1. California Teaching Performance Assessment (CA TPA)
Multiple and Single Subject Teaching Programs
California State University, Los Angeles

2. What is the Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA)?
California mandated standardized teacher candidate performance assessment
Used to provide formative feedback to candidates as they progress through the program as well as a summative measure of documented teaching performance.
Embedded in the Blocks of the program
A passing TPA score is required to recommend a candidate for a Preliminary Credential

3. What Does the TPA Assess?
The TPA measures the Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs)
The TPEs describe what California teachers need to know and be able to do before begin recommended for a Preliminary Credential

4. Engaging and Supporting Students in learning
Example of the TPEs
Engaging and Supporting Students in learning
TPE 4: Making Content Accessible
TPE 5: Student Engagement
TPE 6: Developmentally Appropriate Teaching Methods
TPE 7: Teaching English Learners

5. Overview of the Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA)
The TPA consists of four tasks that are sequenced and increase in complexity.
Subject-Specific Pedagogy (SSP)
Designing Instruction (DI)
Assessing Learning (AL)
Culminating Teaching Experience (CTE)

6. Overview of the Teaching Performance Assessment
The four tasks are embedded within the credential program and sequenced accordingly:
Task
Block
SSP
Block 1
(2) DI
Block 2
(3) AL
Block 3
(4) CTE
Block 4

7. TPA in the Multiple Subject Program: Course Alignment
Task 1 - Subject-Specific Pedagogy
EDEL 402
Task 2 - Designing Instruction
EDEL 417
Task 3 – Assessing Learning
EDEL 416/EDEL 419
Task 4 – Culminating Teaching Experience
EDEL 403 C

8. TPA in the Single Subject Program: Course Alignment
Task 1 – Subject Specific Pedagogy
EDSE 401
Task 2 – Designing Instruction
EDSE 445A
Task 3 – Assessing Learning
EDSE 445B
Task 4 – Culminating Teaching Experience
EDSE 445D

9. Completing the TPA Students complete the TPA in Task Stream
After completing a task, students print the Candidate Statement of Authenticity and the Certificate of Completion.
Students submit both documents to the course instructor during the seventh week of the quarter.

10. Task Overviews
The following slides provide brief overviews of the four tasks.
More complete information is available from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing at

11. 1. Subject-Specific Pedagogy (SSP)
In this task, you will respond to four cases studies. Let’s look at two examples:
Design a lesson that meets the needs of specific students (provided) and the reading/language arts content standards
Analyze a teacher’s assessment plan for a math unit. Recommend alternative assessments and provide recommendations for additional assessments and use assessments to guide instruction
Responses should provide evidence of your ability to connect student characteristics to instructional planning

12. 2. Designing Instruction (DI)
In this task, you will
learn important details about a classroom of students (an actual classroom), an English learner, and a student who presents a different instructional challenge (e.g. GATE, learning or physical disability).
plan instruction that is shaped by those student characteristics
Reponses should demonstrate your ability to use what you learn about students to plan instruction

13. 3. Assessing Learning In this task, you will
select a unit of study and learning goals and plan standards-based, developmentally appropriate student assessment
make assessment adaptations for two focus students: an English learner and a student with identified special needs
score, review, and analyze evidence of student learning and reflect on assessment implications of this evidence
Responses should provide evidence of your ability to assess student progress towards the learning goals

14. 4. Culminating Teaching Experience (CTE)
In this task you will
design a lesson based on state-adopted standards
implement the lesson, meeting the differing needs of individuals within the class and managing instruction and student interactions. (video of the lesson will be submitted.)
assess student learning
analyze evidence of student learning and reflect on your instruction

15. Scoring Procedures
Responses will be judged on the extent to which they provide clear, consistent, and convincing evidence of your abilities
Responses are
Scored on task-specific rubrics by trained assessors
Scored holistically
Scored with anonymity of students

16. Assessors
Assessors are university faculty, supervisors, master teachers, and other education professionals.
(Course instructors will not score their own students’ work.)

17. Responses will be judged on the extent to which they provide clear, consistent, and convincing evidence of your abilities

18. TPA Performance Scoring
Each task has a specific scoring rubric that describes the characteristics of a candidates’ performance relative to the task
Each rubric has a score level ranging from a low of “1” to a high of “4”
A score level of “3” is a passing score. Candidates must score a “3” or higher on each task to pass the TPA
Candidates must pass TPA Tasks 1, 2, and 3 to be eligible for student teaching

19. Score Level Criteria
Your responses will be judged on the extent to which they provide clear, consistent, and convincing evidence of your abilities.
Level 4 Appropriate, relevant, accurate, and clear or detailed
Level 3 Appropriate, relevant, or accurate
________________________________________________
Level 2 Minimal, limited, cursory, inconsistent, and/or
ambiguous
Level 1 Inappropriate, irrelevant, inaccurate or missing

20. Please Note:
At California State University, Los Angeles, candidates must pass Tasks 1, 2, and 3 to be eligible for student teaching.

21. What if I don’t Achieve a Passing Score?
Candidate may receive additional advice and assistance from designated faculty and/or the TPA Coordinator
*Retake Required Task(s) up to two times
*A passing score of 3 or higher is required for each of the four tasks. Candidates must pass specified tasks before they can continue in the program. Candidates are allowed a total of three attempts to pass a task. If a candidate does not pass a task after three attempts, the candidate is permanently removed from the program.

22. Use of the Results Formative information for use by the candidates
Evidence of program effectiveness
Formative information for use in an induction program
Summative information as one basis for
Permitting a candidate to continue in the program
Recommending a candidate for a credential