All 131 students who took the basic skills portion of the test passed it. The pass rate across Maryland is 97 percent.

In the individual content areas of Elementary Education Content Knowledge (93 students) and Physical Education Video Evaluation (12 students), 100 percent of those who took the test also passed. The state passing rates were 100 percent and 95 percent respectively.

"We continue to monitor our results and make adjustments to assure the success of our candidates," said Dr. Susan Arisman, FSU's dean of the College of Education. "We have excellent programs at Frostburg State University, and the performance of our graduates will continue to confirm this fact."

At FSU, students must pass Praxis I, the basic skills test, to be accepted into the teacher education program. Currently, Early Childhood/Elementary, Elementary, and Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary majors must pass Praxis II in order to graduate, and all other programs have instituted this requirement for students covered by the 2001-2003 catalog.

In the professional knowledge portion of the test, 93 percent, or 86 of 92 students, passed the Elementary Education Content Area Exercises, compared to a 94 percent passing rate statewide. Other professional knowledge testing areas had too few FSU students taking the test for a pass rate to be reported individual, but the overall pass rate of all the professional knowledge test was 93 percent, 100 of 108 students passing, compared to a statewide pass rate of 94 percent.

In a test of academic content areas, such as math, English or biology, 93 percent passed, 157 out of 168 taking the test. The statewide rate was 96 percent.

In the individual areas with enough students to be reported:

-- 100 percent, 93 students, passed the Elementary Education Content Knowledge test (the Maryland rate was also 100 percent);

-- 83 percent, 46 or 38 students passed the Early Childhood Education test (the Maryland rate was 93 percent);

-- 75 percent, nine of 12 students, passed the Physical Education Content Knowledge test (Maryland's rate was 86 percent);

-- and 100 percent, 12 students, passed the Physical Education Video Evaluation test, compared to a Maryland pass rate of 95 percent.

FSU's initial teacher preparation program enrolled 640 in 2001-2002. The program, with a faculty/student ratio of 5.3 in supervising interns, requires an extended internship consisting of 20 weeks over two semesters for at least 700 hours.

FSU's programs are accredited by the state of Maryland under its Redesign for Teacher Education, recognized nationally by and in compliance with 14 professional content associations and by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education under the new 2000 performance standards.

For more information about FSU's College of Education, call (301) 687-4759.