– Tovi C . Scruggs
CTC works on accreditation issues
The Commission on Teacher Credentialing met Sept . 7-8 . The following is a report on key action written by ACSA CTC Liaison Doug Gephart . For more information on specific items , please visit the CTC website at www . ctc . ca . gov .
Preliminary Education Specialist
Credential
The Education Specialist Preliminary Credential Workgroup began with the concept of a shared preparation experience for general education and special education teachers , ensuring that all teachers are prepared to teach all students . Upon extensive study and analysis by the Special Education Workgroup , two new models were submitted to the commission for consideration .
There are pros and cons to each of these models with no clear distinction that one model would be more effective than the other . Consequently , the commission did not adopt either model and elected to further study the benefits of each model before making a final decision .
Model 1 : The Single Comprehensive Credential
This model represents a comprehensive Education Specialist and General Education credential in either the multiple subjects or single subject area . This comprehensive K-22 credential would be the result of an integrated preparation program , whereby the candidate is simultaneously prepared for the general education and special education credentials . A broader preparation program would promote more inclusive classes and least restrictive learning environments , and focus attention on student needs and services , as opposed to focusing primarily on a label or category .
Model 2 : Two Education Specialist Credentials
This model would maintain one credential pathway for candidates to support students with mild to moderate disabilities in a wide range of instructional settings , and another pathway for candidates to meet the needs of students with more intensive or significant disabilities .
With this structure , teacher candidates would have more balance between the depth and breadth of knowledge required at each level of intensity , thus feeling better prepared to meet the individualized needs of the students . Allowing teachers to choose a pathway for working with students with high-incidence or low-incidence disabilities would be another benefit that increases retention , since teachers would be able to select one of the two education specialist credential options .
Recommendation for specialized
credentials Visual Impairments The CTC adopted the recommendation of experts in Visual Impairments that candidates for a VI credential should not be required to meet the general education Teacher Performance Expectations ,
Students volunteering their help
but instead to meet only the requirements of the updated Visual Impairment program standards and Teacher Performance Expectations for Visual Impairment programs . The VI credential represents a birth to age 22 authorization .
Early Childhood Special Education
The commission adopted , with concurrence from experts in Early Childhood Special Education ( ECSE ), the recommendation of the Preliminary Education Specialist Credential Workgroup that the authorization for the stand-alone ECSE credential should be expanded to include Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten . This would authorize the holder of the ECSE credential to teach students with disabilities from birth through kindergarten . For this expanded authorization , candidates for the ECSE credential would need to have the expanded set of knowledge , skills and abilities needed to teach students with disabilities from birth through kindergarten .
Physical and Health Impairments
Currently the Physical and Health Impairments ( PHI ) Credential authorizes a teacher to work with students birth through age 22 who have an orthopedic impairment , other health impairment , multiple disabilities , and traumatic brain injury . There is one approved educator preparation program for PHI at this time . The CTC approved , based on the recommendation of the Education Specialist Workgroup , that the specialized knowledge , skills , and abilities addressed in this credential program be retained and infused in whichever credential structure is adopted by the commission .
Las Virgenes USD teacher and
administrator program
Las Virgenes USD , under the leadership of Superintendent Dan Stepenosky and Assistant Superintendent Clara Finneran , is forging new ground as they prepare to become a program sponsor as a new teacher training site .
The commission has provided provisional approval to the district to offer General Education Multiple Subject and Single Subject Induction Programs . In addition , the commission also provided provisional approval for a Preliminary Administrative Services program and Clear Administrative Services Induction program . In April , the commission granted preliminary approval based upon evidence provided by Las Virgenes that they have addressed the 12 eligibility requirements ; thus allowing it to move forward to the Stage 3 : Review to determine alignment with applicable standards and preconditions .
The approval is for a three-year period at which time a three-year site visit will occur and data collected that will include completers of the program . Assuming responsibility to train their own teachers , while meeting the high standards established by
Many students statewide have pitched in to gather donations and relief supplies for the areas of the country affected by flooding and hurricanes . In Walnut Valley USD , C . J . Morris Elementary students stepped up to the plate to collect donations to help victims in Texas . the CTC , places the district at the forefront of educational leadership and serves as a model for other school districts to follow in their lead .
