Members of the College Council are faced with a puzzle as they consider the options for
the advice they must shortly provide to the Minister of Education on teacher testing.
The College’s research has provided a clear picture of best practices being
adopted by the teaching profession around the world to ensure, maintain and demonstrate
competence. The College can also look at the experience and plans of the other
self-regulating professions in Ontario that share many aspects of our regulatory culture.
But Ontario’s education system gives many partners different pieces of the
responsibility for ensuring that teachers are competent. A system that regularly assesses
the competence of all certified teachers in Ontario requires all these players to
contribute to putting the pieces together.
The Education Act and Regulation 298 place the responsibility for performance
appraisal in publicly-funded schools with the employer. Employers are expected to develop
appraisal processes, but education legislation does not set any standards or common
expectations for these processes.
For many years, institutions, organizations and employers in Ontario’s education
system have generated lists of expectations of competent teachers through mission
statements, publications and performance review policies.
In the last three years, the College of Teachers has introduced the Standards of
Practice for the Teaching Profession and approved in principle draft ethical
standards. It has made these standards key components of the accreditation of pre-service
teacher education programs at Ontario universities. As the College broadens its
accreditation activities for in-service education programs, the expectation is that these
programs must also be standards-based.
AROUND THE WORLD
This standards-based approach is widely seen as the most effective way to
ensure and demonstrate competence in the teaching profession. The College’s research
shows that in Australia, New Zealand, France, Scotland, England and Wales, teacher
licensing bodies are developing standards-based systems of ensuring and promoting
teachers’ professional competence. Some of these include some type of mandatory
career-long professional learning.
The standards movement is also gaining momentum in many parts of the United States,
often – but not always – in conjunction with testing.
Thirty-one states report the use of teacher standards for licensing and six additional
states indicate they are in the development stage. The report indicates that 28 states
apply their teacher standards to all teaching fields. Twelve states report specific fields
for which teacher standards apply.
A written test is commonly used as part of the certification process for new teachers.
Many states rely on one of the Praxis I and/or Praxis II, the National Teacher Exam (NTE),
the College Basic Academic Subject Exam, or another standardized test of basic skills. A
few states use a state exam that is fully customized for use at this initial licensing
stage.
In 1998, 38 states reported requiring a written assessment at some point in the
certification and licensure of new teachers. Among the states with teacher assessments:
• 36 states assess "basic skills"
• 27 states assess "professional knowledge of teaching"
• 22 states assess "subject matter knowledge"
• 28 states assess teachers with two or more of these components.
The same survey, by the U.S. Council of Chief State School Officers, also reported on
policies on teacher performance assessment. Results for 1998 show eight states use
portfolios of required professional learning, with four requiring the portfolio during the
first or second year of teaching and several using the portfolio on completion of
pre-service education. The results also showed that 13 states require classroom
observation as part of the assessment process for licensure.
ONTARIO PROFESSIONS
The College survey of Ontario’s self-regulating professions shows that most require
ongoing professional learning and many require practice reviews, which could be compared
to the regular assessments or performance appraisals of classroom teachers by principals.
A significant number require tests of new entrants before certification and some test
members who have been inactive for a few years before they are re-certified. However, none
require current members to be tested to maintain their right to practise.
“Council’s ad hoc committee on this teacher testing issue has identified 22
options for discussion by the Ontario teaching profession and the public. All these
options have emerged from our summary of the research on both the teaching profession
around the world and other professions in this province,” says College Chair Donna
Marie Kennedy. "But the important element that the committee has added is to put all
of the information we have gathered and synthesized into the context of Ontario’s
education system.
“That means understanding and respecting that a number of different education
partners have very important roles in the assessment and promotion of teacher competence
and that no one organization can do as good a job on its own as we all can together.”
THE OPTIONS
Minister of Education Janet Ecker asked the College for “advice … on how to
implement a teacher testing program that is cost-effective and within the following
parameters:
• regular assessment of the teachers’ knowledge and skills (A)
• methodologies which include both written and other assessment techniques (B)
• a link to re-certification (C)
• remediation for those who fail assessments (D), and
• de-certification as a consequence if remediation is unsuccessful.” (E)
The ad hoc committee struck by Council to develop a response to the Minister conducted
an in-depth review of the College’s extensive research material on testing and
competence for the teaching profession around the world and in a wide range of professions
in Ontario. This review gave rise to 22 options that could form the basis of the
College’s response.
