edTPA - Teacher Performance Assessment
What is edTPA?
edTPA is a performance-based, subject-specific assessment and support system used by teacher preparation programs throughout the United States to emphasize, measure, and support the skills and knowledge that all teachers need from Day 1 in the classroom. For each handbook field, the placement is a Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade classroom. edTPA is a subject-specific assessment that includes versions for 27 teaching fields. The assessment features a common architecture focused on three tasks: Planning, Instruction, and Assessment.
Aspiring teachers must prepare a portfolio of materials during their student teaching clinical experience. edTPA requires aspiring teachers to demonstrate readiness to teach through lesson plans designed to support their students’ strengths and needs; engage real students in ambitious learning; analyze whether their students are learning, and adjust their instruction to become more effective. Teacher candidates submit unedited video recordings of themselves at work in a real classroom as part of a portfolio that is scored by highly trained educators. edTPA builds on decades of teacher performance assessment development and research regarding teaching skills and practices that improve student learning. Learn more.
What should candidates know about edTPA as part of the teacher education program?
The completion and submission of the edTPA portfolio is a program requirement that is completed during student teaching. All Ball State University students seeking initial certification will need to meet this requirement,. For an up-to-date list of states that require the edTPA, please refer to the edTPA participation map.
Why does Ball State University require edTPA?
Ball State University made the decision to require the completion of the edTPA porfolio, because it provides value to our student teachers as a summative assessment. Completing the edTPA gives student teachers the opportunity to plan, instruct, assess, and reflect with an intentionality that will serve them well as future teachers. Ball State also reports data from our candidates’ edTPA performance to CAEP, our accrediting body, to ensure that our graduates are professional leaders in the field of education. edTPA is aligned with the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) as well as subject-matter content and pedagogical standards. Ball State is among 790 Educator Preparation Programs in 41states, including the District of Columbia, currently participating in edTPA.
What do student teachers need to do?
Candidates complete specific tasks and submit these tasks electronically as a portfolio through the Pearson/edTPA system. Portfolios are scored by nationally trained experts. Results are returned to the student teachers and university. Results of Ball State student portfolios are compared to other universities to make sure our teacher education program remains one of the best in the country.
What resources are offered to our candidates?
Ball State gives each teacher candidate access to the appropriate edTPA handbook and a host of resources. Teacher candidates also learn about edTPA tasks through pre-edTPA assignments embedded in teacher education courses. Please contact Gary Pavlechko, director of edTPA, with questions or concerns.