Santa Barbara USD two-year
induction program
The CTC also approved Santa Barbara USD to offer a two-year teacher induction program that will allow the district to have direct control over the training and support of new teachers . Previously , district teachers were provided induction support through the Santa Barbara County Office of Education for approximately 50 district teacher candidates . Under the new program for induction , teacher candidates will have demonstrated that they have the essential knowledge , skills , abilities and competencies required of all teacher candidates who complete the full length induction program .
The provisional approval is for a period of three years , at which time a site visit will occur to review data including completers of the program . Moving forward , Santa Barbara USD ’ s program will be reviewed by the Committee on Accreditation for continued approval of their induction program .
FAST teacher performance
assessment waiver
The Fresno Assessment of Student Teachers , FAST , is a CTC-approved Teacher Performance Assessment ( TPA ) model , designed by and used exclusively by Fresno State . FAST was established through a Title 2 U . S . Department of Education grant in which Fresno State participated and is subject to revision as part of a process to update the assessment . The teacher work sample was modified to measure California ’ s Teacher Performance Expectations . FAST was originally approved by the commission in 2007 as a Teacher Performance Model . The assessment met the original assessment design standards , measured the original TPEs , and included several different types of course-based assessments .
Planned revisions to the existing FAST include the following :
• Elimination of an on demand written assessment .
• Elimination of a holistic proficiency project portfolio documenting proficiency over time .
Additional expectations of FAST candidates include :
• Teacher candidates will formally gather data on students in the class and use the information to describe their instructional choices in the lesson plan .
• Continuing the practice of candidates teaching a lesson observed by their university supervisor .
• Candidates will continue to use a video of their lesson to evaluate elements new to TPEs .
The commission approved Fresno State ’ s request to allow candidates participating in the FAST program to use a passing score on the field test to the revised FAST to meet the TPA requirement for professional preparation .
Realignment of the Preliminary
Administrative Services content
Previously , the CTC adopted a series of standards for the preliminary Administrative Services Credential . It is important to note that the substance of the Performance and Content Expectations were not changed during the realignment process . Both the Content and Performance Expectations are organized under the six California Professional Standards for Education Leaders . While there is an alignment between the two sets of expectations , the expectations do not reflect a one-to-one match between the Performance Indicators .
The CTC , upon recommendation by commission staff , approved the realignment of the content and performance expectations . Programs should already be meeting the reorganized content and performance expectations ; therefore , a new document will not be submitted to the commission .
September 18 , 2017 EDCAL 3
This powerful image has been prevalent in education circles :
As we embark on a new school year , we must ask , “ How will I bring the Liberation image to reality ?”
Leaders of equity efforts believe that equity needs to first and foremost be a mindset in order to be a strategy and ultimately serve as an aspirational goal .
Partners in School Innovation is an official ACSA Equity Partner , and we believe that becoming a leader of equity efforts can be taught , coached and developed .
• Mindset : We promote continual reflection on , and responsiveness to , traditionally excluded voices . In our work with district leaders and principals , we provide coaching on considering the perspectives of those in the most challenged schools , understanding the work from their perspective , and valuing their inputs .
We coach them to include voices other than the “ usual suspects ” in decision-making , orienting these leaders to attend first and quickly to the places within their schools that require most attention and urging them to get the correct dosage of support to those places . For teachers , it is a concerted effort to authentically include all students in learning and pay particular attention to the least engaged , those for whom first and second efforts have missed the target . Additionally , it means consistently modeling an assets-based view of students of color and helping teachers become more culturally responsive .
• Strategy : In the image above , the contrast between the center and left pictures illustrates the need to use resources equitably , not equally . Equity then becomes the main resource strategy , and not just the mindset that underlies it . For example , if a set of schools has to improve three times as much as the rest of the district ’ s schools , the district must implement a strategy in that set of schools that is three times as impactful or deliver three times the resources .
• Goal : The goal is to embed equityfocused knowledge , skills and resource allocation strategies in district systems . Systems allow leaders to transition while maintaining equitable practices embedded , and thus , the overall system stays intact so that operational excellence and student learning remain at the center . Such systems implemented over time will actively erode the institutional barriers to achievement , particularly for our most underserved , liberating those students and allowing them to reach their full potential .
With coaching and collaboration , all of California ’ s educators can make equity a mindset , strategy , and an aspirational goal . Our students deserve no less .
– Tovi C . Scruggs
Regional Executive Director Partners in School Innovation