Customized and National Performance-Based Assessments
Complementary to test-center based educator credential examination systems, some states have incorporated a performance-based assessment that is a portfolio assessment and moves beyond traditional multiple choice and constructed response questions by asking candidates, through the compiling of artifacts and evidence, to highlight and demonstrate their practice as it aligns with specific performance expectations and standards within the profession.
In a performance-based assessment system, candidates have the flexibility and opportunity to select their own video clips of instruction that highlight aspects required to demonstrate in the assessment. Additionally, candidates compile this work ongoing - building, reviewing, and refining their work, seeking formative feedback along the way, culminating in the “turning in” or submission of their final portfolio of instruction.
Evaluation Systems partners with state agencies and other organizations to create both customized and national performance-based assessments, such as the customized assessments offered in California and Massachusetts; as well as the national offerings of edTPA® (Educative Teacher Performance Assessment) and the NBPTS (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards) Portfolio. These assessments are available for use nationally and may be adapted for state-specific use.
Custom Assessment Solutions
CalAPA
California Administrator Performance Assessment
The California Administrator Performance Assessment (CalAPA) is the sole performance assessment for potential school administrators currently approved for use in California. CalAPA is built upon the California Professional Standards for Education Leaders (CPSEL) and measures the California Administrator Performance Expectations (CAPE). The CAPE identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities that a school administrator should demonstrate at the beginning of an administrative services career.
Building on current research, the CalAPA affirms that effective educational leaders strive for educational opportunities driven by equity and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic success and well-being. California leaders recognize, respect, and utilize each student’s strengths, experiences, and background as assets for teaching and learning. Effective educational leaders confront and alter institutional biases of student marginalization, deficit-based schooling, and low expectations.
Program Leadership Cycles
The CalAPA features three leadership cycles that candidates complete during their preliminary preparation program. The cycles require candidates to engage in a recursive four step process of Investigate, Plan, Act, and Reflect (IPAR), with Cycles 2 and 3 requiring a video component.
- Leadership Cycle 1: Analyzing Data to Inform School Improvement and Promote Equity Leadership
- Leadership Cycle 2: Facilitating Communities of Practice Leadership
- Leadership Cycle 3: Supporting Teacher Growth Leadership
Visit California Administrator Performance Assessment (CalAPA).
CalTPA
California Teaching Performance Assessment
In 2015, The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing redeveloped the California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA) to align with the expectations of the state-adopted Common Core State Standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, and the needs of the Commission’s Accreditation Data System for an outcomes-based set of quality indicators that was grounded in equity. The CalTPA measures candidate competency in the California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) within the six California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP). The TPEs identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities that an educator should demonstrate at the beginning of a teaching career.
Building on current research, The CalTPA affirms that effective educators strive for educational opportunities driven by equity and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic success and well-being. California educators recognize, respect, and utilize each student’s strengths, experiences, and background as assets for teaching and learning. Effective educators confront and alter institutional biases of student marginalization, deficit-based schooling, and low expectations.
Multiple Subject, Single Subject, and World Languages Assessments
The CalTPA features two instructional cycles that general education educator candidates complete during their preliminary preparation program. Both cycles require candidates to engage in a recursive four-step process of Plan, Teach & Assess, Reflect, and Apply (PTRA), which include video components.
Instructional Cycle 1: Learning About Students and Planning Instruction
Cycle 1 requires a complete teaching cycle (PTRA) for one content-specific lesson that candidates develop and teach within a school placement focusing on students’ diverse assets and learning needs.
Instructional Cycle 2: Assessment Driven Instruction
Cycle 2 also requires a complete teaching cycle (PTRA) that emphasizes the interaction between standards, assessment, and instructional decision making.
CalTPE
California Teaching Performance Expectations
In 2018, The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing adopted program standards and California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) for the Mild to Moderate Support Needs (MMSN) and Extensive Support Needs (ESN) credentials. In April 2019, the Commission adopted authorization statements for these education specialist credentials. In December 2020, The Commission made it a requirement for education specialist candidates to demonstrate proficiency in all five types of education specialist to receive the preliminary credential.
Education Specialist California Teaching Performance Assessment
The Education Specialist California Teaching Performance Assessment is comprised of two instructional cycles that include analytics, five level rubrics modeled after the general education CalTPA. The foundation of these assessments is the CalTPA because of the validity and authenticity established during its implementation.
