What is the edTPA?
Beginning May 1, 2014, the Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) is a required subject area-specific, performance-based assessment centered on student learning, that all New York State preservice teacher candidates must pass in order to apply for initial certification.
Stanford University faculty and staff at the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE) developed the edTPA, with substantive advice from teachers and teacher educators. The edTPA is a classroom performance-based assessment of teaching effectiveness administered during student teaching field experience. edTPA complements existing entry-level assessments that focus on basic skills or subject-matter knowledge. It is comparable to the licensing exams that demand applications of skills in other professions, such as medical licensing exams, the architecture exam, or the bar exam in law.
The assessment is built around the proposition that successful teaching is based on knowledge of subject matter and subject-specific pedagogy, knowledge of one's students, involving students in monitoring their own learning process, reflecting and acting on candidate-based and student-based evidence of the effects of instruction on student learning, and considering research/theory about how students learn.
The edTPA measures five discrete but interrelated dimensions of teaching:
- Planning for Instruction and Assessment
- Instructing and Engaging Students in Learning
- Assessing Student Learning
- Analysis of Teaching
- Academic Language
Key requirements
- 3-task electronic portfolio of teaching artifacts
- Subject-specific learning segment of 3-5 lessons from a unit of instruction for one class of students
- 20-minute video segment within the 3-5 day unit of instruction
- Lesson plans and anonymous student work samples
- Analyses of student learning
- Reflective commentaries
Timeline for submission
The timeline for submitting the completed edTPA is based on candidate readiness. It is recommended that candidates submit their assessment for scoring early enough in their student teaching placement to allow time for resubmission if necessary. Candidates are responsible for the quality of their work and the final score received for their submitted performance assessment.
What will be the cost of edTPA to New York candidates?
The assessment fee is estimated to be $300, paid by the candidates. This fee covers assessment services associated with the implementation, delivery, scoring and reporting of edTPA in New York. Assessment services include the use of the technology platform which registers the candidate, receives the portfolio, coordinates the logistics of scoring the portfolio, analyzes the results and reports the results to the candidate.
What are people saying about edTPA?
To listen to a student teacher discuss her experience with edTPA and to read statements from people in the field who have worked with edTPA, please check this link.