Abstract
Since edTPA's nationwide availability in 2013, it has been adopted by almost 900 education preparation programs in over 40 states. A few states, including the authors', have required a passing score for teacher licensure. While the edTPA has been heralded as a means to improve teacher education programs and the teachers those programs produce, it has also faced criticism for detracting from programs’ ability to train its students, as well as the student teachers’ experiences during their preparation in general, and student teaching in particular. The field of special education shares the implementation challenges faced by other areas of teacher licensure, but the unique nature of IEP delivery across various points on the continuum of placements, the frequent mismatch between student teaching placements and environments conducive to high edTPA scores, and the requirement for passing scores in this era of special education teacher shortages have all placed additional stresses on training programs. When the authors' state was an early adopter of a cutoff score for licensure, its training program focused overtly and extensively on helping its students achieve passing scores, arguably at the expense of career preparation. More recently, it found ways to return teacher development to the fore while still maintaining a high edTPA pass rate for its students, thereby helping them get past the hurdle of licensure while being properly prepared for their careers.
Recommended Citation
Cook, Joe; Skoning, Stacey; Fischer, Tom; and Clark, Denise
(2021)
"The Implementation of edTPA in Special Education Teacher Training Programs: Putting Teacher Development Over Passing Scores,"
Mid-Western Educational Researcher: Vol. 33:
Iss.
3, Article 5.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/mwer/vol33/iss3/5