California embraces the theory of action, “all educators are educators of all students,” and it is important to keep the assessments more similar than different to these expectations for educator performance. This goal was achievable because these credential areas of emphasis share Universal TPEs with the Multiple Subject and Single Subject credentials delineated in the CalTPA.
• Cycle 1: Learning about Students with IEPs and Planning Instruction
• Cycle 2: Assessment Driven Instruction for Students with IEPs
PAL
Performance Assessment for Leaders
Massachusetts Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL) is a performance-based portfolio assessment intended for initial credentialing of building-level administrators. This performance assessment was developed with support from national experts on leadership and performance assessments and aligned with national and Massachusetts educational leadership standards. PAL produces authentic evidence of a candidate’s readiness to serve as a building-level administrator who can create an equity-centered school that will enable all students to learn.
PAL Performance-Based Portfolio Assessment
The standards on which PAL is based integrates competencies designed to disrupt historical patterns of racial inequity. PAL builds on research confirming the significant role of school and district leaders in promoting success for students by preparing school leaders who strive to create educational opportunities driven by equity and culturally responsive practices. Effective educational leaders confront and alter institutional biases of student marginalization, deficit-based schooling, and low expectations.
Put forth by the Public Design of Equity, equity is centered in PAL using Intentional Equity Pauses. The MA PAL embeds these pauses throughout and provides candidates with a way to identify obstacles that impede equity. Each pause includes a series of questions that encourage candidates to reflect on their actions, identify barriers, and name ways to address systemic biases and promote racial equity in their work.
Educators complete PAL in a school setting with guidance and direction from a supervising practitioner or school leader, PAL includes four overlapping and complementary tasks centered on a common priority academic area.
- Task 1: Leadership through a Vision for High Student Achievement.
- Task 2: Instructional Leadership for a Professional Learning Culture.
- Task 3: Leadership in Observing, Assessing, and Supporting Individual Educator Effectiveness.
- Task 4: Leadership for Family Engagement and Community Involvement.
For each task, candidates provide authentic artifacts (e.g., memos, plans), supporting documents (e.g., data, school/district-specific materials), and prepare a commentary to provide evidence of planning, implementing, and analyzing leadership practices and engagement of others in improving student learning.
Visit Massachusetts Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL).
NBPTS
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
The mission of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is to develop, retain, and recognize accomplished educators and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. National Board Certification is the most respected professional credential available in education and provides benefits to educators, students, and schools. Often cited as an indicator of effective teaching, The National Board has a decade of research to support the impact that Board-certified educators have on students. Students of board-certified educators learn more than their peers and this impact is even greater among the indigenous population, Blacks, and low-income students.
National Board Certification is the gold standard in education. During the credentialing process, educators demonstrate knowledge of students, standards, and content. The assessment contains a portfolio of accomplished teaching with video evidence of classroom teaching and a written reflection of the lesson. In addition to the portfolio and written portion, there is a computer-based content knowledge assessment, taken in a testing center, where educators demonstrate their knowledge.
Performance-Based Educator Practice
National Board-certified educators indicate that the credentialing process is the most valuable and transformative professional development they have received. The opportunity to connect professional learning with classroom practice brings to life an educator’s experience, helping them reflect on individual student learning needs. In a time when educator shortages are nationwide and voices outside of the education world recommend loosening standards, the nation's students need highly accomplished professionals in their schools. Setting higher standards for educators and demonstrating accomplished teaching means better learning by students. The National Board is currently reviewing standards to ensure they are relevant for today’s educators.
Visit National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and browse NBPTS certified educator testimonials.
edTPA
Educative Teacher Performance Assessment
edTPA® is a performance-based portfolio assessment that was authored by Stanford University and in 2011, Evaluation Systems began operationalizing the assessment. University faculty and staff developed edTPA® and are the sole authors. Also, over 900 educator preparation programs in 41 states and the District of Columbia contributed to the program's development and field testing. edTPA® was purposefully designed to reflect the job-related teaching tasks that are represented in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) as it pertains to the skills and competencies attained as part of teacher preparation.
Teacher Certification and Educator Readiness
Through a process that includes a review of an educator candidate’s authentic teaching materials, edTPA® provides evidence of a candidate’s readiness to teach. Features, including embedding edTPA® in other assessments can be found edTPA® Features. Candidates receive performance feedback on key constructs associated with effective teaching. Educator preparation programs and state agencies have access to robust data from edTPA® and states use the data for program approval, national accreditation, and the data informs their continuous improvement process.
Visit edTPA.org.
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