ATSW Practice Test

The Assessment of Teaching Skills Written (ATSW, also written ATS-W) was a New York State Education Department assessment for teacher candidates. It is no longer offered, but its topics still match general teaching knowledge. This page lists our free practice sets by topic, shows worked answers and gives a study plan.

ATSW Exam at a Glance

What changed for ATSW in 2026

• Oct 28, 2026: Delivery changed to No longer offered (retired July 1, 2018) (previously No longer offered: retired, registration and testing ended July 1, 2018).^[4]
• Oct 28, 2026: Time limit (Secondary ATS-W (091)) changed to 4 hours (4 h 15 min appointment) (previously 4 hours testing (4 h 15 min appointment), retired test).^[1]

What the ATSW is and how it works

According to New York State Education Department, “Beginning on July 1, 2018, the ATS-W (the current edTPA Safety Net) will no longer be available and candidates will no longer be able to register for or take that exam.”^[4]

The Assessment of Teaching Skills Written, usually written ATS-W, was a New York State Teacher Certification Examinations safety net assessment run by the New York State Education Department. Its official content areas were Instruction and Assessment, a constructed-response assignment within that area, Student Development and Learning, and The Professional Environment.

Delivery. The assessment is no longer offered. The Board of Regents record states that beginning on July 1, 2018, the ATS-W would no longer be available and candidates would no longer be able to register for or take it. If you are looking for a current route to certification, check the official New York State Teacher Certification Examinations site and the department's certification pages. Requirements vary by certificate title and can change, so rely on the official source rather than this page.

Format and rules, for reference. The Secondary ATS-W (091) listed a total appointment time of 4 hours and 15 minutes, with 4 hours of test time. The retake policy for safety net tests required a wait of 60 days before retaking the same test. A registration was valid for 1 year from the date of issue.

We have not verified scoring details, so we do not state a passing score. Our practice sets are written by us with AI tools. They are not real exam questions, and they work best as a review of general teaching knowledge.

ATSW content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official ATSW content outline published by New York State Education Department. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through ATSW questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Which approach to curriculum organization arranges content from simple to complex across grade levels?

1. Spiral curriculum
2. Thematic curriculum
3. Modular curriculum
4. Integrated curriculum

Answer: A. Spiral curriculum

Explanation:

A spiral curriculum is correct because it returns to the same concepts across grade levels and adds complexity each time, so earlier learning is reinforced and deepened. A thematic curriculum is organized around topics or themes, not a simple-to-complex sequence. A modular curriculum is divided into self-contained units that can be taken in varying order. An integrated curriculum blends several subject areas together, which is a different organizing idea from sequencing by difficulty.

Rule to remember: when a question describes revisiting ideas with growing depth over time, think spiral. When it describes combining subjects, think integrated.

Example 2

Question: What distinguishes a Assessment of Teaching Skills Written certified professional from a non-certified practitioner?

1. Certified professionals always have more years of experience
2. Certification validates competency through standardized assessment against established benchmarks
3. There is no meaningful difference in competency
4. Certified professionals exclusively work in larger organizations

Answer: B. Certification validates competency through standardized assessment against established benchmarks

Explanation:

The correct option says certification validates competency through standardized assessment against established benchmarks. That is the purpose of a credential: it gives objective evidence that someone meets a defined standard. Experience is not what separates the groups, so the option claiming certified professionals always have more years is wrong, because an experienced person may be uncertified. The claim that there is no meaningful difference ignores the verified benchmark. The claim about larger organizations is an unsupported generalization.

Rule to remember: be wary of absolute words such as always, only and exclusively. The best answer usually ties the credential to verified standards.

Example 3

Question: What role does collaboration play in critical thinking for ATSW professionals?

1. It slows down work unnecessarily
2. It enhances outcomes through diverse perspectives and shared expertise
3. It is only needed in emergencies
4. It reduces individual accountability

Answer: B. It enhances outcomes through diverse perspectives and shared expertise

Explanation:

Collaboration enhances outcomes through diverse perspectives and shared expertise, which is why that option is correct. Colleagues can spot gaps, challenge assumptions and bring different knowledge to a problem. The option saying it slows work unnecessarily treats a normal professional practice as a cost. The option limiting it to emergencies misses that it helps in routine planning and review. The option saying it reduces individual accountability is wrong because people still answer for their own contributions.

Rule to remember: in professional-practice questions, answers that describe shared problem solving with maintained responsibility are usually correct.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Read the content areas listed above and the department's current certification pages so you know what applies to your situation. Then use our sets to find weak spots.

1. Take a short set on each content area without notes, such as Assessment & Evaluation Methods and Student Development & Learning Theory.
2. For every miss, write one sentence on why the right option is right and why your choice was wrong. Look for the general rule, not just the answer.
3. Move to the sets where you missed the most, such as Classroom Management Strategies or Special Populations, and repeat until your reasoning is steady.
4. Practise written responses on paper. Pick a teaching situation, state your plan, give a reason, and say how you would check that students learned.
5. Finish with Ethical Standards and Family & Community Engagement to review the professional side.

Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so treat them as a way to review ideas, not to predict a test.

Sources & last verified

1. New York State Education Department — time limit (official source). “4 hours and 15 minutes total appointment time” Verified Oct 28, 2026.
2. New York State Education Department — retake policy (official source). “You must wait 60 days after taking a safety net test/assessment before retaking the same test.” Verified Oct 28, 2026.
3. New York State Education Department — validity (official source). “Your registration is valid for one year from the date of issue.” Verified Oct 28, 2026.
4. regents.nysed.gov — delivery (official source). “Beginning on July 1, 2018, the ATS-W (the current edTPA Safety Net) will no longer be available and candidates will no longer be able to…” Verified Oct 28, 2026.
5. New York State Education Department — other (official source). “instruction and assessment” Verified Oct 28, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.