Module - edTPA Overview

1.5 hours

This module is best completed in January and February to coincide with the edTPA.

This Module includes the following:

- What is the edTPA?
- What will your student teacher do for the edTPA?
- How can mentor teachers support their candidates?
- When is the edTPA due?
- How does UCI support student teachers?
- What is the edTPA Literacy Task? [for Multiple Subject only]

What is the edTPA?

As required by SB2042, all credential candidates in California must complete a Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA). AT UCI our credential candidates complete the edTPA, used nationally, during winter quarter (Multiple Subject candidates will complete a portion of the edTPA during Fall Quarter). edTPA was developed at Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE) based on the PACT Teaching Event which UCI Credential Programs used prior to the edTPA. edTPA is now used in some 40 states with 12 states using edTPA to license new teachers or approve teacher credential programs.

What will your student teacher do for the edTPA?

For the edTPA, the credential candidates are required to plan, teach and video record a learning segment in their specific content area (MS candidates complete their edTPA in Elementary Mathematics with a Literacy Task). Candidates will also analyze student work samples from the learning segment to plan for next steps. As candidates plan and teach their learning segment, they incorporate academic language and reflect on their teaching practice.

A learning segment consists of 3-5 consecutive lessons to develop content understandings related to an academic content standards around a central focus (specific topic). Candidates plan the learning segment using knowledge about students and their learning needs to identify instructional supports and assessments. Planned lessons should engage students in learning tasks using current subject specific pedagogy in the content area of instruction.

Candidates will submit their completed portfolio for scoring as part of a national pool at the end of March or early April.

How can mentor teachers support their candidates?

Collaborating on long-term planning to determine the topics scheduled for the upcoming quarter/semester
Collaborating with credential candidates to select a central focus for a learning segment that is aligned with Common Core or academic content standards and the time period to teach the learning segment
Providing support and instructional materials that the candidate can review to plan his/her learning segment
Assist the candidate in collecting video permission forms from parents
Obtain equipment required for video recording, if available
Assist with video recording

Because the passage of edTPA is a requirement for applying for a credential, Mentor Teachers may not:

Edit candidate materials
Select video clips with the candidate
Provide actual candidate TPA materials on public access websites
Providing specific analyses of candidate responses prior to submission for scoring
Share materials across candidates or with others that are intended to be submitted or have been submitted for scoring

When is the edTPA due?

The edTPA is due in April. Your candidate will receive support through fall and winter quarters (October 2023-March 2024).

Candidates will receive support through monthly seminars to unpack the handbook and rubrics, weekly “brownbag” sessions for questions, and ongoing instruction from their content–specific methods instructors.

Suggested Timeline

This is a suggested timeline to support your candidate's completion of each section of the edTPA. While some flexibility is available for each candidate, depending on the scheduling needs of both the mentor teacher and the student teacher, staying as close to these timing suggestions is preferable.

January

Candidate meets with mentor teacher to discuss TOPICS to be taught over the next few weeks/months
Candidate and mentor teacher decide on the week and TOPIC to be taught for the learning segment
Candidate writes 3-5 consecutive lesson plans + assessments

February

Candidate teaches the 3-5 consecutive lesson plans and video records each day
Candidate assesses student work from the learning segment
Candidate selects appropriate video clips

March-April

Candidate analyzes whole class student work samples
Candidate writes commentary
Candidate submits complete portfolio to UCI AND Pearson

How does UCI support student teachers?

UCI teacher preparation programs provide support and advice throughout fall and winter quarters to prepare candidates to submit the edTPA at the end of March. The edTPA must be paid for by the candidate.

Preparation and Support:

· Instructors are aware of the expectations and tasks of the edTPA and provide relevant guidance related to subject area methodology related to planning, instruction, and assessment.

· The edTPA coordinator will hold six seminars across fall and winter quarters to outline the expectations of the edTPA, provide multiple workshops with support and work time, and answer questions and provide guidance for the edTPA.

· Supervisors and mentor teachers are made aware of the timeline and expectations of the edTPA and of the types of support they can provide.

Retake Policy

· All candidates are given the opportunity to take all or part of the edTPA two times

· Candidates who need to retake the edTPA meet with the edTPA coordinator to review their results and set up a new timeline for resubmission.

