What is the edTPA?
The edTPA is a nationally scored Teacher Performance Assessment designed to evaluate a novice teacher’s planning, instruction, and assessment skills. To a teacher candidate, the edTPA is a sample of work that they compile over the course of the student teaching experience. It is includes lesson plans, classroom descriptions, videos of teaching, student assessments, and commentary.
What is the history of the edTPA?
The edTPA was developed under the leadership of the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE). The edTPA process draws on experience gained from the 25-year development of performance-based assessments of teaching, including the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Since 2009, thousands of teacher educators and P–12 teachers have collaborated on edTPA to meet the need for a nationally available research- and standards-based assessment of candidate performance and more than 641 campuses in 35 states are now using the assessment.
Why do teacher candidates complete the edTPA?
The edTPA offers many benefits. It ….
- Demonstrates candidates’ readiness to teach
- Meets the Oregon licensure requirements
- Prepares candidates for the actual work of teaching
- Informs Pacific University about how well our programs have prepared candidates to teach
- Aligns with many Oregon districts’ teacher evaluation systems
How is the edTPA supported?
The edTPA has significant documentation from SCALE and is well-supported by the GSE. Each candidate uses a handbook, rubrics, and a support guide with faculty and supervisor support. All candidates are guided to understand the steps to completion through their coursework and support from Pacific University faculty.
Each program is designed to prepare candidates to become great teachers. Because the edTPA documents the actual work of teaching, the program coursework and field experiences naturally prepare candidates to put together their edTPA. Candidates have many practice opportunities through coursework, field-based assignments, and practice edTPA assignments to cultivate and hone their skill set. All of the work that candidates do in their program contributes to their development as teachers and their performance on both the edTPA and the other important field assessments.
When do candidates put together their edTPA portfolio?
Depending on the program, candidates may start working toward the development of an edTPA portfolio in the fall or winter of their final year. The edTPA is a cumulative portfolio and an assessment of teaching skills, so the candidates will have time in their field to practice before developing their edTPA. Each program has a timeline, which is shared with candidates and outlines steps and milestones. The final edTPA is usually submitted in April. Each year the timeline may shift slightly for various reasons.
Why is the submission timing important?
When candidates submit their edTPA portfolio, a national scorer has up to three weeks to score it. Those that are not in on time are not evaluated within the three week timeframe and will be evaluated with the following submission group. Ultimately, a late portfolio will delay a candidate’s ability to get final scores and may potentially add time to program completion and licensure.
What if a candidate does not pass the edTPA?
Candidates who are struggling in field assignments and field experiences may also struggle with the edTPA. Candidates need to pass the edTPA to be recommended for licensure. Re-takes are allowed but may result in an additional term in the field or extra time in the program depending on the circumstances.
What does the edTPA cost?
Starting in spring 2017, the edTPA cost to teacher candidates is $300 at the time of final edTPA portfolio submission. During the implementation year, 2015-16, candidates will not have to pay the $300 fee. The fee is paid directly to Pearson and is a national fee that covers the cost of assessment development, support, and scoring by nationally trained scorers. In Oregon, all educator preparation programs have the same requirement for candidates to complete an edTPA for Oregon licensure; the cost ($300) is the same across the state and country.
How can I be more involved?
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE); the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE); and Pearson invite educators to become scorers for edTPA®.
edTPA Scorer Qualifications
- Expertise in the subject matter or developmental level of the teaching field
- Teaching experience in that field
- Experience mentoring or supervising beginning teachers
edTPA Scorer Benefits
- Promotes a deep understanding of edTPA rubrics that will enable you to better support teacher candidates
- Support informed discussions with teacher candidates and colleagues
- Support alignment with supervisory observations/evaluation and formative learning opportunities for candidates
edTPA Scorer Commitment
- Scorers must complete a training curriculum that includes about 19 to 24 hours of online modules and scoring of practice and qualification portfolios.
- Portfolios are available for scorers to score at their convenience; the average time to score a portfolio is approximately 2 to 3 hours, scorers are asked to score a minimum of 1-2 portfolios per week for a multi-month scoring session.
- Scorers are compensated for training time and for portfolios scored.