06/11/2022
FYI
The SBOE will be voting on a new teacher certification exam, the edTPA.
If approved, this portfolio based assessment will replace the PPR. The cost of the exam is several hundred dollars more than the PPR, and if a candidate fails any one of the three sections, including a video of the candidate teaching a lesson, the candidate will face additional retesting costs.
While some argue that the test ensures teachers are ready on day one in the classroom, others have pointed to data from other states that indicate the test led to severe teacher shortages because it is expensive and burdensome to teacher candidates. Several states that had previously adopted the exam have now repealed as their certification exam.
We invite you to testify at the SBOE public hearing Tuesday, June 14, 2022 at 9:00 AM.
See our talking points below:
The test is an unfunded mandate that places the burden and cost on potential candidates and teachers seeking recertification.
The test assessment has been criticized for issues surrounding the language it uses, and the issues of equity it creates.
Data from other states that indicate the test led to severe teacher shortages.
Their data also suggests that the test significantly disadvantaged Hispanic and African American candidates.
The cost of entry into the teaching profession in Texas is already staggering and requires educators to incur tremendous debt in order to have the opportunity to be a teacher. Increasing the cost of the certification process increases the barrier of entry to educators, creating additional equity concerns.
An educator in training has more to gain from their time student teaching than they do from taking another test. Yet many who would seek to become an educator cannot afford to work an entire semester of unpaid labor as a student teacher.
At a time of unprecedented teacher shortages in the state of Texas, the SBOE should not be considering an unfunded mandate without an agreement from the to take on the cost of teacher preparation programs and to correct the existing equity issues within the teacher preparation pipeline.
Register to provide public testimony to the before June 10th at 5 PM! follow the directions here: https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/leadership/state-board-of-education/sboe-meetings/public-testimony-registration
