New Jersey Department of Education

Performance Assessment Requirement for Certification COVID-19 Guidance

The following guidance provides a description of the New Jersey Department of Education’s (NJDOE) Notice of Rule Modification issued pursuant to Executive Order No. 103 (2020) and Executive Order No. 117 (2020) (rule modification). This temporary rule modification, adopted on November 30, 2020, applies to the teacher certification performance assessment (edTPA) requirement. The NJDOE aims to ensure that all candidates who are otherwise eligible for certification but cannot complete the nationally scored edTPA due to obstacles caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency and related limitations can earn initial or permanent (standard) educator certification.

The edTPA is the Commissioner-approved performance assessment required by regulations that requires Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) teacher candidates and Certificate of Eligibility (CE) provisional teachers to plan lessons, assess student work, and submit a video recording of themselves teaching students. Some candidates are unable to complete the edTPA due to abrupt changes in teaching placements or modalities, asynchronous virtual learning environments, district policies, and other restrictions caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Candidates who are able to complete edTPA in the usual manner with national scoring shall be required to do so. National scoring of edTPA includes the review and evaluation of evidence and artifacts specified for each task within each subject-matter handbook submitted through edTPA’s electronic portal and scored by nationally trained scorers utilizing edTPA rubrics and guidelines.

However, to ensure all candidates have an equitable opportunity to demonstrate preparedness to teach within their individual circumstances, the flexibilities provided in this rule modification allow educator preparation programs to determine alternative measures of readiness to teach for candidates seeking initial or standard teaching certification during the COVID-19 public health emergency. If a state-approved educator preparation program provider determines, on a case-by-case basis, that a teacher candidate is unable to complete the edTPA, the provider must submit to the NJDOE an alternative measure for approval to demonstrate the teacher candidate’s readiness to teach.

Additionally, the NJDOE will extend flexibility to teacher leader preparation programs to provide candidates who successfully complete a teacher leader program during the COVID-19 public health emergency with a NJDOE-approved alternative assessment to complete and pass prior to recommending the candidate for certification in the absence of a Commissioner-approved performance assessment.

Effective Date: The rule modification applies to certification requirements at N.J.A.C. 6A:9A-4.5 and 5.5 and 6A:9B-8.2 and 8.7 and is effective from November 30, 2020 until the end of the semester in which the public health emergency ends.

Temporary flexibilities apply to the following:

  • Candidates applying for CEAS who are able to complete the edTPA in the usual manner with national scoring shall be required to do so. If a candidate is enrolled in a state-approved educator preparation program as of September 1, 2020 and the program provider determines, on a case-by-case basis, that a teacher candidate is unable to complete the edTPA but has met all other requirements for the CEAS, the provider may submit to the NJDOE for approval an alternative measure  to demonstrate readiness to teach.
  • CE provisional teachers applying for a standard certificate who are able to complete the edTPA in the usual manner with national scoring shall be required to do so. If a candidate is enrolled in a state-approved educator preparation program as of September 1, 2020 and the program provider determines, on a case-by-case basis, that a teacher candidate is unable to complete the edTPA but has met all other requirements for the standard certificate, the provider may submit to the NJDOE for approval an alternative measure to demonstrate readiness to teach.
  • Certificate of Eligibility through Reciprocity (CE-R) teachers applying for a standard certificate who meet all other standard certification requirements shall be exempt from the performance assessment requirement during the COVID-19 public health emergency and must demonstrate readiness to teach via teacher evaluations completed pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-8.6.

2020-2021 Performance Assessment (edTPA) Guidance for Educator Preparation Program Providers

Next Steps for Educator Preparation Providers

If a program provider determines that a candidate cannot complete the edTPA, CE and CEAS educator preparation providers will submit a plan to the NJDOE prior to recommending candidates for certification describing how each candidate recommended for certification who was unable to complete edTPA has otherwise demonstrated readiness to teach. Prior to recommending candidates for certification, the provider must receive formal approval from the NJDOE of its alternative plans.

Performance Assessment (edTPA) Guidance FAQs

Contact Information

Regulatory References

NJ Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.) Citation

Requirement

Temporary Flexibility

6A:9B-8.2

Performance assessment required for CEAS.

Performance assessment is required for a CEAS. Educator preparation providers may use an alternative measure approved by the NJDOE to determine preparedness to teach in lieu of the edTPA.

 6A:9A-5.5

Performance assessment required for CE program completion.

Performance assessment is required for program completion. Educator preparation providers may use an alternative measure approved by the NJDOE to determine preparedness to teach in lieu of the edTPA.

6A:9B-8.7

Performance assessment required for CE candidates to earn standard certificate.

Performance assessment is required for a standard certificate. Educator preparation providers may use an alternative measure approved by the NJDOE to determine preparedness to teach in lieu of the edTPA.

6A:9B-8.7(a)4i

Performance assessment required for CE candidates through reciprocity to earn standard certificate.

Performance assessment is not required to earn a standard certificate for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The candidates shall demonstrate readiness to teach via teacher evaluations completed pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-8.6.

6A:9A-6.4(a)2

Performance assessment required for completion of teacher leader preparation program.

In lieu of a Commissioner-approved performance assessment, approved teacher leader preparation programs may use an alternative assessment approved by the NJDOE to determine candidate proficiency.

6A:9B-11A.3(a)5

Performance assessment required to earn the teacher leader endorsement.

In lieu of a Commissioner-approved performance assessment, approved teacher leader preparation programs may use an alternative assessment approved by the NJDOE to determine candidate proficiency and recommend candidates for the teacher leader endorsement.

Page Last Updated: 02/03/2021 11:41:42

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