the state to successfully perform their required duties as an educator in New York State public schools. The questions within the examinations help identify candidates that have achieved mastery to a level sufficient to receive certification. The NYSTCE Communication and Quantitative Skills Test is made up of three Subareas and their respective Objectives:
Subarea I: Reading
This Subarea will test the prospective educator’s mastery of the following Objectives:
- The meaning of general vocabulary words
- The stated main idea of a reading passage
- The sequence of ideas in a reading passage
- Textual and graphic information
Subarea II: Writing
This Subarea will test the prospective educator’s mastery of the following Objectives:
- The standard use of verbs
- The standard use of pronouns and modifiers
- Standard sentence structure and punctuation
- The standard use of capitalization and spelling
Subarea III: Mathematics
This Subarea will test the prospective educator’s mastery of the following Objectives:
- Number concepts
- The addition and subtraction of whole numbers
- Multiplication and division of whole numbers
- Operations involving fractions, decimals and percents
This is a computer-based test (CBT) that contains 100 selected-response questions designed to determine whether an applicant’s knowledge and skills of the subject area meet the state’s standards for certification. You are given a total of four hours to complete the examination. For examples of questions you may encounter, try our NYSTCE Communication and Quantitative Skills Test Subject Practice Test.
Scoring
A minimum passing score of 220 is required for certification as set by the state’s standards. Your performance is evaluated against established standards, not in relation to the performance of other candidates. Upon completion of the exam, you will receive a preliminary score report. These scores are not an acceptable substitute for the official score report, which will be received on the designated score report date following successful completion of your examination.
Registration Information
Test appointments are available year-round, by appointment Monday through Saturday. When you register, you may select a testing site located in New York State and nationwide. There is a $107 registration fee. Upon registering for the exam, you agree to abide by all testing rules and policies.