CA Bill That Would Remove Teacher Credential Performance Assessments Advances

A California Senate bill that would remove one of the last tests teachers are required to become credentialed in the state recently passed the Senate Education Committee. State Senate Bill 1263, introduced by Sen. Josh Newman in February, would eliminate the California Teaching Performance Assessment, which requires teachers to demonstrate their competence via video clips of classroom instruction, as well as written reflections on their classroom experience. At a April 17 hearing, Mr. Newman argued that removing the assessment would encourage more Californians to become teachers. “Despite its well-intentioned purpose, the demands associated with preparing for the [performance assessment] have actually had the perverse impact of reducing the overall quality of teacher preparation by undermining the capacity of teacher candidates to focus on what’s most important, which is their clinical practice,” he said....