· Candidates who require a third opportunity to take the assessment must go through an appeals process outlined here:

o Meet with the Program and edTPA Coordinator to review the appeals process.

o Write a letter to be viewed by the edTPA Advisory Committee substantiating their reason(s) for requesting a third attempt. This letter serves to do one or more of the following:

§ Explain performance on the previous edTPA portfolio

§ Explain competencies in other areas that demonstrate successful teaching ability

§ Explain and document any extenuating circumstances that contributed to failed edTPA portfolio (i.e., family emergency, illness, placement constraints).

§ Propose a timeline of completion if appeal is approved and there is an opportunity to plan a new learning segment or the candidate has access to student work that will allow completion of an individual task.

§ Acknowledge that the candidate is responsible for any additional fees that are required to submit a complete edTPA or individual edTPA task.

o If the appeals process is successful and is related to an individual task for the edTPA, the candidate may resubmit the task during the current academic year.

For a detailed explanation of each of the edTPA tasks, please refer to this document:

Overview for Multiple Subject edTPA OR Overview for Single Subject edTPA

If you have questions about the edTPA, please contact your program coordinator.

For UCI Credential Program participants only. Please do not distribute. 2025-2026

For Multiple Subject Mentor Teachers ONLY

This Module includes the following:

- What is the edTPA Mathematics Task 4?
- What will your student teacher do for the Mathematics Task 4?
- What is the suggested timeline for Mathematics Task 4?
- What are the required elements for Mathematics Task 4?
- What are the edTPA Literacy Tasks 1-3?
- What is the suggested timeline for Literacy Tasks 1-3?
- What are the components of high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction and language development?

What is the edTPA Mathematics Task 4?

For the Mathematics Task 4, Candidates develop or adapt a relevant formative assessment of student learning, analyze student work samples, and design and teach a re-engagement lesson focused on student needs. Candidates complete the Mathematics Task 4 during the fall quarter student teaching placement and submit to Pearson at the end of March or early April.

What will your student teacher do for the Mathematics Task 4?

Mathematics Task 4: Assessing Students' Mathematics Learning

Part 1: Assessing Student Work

MT and Candidate select a math learning segment consisting of 3-5 lessons taught by the Candidate or the MT that builds on students' conceptual understanding, computational/procedural fluency, AND mathematical reasoning/problem-solving skills.
Candidate analyzes a whole class formative assessment from this learning segment (written work, video, or audio).
Candidate identifies 3 focus students who demonstrated a literacy struggle from the formative assessment.

Part 2: Designing a Re-Engagement Lesson

Candidate designs 1 re-engagement lesson and a new assessment for the 3 focus student.
Candidate teaches the lesson to the 3 focus students. Other students may be included in this lesson.
Candidate analyzes assessment from the re-engagement lesson (written work, video, or audio)

Suggested Timeline for Mathematics Task 4

October

Candidate asks the mentor teacher to help identify a learning segment with a focus on building students' conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, AND mathematical reasoning or problem solving skills.
Candidate asks the mentor teacher to help identify a formative assessment that the whole class completed as part of the learning segment.

November

Candidate makes copies of the whole class formative assessment from the learning segment.
Candidate analyzes the results of the formative assessment.
Candidate identifies three focus students and plans a re-engagement lesson.

December

Candidate teaches the re-engagement lesson to 3 focus students (other students may be included).
Candidate collects the re-engagement assessments from the lesson.
Candidate evaluates the effectiveness of the strategies used during the re-engagement lesson.

What are the required elements for Mathematics Task 4?

Conceptual Understanding

This refers to students' comprehension of mathematical concepts, relationships, and the underlying principles behind mathematical procedures. It involves understanding why a particular method works, not just how to do it.

Example

Understanding why using the distributive property of multiplication allows you to multiply a factor with the partial sums of another factor.

Computational/Procedural Fluency

This involves the ability to apply mathematical procedures accurately, efficiently, and flexibly to solve problems. It also includes the ability to adapt and modify procedures, choose appropriate strategies, and justify the steps taken.

Example

Being able to fluently solve multiplication problems using different strategies (e.g. repeated addition, doubling/halving, open area model, partial multiplication model, properties of multiplication, standard algorithm).

