Praxis Core Reading case studies
Praxis Core Reading · Put your knowledge to work in context.
Praxis Core Reading is the reading subtest of the Praxis Core academic skills tests, identified by test code 5713. It is designed for candidates preparing to enter educator preparation programs or seeking initial teacher certification, and it measures the reading comprehension skills expected of a beginning teacher rather than subject-matter knowledge in a specific content area. The Praxis Core Reading case studies are 5 cases and about 2,554 words.
1The Library Fine Pilot: Central Idea vs. Vivid Quotation
A candidate is reviewing a practice passage about a six-month pilot at a three-branch library system that eliminated overdue fines. The passage reports that 8,400 patrons had blocked accounts when the pilot began; by month six, returns of overdue items rose 12 percent, staff time spent on fine disputes fell by roughly 20 hours per week, and weekend visits increased most at the branch with the lowest median income.
554 words, about 3 min2The Highway Removal Essay: Metaphor, Concession, and Tone
An editor is reviewing a draft essay about a city that removed a mile-long elevated highway and replaced it with a ground-level boulevard and a narrow park. In the opening, the author calls the old highway 'a scar across the neighborhood' and describes the new park as 'a seam that stitches two sides together.' In paragraph three, the author writes, 'The first cost estimates were sobering-$180 million, with delays that pushed the opening back two years-and I nearly abandoned the project.' The paragraph then argues that property values and foot traffic rose after opening.
488 words, about 2 min3Two Sources on Later Start Times: Scope, Causation, and Synthesis
A candidate is comparing two sources about later school start times. Source A is a district report: a 450-student high school moved its start time from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m.; over 18 months, average GPA rose 0.2, tardies fell 14 percent, and bus costs did not change; the parent survey had a 62 percent response rate.
543 words, about 3 min4The Repair Shop Story: Report vs. Inference
In a short story excerpt, a daughter returns to the family repair shop to take over the accounts. Her father, who founded the shop, has said little since her arrival.
475 words, about 2 min5The Plastic Bag Argument: Concession and Rebuttal
An argument passage considers a proposed city ban on single-use plastic bags. The author writes, 'The ban would impose real costs on small grocers, and I do not dismiss those costs.
494 words, about 2 min