edTPA (Educative Teacher Performance Assessment) Foundations of edTPA and the Three-Task Architecture Syllabus

Foundations of edTPA and the Three-Task Architecture syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Foundations of edTPA and the Three-Task Architecture in edTPA (Educative Teacher Performance Assessment), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Purpose, Origins, and Policy Context

   4 topics

   • What edTPA Measures
     • Performance-based vs. multiple-choice licensure assessment
     • Teacher candidate readiness and the "ready to teach" standard
     • Relationship to InTASC standards and accreditation
   • History and Development
     • Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity (SCALE) origins
     • Roots in the PACT assessment and National Board certification
     • Role of Pearson in scoring and operational delivery
   • State Licensure and Program Requirements
     • States using edTPA for licensure vs. program completion
     • Passing-score policies and consequential vs. non-consequential use
     • Program-level adoption decisions
   • Subject-Specific Handbooks
     • Selecting the correct content-area handbook
     • Common architecture across 27+ fields
     • Field-specific terminology and emphases
2. 2

   The Cycle of Effective Teaching

   3 topics

   • Plan–Teach–Assess–Reflect Cycle
     • Interdependence of the three tasks
     • Evidence of student learning as the through-line
   • Learning Segment Concept
     • Definition of a 3–5 lesson learning segment
     • Building toward a central focus
     • Coherence and connection across lessons
   • Central Focus
     • Identifying the overarching understanding or skill
     • Aligning standards, objectives, and assessments to the focus
3. 3

   The Five Components and Fifteen-Rubric System

   3 topics

   • Five Components Overview
     • Planning, Instruction, Assessment
     • Analyzing Teaching and Academic Language
   • Rubric Architecture
     • Fifteen rubrics across the three tasks
     • Five-level progression within each rubric
     • Guiding question for each rubric
   • Evidence-to-Rubric Alignment
     • Mapping artifacts and commentaries to specific rubrics
     • Avoiding gaps in required evidence
4. 4

   Required Evidence and Submission Components

   3 topics

   • Artifacts
     • Lesson plans and instructional materials
     • Video clips of instruction
     • Student work samples and assessments
   • Commentaries
     • Planning, Instruction, and Assessment commentaries
     • Responding directly to prompts
   • Context for Learning Information
     • Describing the school, class, and students
     • Relevant student characteristics and resources

Foundations of edTPA and the Three-Task Architecture flashcards for edTPA (Educative Teacher Performance Assessment)

19 of 50 cards from the Foundations of edTPA and the Three-Task Architecture deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is edTPA?

   A subject-specific, performance-based assessment that pre-service teachers complete during student teaching to demonstrate readiness to teach; the name stands for the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment.

2. What core construct does edTPA measure?

   A candidate's ability to effectively plan, instruct, and assess instruction so that all students learn—i.e., teaching readiness demonstrated through authentic classroom evidence.

3. Why is edTPA described as 'educative' rather than only evaluative?

   Because the process and feedback are designed to support and improve candidate learning and program curriculum, not just to produce a pass/fail score.

4. Which organizations developed edTPA?

   It was developed by Stanford University's SCALE (Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity) with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).

5. What earlier assessment was edTPA modeled on?

   The Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT), a teaching portfolio used in California teacher preparation programs.

6. Who scores and operationally administers edTPA?

   Pearson administers and scores edTPA on behalf of SCALE; scorers are trained, calibrated educators in the relevant subject field.

7. In what year did edTPA become operational nationally?

   It launched operationally in 2013 after field testing, with Stanford/SCALE and AACTE leading development.

8. How can edTPA be used in state licensure?

   As a state-required gateway: in 'consequential' states a passing edTPA score is required to earn an initial teaching license/certification.

9. What is the difference between a 'consequential' and 'non-consequential' edTPA state?

   In consequential states a passing score is required for licensure or program completion; in non-consequential states edTPA is used for program feedback or pilot purposes without a required cut score.

10. Who typically sets the passing (cut) score for edTPA?

    Each state (or the educator preparation program) sets its own required cut score; there is no single national passing score.

11. Why are there subject-specific edTPA handbooks?

    Because effective teaching differs by content area, so each field (e.g., Elementary Literacy, Secondary Math, World Language) has a handbook tailoring tasks, rubrics, and evidence requirements to that discipline.

12. Roughly how many edTPA handbook fields/versions exist?

    Around 27+ subject-specific handbooks (e.g., Elementary Education, Secondary ELA, Secondary Math, Science, History/Social Studies, World Languages, Special Education, Visual Arts, Physical Education).

13. What does an edTPA handbook contain?

    Task directions, evidence/artifact specifications, the commentary prompts, the rubrics with level descriptors, and field-specific requirements (e.g., page and time limits).

14. Name the four phases of the teaching cycle that edTPA is built around.

    Plan, Teach (Instruct), Assess, and Reflect—the Plan–Teach–Assess–Reflect cycle.

15. Which edTPA task corresponds to the 'Plan' phase?

    Task 1: Planning for Instruction and Assessment.

16. Which edTPA task corresponds to the 'Teach/Instruct' phase?

    Task 2: Instructing and Engaging Students in Learning.

17. Which edTPA task corresponds to the 'Assess' phase?

    Task 3: Assessing Student Learning.

18. In which task does formal 'Reflection' appear in edTPA?

    Reflection is embedded throughout, but is most explicit in Task 3 (analyzing assessment results and next steps) and in the daily reflections within the planning/instruction commentaries.

19. How many tasks make up the edTPA portfolio?

    Three tasks: Planning, Instruction, and Assessment.

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