- Mathematics is roughly 58 of 90 questions (64%) - the dominant priority over science.
- The subtest is 90 selected-response questions in 120 minutes, computer delivered at a test center or at home.
- Registration costs $100.00 and includes four free score recipients plus a $24.95 practice test that's free upon registration.
- Expect more than plain multiple choice: multiple-select, numeric entry, drag-and-drop, graphic-selection, and drop-down items appear.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers
This is a one-page-style reference for Praxis Early Childhood: Mathematics and Science (5028), the subtest administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS) as one of two components of the broader Praxis Early Childhood Assessment (5026). If you've already worked through a full Praxis 5028 study guide, treat this page as your condensed recall sheet for the final stretch - the numbers, domains, and format details you need memorized cold before test day.
Everything below comes directly from the official content specifications, which were confirmed by an advisory panel of elementary teacher educators familiar with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards, National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) standards, and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). If you want the long-form breakdown of each content area, see the full Praxis 5028 exam domains guide.
Exam Format at a Glance
Praxis 5028 is a computer-delivered test you can take at a test center or from home. It contains 90 selected-response questions with a 120-minute test length. Some administrations include unscored questions mixed in that do not count toward your score, so don't waste energy trying to guess which items are "real."
Most administrations include no scheduled break, and unscheduled breaks do not stop the test clock, so plan your pacing accordingly. If you're also weighing how this compares to the combined test, note that the full Praxis Early Childhood Assessment (5026) bundles both subtests into a single 180-question, 4-hour session - the 5028 subtest alone is the shorter, focused option.
Domain 1: Mathematics (64%)
Mathematics accounts for approximately 58 of the 90 questions and 64% of the exam - by far the larger of the two domains. If your study time is limited, this is where it should go first. For a deeper dive into subtopics, cross-reference the exam domains guide.
Numbers and Operations: Whole Numbers
Covers place value, counting sequences, and the operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) as they apply to whole numbers in early childhood contexts.
- Be ready to interpret student work samples and identify misconceptions in whole-number reasoning.
Numbers and Operations: Fractions
Covers foundational fraction concepts - representing fractions, comparing them, and connecting them to measurement and division ideas young learners encounter.
- Practice translating between visual fraction models and numeric entry answers, since this item type appears on-screen.
Algebraic Thinking
Covers patterns, relationships, and the early building blocks of algebraic reasoning appropriate for young children - not formal algebra.
- Expect drag-and-drop or graphic-selection items asking you to identify or extend a pattern.
Geometry, Measurement, and Data
Covers shape attributes, spatial reasoning, measurement units and tools, and basic data representation and interpretation.
- Review how measurement concepts connect to hands-on early childhood classroom activities.
Domain 2: Science (36%)
Science makes up approximately 32 questions and 36% of the exam. It's the smaller domain, but it still spans four distinct content areas, so breadth matters even though volume is lower.
Nature of Science and Engineering
Covers scientific inquiry practices, engineering design thinking, and how young children investigate and ask questions about the world.
Physical Science
Covers matter, energy, forces, and motion at a level appropriate for early learners, often through concrete, observable phenomena.
Earth and Space Science
Covers weather, seasons, land and water features, and basic space concepts young children can observe and describe.
Life Science
Covers living things, basic needs of organisms, life cycles, and simple ecosystem relationships suitable for early childhood instruction.
Key Takeaway
Because science is worth roughly a third of the score compared to mathematics' near two-thirds, don't let science study time crowd out your math preparation - allocate roughly in proportion to the 64%/36% split.
Registration and Fee Facts to Memorize
Registration mechanics are easy to overlook until they cost you time or money. Here's what to know before you book a seat:
- The fee is $100.00, which includes four free score recipients - plan who those four recipients will be before you register.
- An official interactive practice test normally priced at $24.95 is provided free when you register for the exam.
- Scores report on a 100-200 scale, and each certifying state sets its own qualifying score, so confirm your state's requirement before you schedule. Details on scoring thresholds are covered in the passing score guide.
- You can take the test at a test center or at home, since it's computer delivered either way.
For a full cost breakdown including how the fee compares across scenarios, see the certification cost breakdown. If you're still confirming whether you're eligible to register at all, check the requirements page first, and review current testing windows on the exam dates page before locking in a date.
Item Types You'll See on Screen
Praxis 5028 isn't a plain multiple-choice test. Beyond standard single-answer selected response, the format includes:
- Multiple-select items where more than one option can be correct.
- Numeric entry items where you type in a calculated answer rather than choosing from options - common in the mathematics domain.
- Drag-and-drop items, often used for sequencing or categorizing.
- Graphic-selection items where you click on a part of an image or diagram.
- Drop-down items embedded within a sentence or scenario.
If you've only practiced with static multiple-choice questions, you're under-preparing for the actual interface. The official practice test - free on registration - is the closest simulation of these formats, and it's worth pairing with interactive practice questions that mimic the same click-and-drag mechanics before test day.
Final-Week Review Schedule
In the last week before your test date, resist the urge to start new content. Instead, rotate through the domains in proportion to their weight, using short, focused review blocks rather than marathon sessions.
Mathematics Recall Pass
- Drill Numbers and Operations for whole numbers and fractions with numeric-entry-style practice questions.
Mathematics Continued
- Review Algebraic Thinking patterns and Geometry, Measurement and Data problems, since together with the first pass these cover 64% of the exam.
Science Recall Pass
- Cycle through Nature of Science and Engineering, Physical Science, Earth and Space Science, and Life Science definitions and examples.
Light Mixed Review
- Run a short timed set covering both domains, revisit the free practice test interface, and confirm your test-day logistics.
If you want a longer runway than one week, the full study guide walks through a complete multi-week plan; this cheat sheet is meant for the final consolidation phase only.
Quick-Reference Comparison Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Administering body | Educational Testing Service (ETS) |
| Relationship to 5026 | One of two subtests of the Praxis Early Childhood Assessment (5026) |
| Total questions | 90 selected-response questions |
| Test length | 120 minutes |
| Delivery | Computer delivered, at a test center or at home |
| Mathematics weight | ~58 questions, 64% |
| Science weight | ~32 questions, 36% |
| Registration fee | $100.00 (includes 4 free score recipients) |
| Practice test | $24.95 value, free upon registration |
| Score scale | 100-200; qualifying score set by each state |
| Combined test (5026) | 180 questions, 4 hours, both subtests in one session |
For context on how tough this format actually is in practice, read the difficulty guide, and if you're curious how outcomes on this test have looked, the pass rate data page walks through what's publicly known. And if you're still deciding whether the credential fits your career plans, the ROI analysis and salary guide cover that angle in detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
The subtest has 90 selected-response questions with a 120-minute test length. It's computer delivered at a test center or at home.
Mathematics, without question. It accounts for approximately 58 questions and 64% of the exam, compared to science's approximately 32 questions and 36%.
The fee includes four free score recipients. It also unlocks a $24.95 official interactive practice test at no additional cost.
You'll encounter multiple-select, numeric entry, drag-and-drop, graphic-selection, and drop-down item types in addition to standard single-answer selected response.
Most administrations include no scheduled break. You can take an unscheduled break if needed, but the test clock keeps running during it.