Troy University achieved remarkable success in its educator preparation programs during the 2022-2023 academic year, according to the Alabama State Department of Education’s annual Higher Education Report Card released late last fall.
Among the most significant accomplishments is the University’s 100% first-attempt pass rate on the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) for both undergraduate and graduate students. This perfect pass rate demonstrates the effectiveness of TROY’s programs, which combine rigorous academic training with hands-on classroom experience. The edTPA, a critical evaluation tool for assessing teacher candidates’ readiness, highlights TROY graduates’ preparedness to make an immediate impact in classrooms across the state and beyond.
Dr. Joseph Johnson, Chair of the Department of Teacher Education, says that the success of the edTPA pass rate is the shining star because the department takes these exams very seriously.
“We introduce it to the students very early in their education classes. We have assignments in the curriculum that are tied very closely to the edTPA expectations,” Johnson said. “The students have to write lesson plans, record themselves teaching, and self-analyze their teaching effectiveness, all of which prepares them for the edTPA.”
Additionally, Troy University has excelled in preparing future educators in mathematics. The institution’s Elementary Education (ELE) majors achieved a 78% first-attempt pass rate on the Mathematics subtest of the Multiple Subjects PRAXIS, underscoring TROY’s focus on STEM education. This achievement reflects the strength of the University’s mathematics curriculum, which equips students with the essential content knowledge and problem-solving skills needed to teach in today’s diverse classrooms.
TROY has also made significant strides in literacy education. The University saw nearly a 10% improvement in the first-attempt pass rates on the Foundations of Reading Test (FORT) for its Early Childhood Education (ECE), Special Education (SPE), and Elementary Education (ELE) K-6 majors.
At the graduate level, TROY continued to excel with impressive results on the Multiple Subjects PRAXIS. Master’s students achieved an 86% first-attempt pass rate in Mathematics and Science and a 92% pass rate in Social Studies. These outcomes reflect the University’s commitment to producing educators who are not only well-prepared to teach but also possess a deep understanding of their subject areas.
“One of the main reasons our students perform so well on state exams is the personal responsibility our professors take for each student’s success,” said Dr. Fred Figliano, Dean of the College of Education. “They don’t just teach—they invest in their students’ lives, providing the support and encouragement needed to excel. If a student struggles, our faculty see it as a reflection of their own efforts and take it upon themselves to help that student succeed. This commitment to student growth drives our outstanding results.
