The edTPA in Washington State: Dilemmas and Opportunities

• In Event: Context Matters: Unpacking National Teacher Assessments and the edTPA in Four States

Abstract

Objectives
Washington was one of the first states to mandate the edTPA for initial teacher certification. Beginning in January of 2012, all teacher preparation programs were required to adopt the edTPA and to participate in two years of field testing. As of January 2014 a passing score on the edTPA will be required for initial teacher certification.

The aim of this study is to describe the impact of this mandated assessment on teacher education programs in Washington state in general, and on one teacher education program in particular. The study investigates state-wide policy and perspectives through documents and data from the Washington Association of Colleges of Education (WACTE). This analysis is illuminated by examples of the impact on one teacher education program.

Perspectives/Theoretical Framework
The edTPA is one response to the current policy climate calling for assurances of teacher quality through teacher assessment. Performance assessments that capture the complexity of teaching and “examine how teachers actually plan, teach and respond to student learning” (Darling-Hammond & Hayley, 2012, p. 11) are felt by many to be a superior form of teacher evaluation, not only because they are more authentic measures, but also because they offer an opportunity for the improvement of practice (Coskie & Place, 2008; Darling-Hammond & Hayley, 2012; Peck, Galluci & Sloan, 2010). However, when assessments are mandated and high stakes, a distortion of the teaching and learning process is possible and often occurs (Au, 2012; McNeil, 2000).

Data Sources & Methods
This paper draws upon two distinct data sets. The first set relates to state-wide policy and implementation and includes WACTE minutes and resolutions, composite field test scores, and surveys regarding implementation needs and supports. The second data set relates to implementation at one institution. This data set includes notes and documents from faculty, field instructor and partner school meetings, open-ended surveys of cooperating teachers and student teachers, and sampled interviews. The analysis began with “open coding” to identify prominent themes (Strauss & Corbin, 1998), and is proceeding through an analysis that includes axial coding around common themes (Strauss & Corbin, 1998).

Results
Preliminary results indicate that teacher education programs meet the expectations of the edTPA in a variety of ways. This challenges an assumption of uniformity in administration in such resource areas as time, personnel and money. While implementation of the edTPA has strengthened teacher education in many programs by encouraging such activities as cross-program dialogue and needed curriculum revision, it has also created tensions within programs. Not unlike the curricular narrowing effect of high stakes testing on K-12 student learning, teacher certification programs also face a pull to limit preparation to what is measured. Other effects include changes in the relationship between the university and cooperating teachers since the edTPA administration impacts the student teaching experience.

Significance
As Washington was one of earliest states to mandate the edTPA, understanding this context holds the potential for informing both state modification and cross state planning for implementation.

Author

• Nancy A. Place, University of Washington - Bothell