PHENIX CITY—A Troy University education professor has been named to a committee that is developing a new national test for teachers of reading.

Dr. Timon Paleologos, assistant professor of education on the Phenix City Campus, has begun work on the committee, which is devising a new test for the Praxis series. Praxis, developed by the non-profit organization ETS, is a series of tests and assessments used by many state departments of education as part of the teaching certification process.

Dr. Paleologos said the new test will “assess what first-year teachers of reading need to know” to succeed in the classroom. He said the process of developing the test will take about two years.

“I am privileged to be working with a wonderful group of literacy experts from across the country and impressed with the effort put forth to produce a test like this,” Dr. Paleologos said. “Our job as a committee is to confirm the areas that need to be tested, revise test specifications, and approve test design.”

Dr. Lance Tatum, interim dean of the College of Education, said Dr. Paleologos’ experience with Praxis will benefit the entire TROY education faculty.

“It’s an honor to have a Troy University faculty member chosen to serve on a Praxis committee,” Dr. Tatum said. “Assessment and test design are critical components of teaching. The more we know about the best practices in this area, the stronger we will be as a College of Education.”

Dr. Paleologos earned a Ph.D. degree in education from Auburn University. He served as a elementary school teacher in the Lee County School system from 1997-2004. He has conducted research in reading fluency and early literacy assessment.