Study Guide
Program and Test Information
The Certification Examinations for Oklahoma Educatorstrademark symbol (CEOEtrademark symbol) program:
- is a contemporary teacher assessment program that includes tests of general education, basic professional education, and subject-matter knowledge.
- will help ensure that all candidates seeking certification in Oklahoma have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the job of an entry-level educator in Oklahoma public schools.
- is aligned with Oklahoma and National standards.
About the Tests
Oklahoma is committed to becoming a preeminent state in the nation in the preparation and professional development of educators and administrators for the purpose of increasing students' learning and well-being. In 1995 the Oklahoma Legislature passed House Bill 1549, which required the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation (OCTP)—now part of the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA)—to develop and implement a competency-based teacher assessment system. The OCTP selected the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson to develop and administer the Certification Examinations for Oklahoma Educators (CEOE).
The tests included in the CEOE program are criterion referenced and competency based. A criterion-referenced test is designed to measure a candidate's knowledge and skills in relation to an established standard of competency (criterion) rather than in relation to the performance of other candidates. The content of each CEOE test is based on a set of test competencies. The CEOE program includes the following categories of tests:
- start bold Oklahoma General Education Testtrademark symbol (OGETtrademark symbol). end bold OGET test competencies were derived from, and the OGET is designed to assess, the state core general education knowledge and skills, including critical thinking, computation, and communication.
- start bold Oklahoma Subject Area Teststrademark symbol (OSATtrademark symbol). end bold OSAT test competencies were derived from the Oklahoma Full Subject-Matter Competencies as well as from national standards for subject-matter knowledge and skills of entry-level educators. The OSATs are designed to assess subject-matter knowledge and skills in a test field.
All CEOE tests are computer-based, administered at computer-based testing centers throughout Oklahoma and nationwide. Some CEOE tests are also offered via online proctoring.
All CEOE tests except OSAT Cherokee include a section of selected-response (multiple-choice) questions. Each selected-response question has four response options. Your score on the selected-response question section is based on the total number of selected-response questions you answer correctly.
Most CEOE tests also include one or more constructed-response assignments that require an extended written response; tests of all languages other than English also include a constructed-response assignment that requires a spoken response. All constructed-response assignments are scored by at least two educators with relevant professional backgrounds. Constructed-response assignment scoring follows standardized procedures, using scoring scales describing varying levels of performance that were approved by committees of Oklahoma educators. Scorers are oriented to scoring procedures before the scoring session and are carefully monitored during the scoring sessions. Your scores on any constructed-response assignments will be based on an evaluation of the assignment as a whole. A constructed-response assignment is designated unscorable if it is blank, illegible or unintelligible, not written to the assigned topic, not in the appropriate language, or lacking a sufficient amount of original work to score. For test fields that include 1 or more constructed response assignments, the performance characteristics and scoring scale are inlcuded in the constructed-response section(s) of the study guide.
The following table summarizes the type of questions in each section and the proportion of the total test scaled score each section accounts for on the OGET and the OSATs. You can find more detailed information about each test on the page for that test.
| Test Type | Number of Items (Proportion of Total Test Scaled Score) |
|---|---|
| start bold OGET end bold (As of 5/5/2022: No longer a requirement for certification) |
Approximately 100 selected-response questions (80percent) 1 constructed-response writing assignment (20percent) |
|
start bold OSAT (for OSAT tests not listed here, see below) end bold Advanced Mathematics Agricultural Education Art Biological Sciences Blind/Visual Impairment Business Education Chemistry Computer Science Dance Deaf/Hard of Hearing Driver/Safety Education Early Childhood Education Earth Science Elementary Mathematics Specialist English English as a Second Language Family and Consumer Sciences Gifted Education Instrumental/General Music Journalism Library-Media Specialist Middle Level English Middle Level/Intermediate Mathematics Middle Level Science Middle Level Social Studies Mild-Moderate Disabilities Physical Education/Health/Safety Physical Science Physics Principal Comprehensive Assessment Psychology/Sociology Psychometrist Reading Specialist School Counselor School Psychologist Severe-Profound/Multiple Disabilities Special Education Comprehensive Assessment Speech/Drama/Debate Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant Superintendent Technology Engineering U S History/Oklahoma History/Government/Economics Vocal/General Music World History/Geography |
Approximately 80 selected-response questions (85percent) 1 constructed-response assignment (15percent) |
|
start bold OSAT Elementary Education Test end bold |
start bold Elementary Education Subtest 1: Reading/Language Arts Approximately 52 selected-response questions (85percent) 1 constructed-response writing assignment (15percent) Elementary Education Subtest 2: Social Studies/Mathematics/Science/Health, Fitness, and the Arts Approximately 66 selected-response questions (100percent) |
|
start bold OSAT Language Tests end bold Cherokee Chinese (Mandarin) French German Latin Russian Spanish |
Approximately 65 selected-response questions (70percent) 2 constructed-response assignments, 1 requiring an oral response:
|
|
start bold OSAT Selected-Response Only Test(s) end bold Marketing Education |
Approximately 100 selected-response questions (100percent) |
The Test Development Process
Creating the CEOE program is a complex, ongoing process. The major steps are outlined below.
| Task | Description |
|---|---|
| Develop the Test Frameworks | The content of each assessment is documented in the test framework. The test framework consists of subareas that include a set of competencies, along with a set of descriptive statements that further elaborate the content of each test competency. During preparation of the test competencies, key state and national documents were consulted. Committees of Oklahoma educators reviewed the test competencies to ensure that the test competencies are accurate, free of bias, job related, and important for the job of an entry-level educator in Oklahoma. |
| Develop Test Items | Next, test items are developed to assess the content defined by the test frameworks. Content specialists, item development specialists, content and bias reviewers, and psychometricians are involved in developing test items for the Certification Examinations for Oklahoma Educators program. |
| Review and Validate Test Content | Content validation surveys involving randomly selected Oklahoma school personnel and college and university faculty members are conducted for each test. The test questions are matched to specific competencies and verified as valid by panels of Oklahoma educators. Items are reviewed by a Bias Review Committee (BRC) and a Content Advisory Committee (CAC). The BRC reviews test items for potential bias and inclusion of diversity. The CAC reviews and revises items, if needed, to ensure that they are accurate, appropriate, free from bias, and job-related. Items approved by the review committees are validated by Oklahoma teachers and teacher educators. |
| Field Test Items | Reviewed and validated test items are field tested to determine if they have acceptable statistical and qualitative characteristics to include on operational test forms. |
| Set Passing Scores | The committees of Oklahoma educators are convened again following the first test administration to reconfirm the validity of the test questions and recommend a minimum passing score for each test. The final minimum passing scores are established by the OEQA based on recommendations of panels of Oklahoma educators. |