California Teaching Performance

Assessment (CA TPA)

Multiple and Single Subject Teaching Programs

California State University, Los Angeles

What is the Teaching Performance

Assessment (TPA)?

• California mandated standardized teacher

candidate performance assessment

• Used to provide formative feedback to

candidates as they progress through the

program as well as a summative measure of

documented teaching performance.

• Embedded in the Blocks of the program

• A passing TPA score is required to recommend

a candidate for a Preliminary Credential

What Does the TPA Assess?

• The TPA measures the Teaching Performance

Expectations (TPEs)

• The TPEs describe what California teachers

need to know and be able to do before begin

recommended for a Preliminary Credential

Example of the TPEs

Engaging and Supporting Students in learning

TPE 4: Making Content Accessible

TPE 5: Student Engagement

TPE 6: Developmentally Appropriate

Teaching Methods

TPE 7: Teaching English Learners

Overview of the Teaching Performance

Assessment (TPA)

The TPA consists of four tasks that are sequenced

and increase in complexity.

1. Subject-Specific Pedagogy (SSP)

2. Designing Instruction (DI)

3. Assessing Learning (AL)

4. Culminating Teaching Experience (CTE)

Overview of the Teaching Performance

Assessment

The four tasks are

embedded within the

credential program

and sequenced

accordingly:

Task Block

(1) SSP Block 1

(2) DI Block 2

(3) AL Block 3

(4) CTE Block 4

TPA in the Multiple Subject Program:

Course Alignment

Task 1 - Subject-Specific

Pedagogy

EDEL 402

Task 2 - Designing

Instruction

EDEL 417

Task 3 – Assessing

Learning

EDEL 416/EDEL 419

Task 4 – Culminating

Teaching Experience

EDEL 403 C

TPA in the Single Subject Program:

Course Alignment

Task 1 – Subject

Specific Pedagogy

EDSE 401

Task 2 – Designing

Instruction

EDSE 445A

Task 3 – Assessing

Learning

EDSE 445B

Task 4 – Culminating

Teaching Experience

EDSE 445D

Completing the TPA

• Students complete the TPA in Task

Stream

• After completing a task, students print the

Candidate Statement of Authenticity and

the Certificate of Completion.

• Students submit both documents to the

course instructor during the seventh week

of the quarter.

Task Overviews

The following slides provide brief overviews

of the four tasks.

More complete information is available from

the Commission on Teacher Credentialing

at http://www.ctc.ca.gov/educator-

prep/TPA-files/CandidateHandbook.pdf

1. Subject-Specific Pedagogy (SSP)

In this task, you will respond to four cases studies. Let’s

look at two examples:

• Design a lesson that meets the needs of specific students (provided) and the reading/language arts content standards

• Analyze a teacher’s assessment plan for a math unit. Recommend alternative assessments and provide recommendations for additional assessments and use assessments to guide instruction

Responses should provide evidence of your ability to connect student characteristics to instructional planning

2. Designing Instruction (DI)

In this task, you will

• learn important details about a classroom of students (an actual classroom), an English learner, and a student who presents a different instructional challenge (e.g. GATE, learning or physical disability).

• plan instruction that is shaped by those student characteristics

Reponses should demonstrate your ability to use what you learn about students to plan instruction

3. Assessing Learning

In this task, you will

• select a unit of study and learning goals and plan

standards-based, developmentally appropriate student

assessment

• make assessment adaptations for two focus students: an

English learner and a student with identified special

needs

• score, review, and analyze evidence of student learning

and reflect on assessment implications of this evidence

Responses should provide evidence of your ability to

assess student progress towards the learning goals

4. Culminating Teaching Experience

(CTE)

In this task you will

• design a lesson based on state-adopted standards

• implement the lesson, meeting the differing needs of

individuals within the class and managing instruction and

student interactions. (video of the lesson will be

submitted.)

• assess student learning

• analyze evidence of student learning and reflect on your

instruction

Scoring Procedures

Responses will be judged on the extent to

which they provide clear, consistent, and

convincing evidence of your abilities

Responses are

– Scored on task-specific rubrics by trained

assessors

– Scored holistically

– Scored with anonymity of students

Assessors

• Assessors are university faculty, supervisors,

master teachers, and other education

professionals.

(Course instructors will not score their own

students’ work.)

Responses will be judged on the extent to

which they provide clear, consistent, and

convincing evidence of your abilities

TPA Performance Scoring

• Each task has a specific scoring rubric that describes the characteristics of a candidates’ performance relative to the task

• Each rubric has a score level ranging from a low of “1” to a high of “4”

• A score level of “3” is a passing score. Candidates must score a “3” or higher on each task to pass the TPA

• Candidates must pass TPA Tasks 1, 2, and 3 to be eligible for student teaching

Score Level Criteria

Your responses will be judged on the extent to which

they provide clear, consistent, and convincing

evidence of your abilities.

Level 4 Appropriate, relevant, accurate, and clear or detailed

Level 3 Appropriate, relevant, or accurate

________________________________________________

Level 2 Minimal, limited, cursory, inconsistent, and/or

ambiguous

Level 1 Inappropriate, irrelevant, inaccurate or missing

Please Note:

At California State University, Los

Angeles, candidates must pass Tasks

1, 2, and 3 to be eligible for student

teaching.

What if I don’t Achieve a Passing Score?

• Candidate may receive additional advice and assistance from designated faculty and/or the TPA Coordinator

• *Retake Required Task(s) up to two times

*A passing score of 3 or higher is required for each of the four tasks. Candidates must pass specified tasks before they can continue in the program. Candidates are allowed a total of three attempts to pass a task. If a candidate does not pass a task after three attempts, the candidate is permanently removed from the program.

Use of the Results

• Formative information for use by the candidates

• Evidence of program effectiveness

• Formative information for use in an induction program

• Summative information as one basis for

– Permitting a candidate to continue in the program

– Recommending a candidate for a credential