Although national assessments for evaluating teacher candidates are available, some state education agencies and education preparation programs have developed their own assessments. These locally developed assessments are based on observations of teaching and other artifacts such as lesson plans and student assignments. However, local assessment…

This Study Snapshot highlights key findings from a larger study examining the validity and reliability of the Kansas Clinical Assessment Tool (K-CAT), a newly developed tool for assessing the performance of teacher candidates. The study team used interviews with cooperating teachers, content experts' ratings of the alignment of the K-CAT to…

Although national assessments for evaluating teacher candidates are available, some state education agencies and education preparation programs have developed their own assessments. These locally developed assessments are based on observations of teaching and other artifacts such as lesson plans and student assignments. However, local assessment…

The "Examination of the Validity and Reliability of the Kansas Clinical Assessment Tool" study explored the validity and reliability of the Kansas Clinical Assessment Tool (K-CAT), a newly developed tool for assessing the performance of teacher candidates. The study found that cooperating teachers reported that the K-CAT accurately…

A primary focus of recent educational policymaking has been on improving measures of teaching effectiveness, attributable in part to recent federal policies such as the Race to the Top initiative and Investing in Innovation. To date, neither researchers nor practitioners have arrived at a consensus on the best methods for evaluating special…

After decades of disinterest, evaluation of the performance of elementary and secondary teachers in the United States has become an important educational policy issue. As U.S. states and districts have tried to upgrade their evaluation processes, one of the models that has been increasingly used is the Framework for Teaching. This paper summarizes…

The validity and effectiveness of a test preparation program designed to prepare students for the Praxis II Content Examination for teacher certification in physical education were studied. In response to student requests for help, a faculty member at Southern Connecticut State University developed a study program consisting of a set of five…

A test preparation program was implemented at Southern Connecticut State University to assist students in passing the Praxis II content examination in physical education. The study program had not been evaluated for effectiveness. A review of the literature provided background information on teacher certification, test-taking skills, test…