ABCTE Special Education and PTK Exam Study Guide 2027–2028 | American Board Teacher Certification Prep, 200 Practice Questions (PDF)

Prepare for both American Board (ABCTE) exams on the special education route in one guide: the Special Education subject exam and the Professional Teaching Knowledge (PTK) exam, organized around the official domains of each, with two practice tests that cover both.

What's Inside

• Exam overview for both exams: Special Education 125 multiple-choice questions in 240 minutes, Proficient 278 and Distinguished 312 on the 500 scale; PTK 100 multiple-choice questions in 150 minutes plus a 60-minute writing task, passing 257 and 4 of 6; delivery, results, retakes and fees

• Professional Skills and Background Knowledge: history, IDEA, Section 504, the ADA, FERPA, ESSA, landmark cases, ethics, co-teaching and collaboration

• Understanding the Special Needs Student: every IDEA disability category, cultural competence, families and procedural safeguards, positive behavior support, FBA and BIP, and discipline rules

• General Special Education Practices: evaluation and eligibility, score reports, progress monitoring, IEP goals, accommodations and modifications, explicit and systematic instruction, self-determination and transition

• Language Development Strategies: reading development, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, dyslexia and structured literacy, spelling, language development, English learners and writing

• PTK: Instructional Design, Effective Instructional Delivery, Classroom Management and Organization, Assessment, plus the writing task with model outlines and a checklist

• 129 quick-reference tables plus charts and diagrams: placement continuum, IDEA timeline flow, PBIS tiers, normal curve, progress-monitoring graph, Simple View of Reading and escalation cycle

• 4-, 8- and 12-week study schedules, FAQs, a final review checklist and test-taking strategies

• 2 practice tests of 100 questions each (60 Special Education + 40 PTK; 200 questions total), weighted by the official domains, with a complete answer key and an explanation for every question

Format

• Instant digital download (PDF), 8.5 × 11 in, 305 pages

• Clickable table of contents

• Print it or study on a tablet, laptop or phone

Good to know: American Board special education certification also requires the Elementary Education exam, which this guide does not cover; study guides for it are available in our shop.

Please note: This is a digital product. No physical item will be shipped.

This is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (American Board) or Pearson VUE.