Mathematical Reasoning/ Problem-Solving Skills

This encompasses the ability to analyze a problem, identify relevant information, develop a solution strategy, and evaluate the solution. It involves reasoning, making connections, and justifying choices.

Example

Being able to reason and justify how to use friendly numbers in solving multiplication problems.

What are the edTPA Literacy Tasks 1-3?

The edTPA Literacy assessment is composed of three tasks: 1) Planning for Instruction and Assessment; 2) Instructing and Engaging Students in Learning; and 3) Assessing Student Learning. Candidates complete the Literacy Tasks 1-3 during the winter quarter student teaching placement and submit to Pearson at the end of March or early April.

What is the suggested timeline for edTPA Literacy Tasks 1-3?

January (Planning)

Candidate meets with mentor teacher to discuss TOPICS to be taught over the next few weeks/months
Candidate and mentor teacher decide on the week and TOPIC to be taught for the learning segment
Candidate writes 3-5 consecutive lesson plans

February (Instructing)

Candidate teaches the 3-5 consecutive lesson plans and video records each day
Candidate assesses student work from the learning segment
Candidate selects appropriate video clips

March (Assessing)

Candidate analyzes whole class student work samples
Candidate writes commentary
Candidate submits complete portfolio to UCI AND Pearson

What are the components of high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction and language development?

Foundational Skills

Develop students' skills in print concepts, including letters of the alphabet; phonological awareness, including phonemic awareness; phonics, spelling, and word recognition, including letter-sound, spelling-sound, and sound-symbol correspondences; decoding and encoding; morphological awareness; and text reading fluency, including accuracy, prosody (expression), and rate (as an indicator of automaticity), through instruction that is structured and organized as well as direct, systematic, and explicit and that includes practice in connected, decodable text. Provide instruction in text reading fluency that emphasizes spelling and syllable patterns, semantics, morphology, and syntax. Advance students' progress in the elements of foundational skills, language, and cognitive skills that support them as they read and write increasingly complex disciplinary texts with comprehension and effective expression.

Meaning Making

Engage students in meaning making by building on prior knowledge and using complex literary and informational texts (print, digital, and oral), questioning, and discussion to develop students' literal and inferential comprehension, including the higher-order cognitive skills of reasoning, perspective taking, and critical reading, writing, listening, and speaking across the disciplines. Engage students in reading, listening, speaking, writing, and viewing closely to draw evidence from texts, ask and answer questions, and support analysis, reflection, and research.

Language Development

Promote students' oral and written language development by attending to vocabulary knowledge and use, grammatical structures (e.g., syntax), and discourse-level understandings as students read, listen, speak, and write with comprehension and effective expression. Create environments that foster students' oral and written language development, including discipline-specific academic language. Enhance language development by engaging students in the creation of diverse print, oral, digital, and multimedia texts. Conduct instruction that leverages students' existing linguistic repertoires, including home languages and dialects, and that accepts and encourages translanguaging.

Effective Expression

Develop students' effective expression as they write, discuss, present, and use language conventions. Engage students in a range of frequent formal and informal collaborative discussions, including extended conversations, and writing for varied purposes, audiences, and contexts. Teach students to plan, develop, provide feedback to peers, revise using peer and teacher feedback, edit, and produce their own writing and oral presentations in various genres, drawing on the modes of opinion/ argumentation, information, and narration. Develop students' use of keyboarding, technology, and multimedia, as appropriate, and fluency in spelling, handwriting, and other language conventions to support writing and presentations. Teach young children letter formation/printing and related language conventions, such as capitalization and punctuation, in conjunction with applicable decoding skills.

Content Knowledge

Promote students' content knowledge by engaging students in literacy instruction, in all pertinent content areas, that integrates reading, writing, listening, and speaking in discipline-specific ways, including through printed and digital texts and multimedia, discussions, experimentation, hands-on explorations, and wide and independent reading. Teach students to navigate increasingly complex literary and informational texts relevant to the discipline, research questions of interest, and convey knowledge in a variety of ways. Promote digital literacy and the use of educational technology, including the ability to find, evaluate, use, share, analyze, create, and communicate digital resources safely and responsibly, and foster digital citizenship.

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