Effective immediately, the CSET: Multiple Subjects Exam has been revised to align with California’s Common Core State Standards. These standards have been adopted by the State Board of Education and describe what students should know and what they should be able to perform in each subject: English, math, social science, science, visual/performing arts, human development, and physical education.

What’s new on the CSET: Multiple Subjects Exam? Many people have contacted us because they are apprehensive about taking a newly revised CSET: Multiple Subjects Exam. The good news is that most of the subject content areas on the CSET will remain the same (with the exception of: reading, language, literature and some parts of math). You will be expected to study most of the previously published CSET content specification material. In addition, you will be tested on your knowledge and ability to help children successfully master the Standards’ grade-level expectations in language arts and math.

The Standards recognize that from the time students enter grade school, until the time they graduate from high school, they must demonstrate steady academic growth and performance in language arts and math at each grade-level. The revised Standards in language arts and math will help students apply learned skills and succeed in the real world (i.e. college, civic life, and career). The revised subject matter requirements (SMR’s) on the CSET will assess your instructional knowledge, assessment knowledge, and understanding of the Standards’ content specifications. In addition the CSET will assess your ability to effectively teach students English language development (ELD). The revised exam will include:

• critical reading (literature and informational texts)
• reading and literacy (teaching and assessing fluency, decoding, phonemic awareness, text comprehension, and vocabulary)
• text complexity (qualitative and quantitative measures; explicit and implicit meanings of text)
• research literacy in print and digital formats (technology, multimedia, and electronic sources to construct reports/papers and present/cite their findings)
• writing applications (argumentative, informative/explanatory, and narrative essays)
• non-written communication (analysis of a speaker’s arguments and claims)

What if I passed a previously administered subtest? Do I have to take the newly revised CSET? No. If you passed one (or two) of the CSET: Multiple Subjects subtests prior to August 11, 2014, you do not have to retake those specific subtests. Your previously administered subtest scores are valid for five years. For updated information, call the CSET Administrators, Evaluation Systems at Pearson at (800) 205-3334 or (916) 928-4003.

What book(s) are available to help me prepare for the CSET: Multiple Subjects exam? CliffsNotes CSET: Multiple Subjects ISBN # 978-1118176535 preparation guide is still best resource to help you prepare for the CSET. It’s available on Amazon for about $20. Because most of the content areas are the same, and because many of the new content areas are covered in the Cliffs Notes book, it would be beneficial to read through this study guide and use it as your main resource. It is filled with excellent review material, sample questions and three full-length practice tests.

Are there any additional resources for the 2014 CSET: Multiple Subjects exam? Yes. BTPS Testing has created a free supplemental packet that discusses the new content specification areas and includes all new practice questions. Visit www.2014cset.com or www.btpstesting.com. Call or write BTPS Testing for the password to access the free supplemental packet (800) 426-2769. Visit the California State Department of Education website at http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/ for more information about the revised CSET, and remember that additional sample and practice questions are also available on the official CSET website, www.ctcexams.nesinc.com.

The California State Universities and Colleges offer CSET test preparation programs through their Extended Learning (Continuing Education) Offices. For more information visit www.btpstesting.com for a complete listing of upcoming classes.

How should I prepare for the revised 2014 CSET: Multiple Subjects exam? Before examining the revised areas of the test, make sure that you have identified your strengths and weaknesses in the existing areas of the test. Start by assessing where you are right now before tackling new subject areas. Visit the official CSET website and review the subtests, domains and practice questions, so that you can create a customized study plan that is unique to your learning abilities http://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/about_cset.asp.

After you have identified the domain areas and assessed your skills, it’s time to thoroughly review the subject areas. Remember to use the CliffsNotes CSET: Multiple Subjects Study Guide as your primary resource, visit the CSET official website for additional resources, study the new supplemental packet written by BTPS Testing and utilize the Internet to search key concepts and terms to further your understanding. The final step is to practice what you have learned. Work as many practice problems as possible in the book, supplemental packet and the CSET official website. Practice is the key to your success on the test!

For more information contact:

www.2014cset.com  (800) 426-2769