GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
For the sake of clarity, a glossary of terms and abbreviations used follows: |
| A.A. |
Associate of Arts degree |
| B.A. |
Bachelor of Arts degree |
| Education service center |
A state-operated regional facility that may provide technical assistance to several local school districts |
| Field experience |
Actual teaching in school |
| GPA |
Grade Point Average |
| GRE |
Graduate Record Examination, an entrance exam for graduate school |
| IHE |
Institution of higher education, a college or university |
| In-service |
Training conducted for working teachers |
| LEA |
Local education agency, a local school district |
| MAT |
Miller Analogies Test, an exam for graduate school |
| M.A.T. |
Master of Arts in Teaching degree |
| Mentor |
An experienced, licensed teacher assigned to support a beginning or intern teacher |
| NTE |
National Teachers Examinations, general knowledge or specialty area tests |
| Portfolio |
A collection of a teacher's work, to demonstrate knowledge and skills |
| Practicum |
A field-based experience in a school |
| Praxis |
The Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers, including Praxis I: Academic Skills Assessments, and Praxis II: Subject Assessments (specialty area tests), Principles of Learning and Teaching
(PLT), and Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPST) in reading, writing, and math |
| Pre-service |
Training before prospective teachers begin teaching |
| Professional development |
Classes, training, or other opportunities for school staff to improve their knowledge and skills |
| Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) |
See education service center |
| SEA |
State education agency |