In response to her request for cost-effectiveness, the College will also include cost
implications in its advice to the Minister. The APPLE principle, developed and employed by
nursing regulatory bodies, may be a useful guide for assessing the options. They should
be:
A = Administratively feasible
P = Publicly credible
P = Professionally acceptable
L = Legally defensible
E = Economically feasible
The consultation paper organizes the options for discussion by the parameters outlined
in the Minister’s letter to the College.
A. Regular assessment of teachers’ knowledge and
skills
Option A1 The Ontario College of Teachers will continue to refine the
policies and processes for the accreditation of pre-service and in-service teacher
education programs to ensure that such programs meet both the regulatory requirements
outlined in the Ontario College of Teachers Act/96 and the standards of practice and
ethical standards approved by the Council of the College.
Option A2 The Minister of Education be requested to review and revise
those aspects of Regulation 298 made under the Education Act that relate to
the performance appraisal of members of the Ontario College of Teachers such that the
components of performance appraisal be set by the government.
Option A3 The Minister of Education be requested to review and revise,
where appropriate, those aspects of Regulation 298 made under the Education Act
that relate to the assignment of teachers to programs/subjects for which they do not hold
additional qualifications as outlined in Regulation 184 made under the Ontario College of Teachers Act/96.
B. Methodologies which include both written and other
assessment techniques
Option B1 In addition to possession of an undergraduate university
degree or other qualifications appropriate to the division/subject area of concentration,
applicants to a teacher education program at an Ontario faculty of education be required
to complete successfully a written assessment of basic knowledge and skills with regard to
literacy and numeracy prior to entrance to the program.
Option B2 Teacher candidates enrolled in a teacher education program
in Ontario, in addition to program and practicum requirements, be required to complete a
written assessment of knowledge and skills related to Ontario curriculum, pedagogy, and
education legislation and policy appropriate for beginning teachers prior to entrance to
the profession in Ontario.
Option B3 Applicants for membership in the Ontario College of Teachers
who completed their teacher education program outside Ontario, in addition to program and
practicum requirements, be required to complete a written assessment of knowledge and
skills related to Ontario curriculum, pedagogy, and education legislation and policy
appropriate for beginning teachers prior to entrance to the profession in Ontario.
Option B4 Employers be required to provide a two-year induction
program to newly-graduated teachers employed on a regular basis to ensure that beginning
teachers continue to develop and to refine the knowledge and skills required by members of
the teaching profession and be required to report successful completion by the teacher for
inclusion on the Certificate of Qualification.
Option B5 Employers be required to provide a two-year induction
program to newly-graduated teachers employed on a regular basis to ensure that beginning
teachers continue to develop and to refine the knowledge and skills required by members of
the teaching profession and be required to report successful completion by the teacher in
order that an Interim Certificate of Qualification issued at entry to registration with
the Ontario College of Teachers be converted to a Certificate of Qualification.
Option B6 Employers be required to provide a two-year induction
program to members of the Ontario College of Teachers who completed their teacher
education program outside Ontario and are employed on a regular basis for the first time
in Ontario to ensure that they develop and refine the knowledge and skills required by
members of the teaching profession and be required to report successful completion by the
teacher for inclusion on the Certificate of Qualification.
Option B7 Employers be required to provide a two-year induction
program to members of the Ontario College of Teachers who completed their teacher
education program outside Ontario and are employed on a regular basis for the first time
in Ontario to ensure that they develop and refine the knowledge and skills required by
members of the teaching profession and be required to report successful completion by the
teacher in order that an Interim Certificate of Qualification issued at entry to
registration with the College be converted to a Certificate of Qualification.
Option B8 The requirements for the accreditation of ongoing
professional certification courses listed in Regulation 184/97 made under the Ontario
College of Teachers Act/96 will include a well-defined provision for the assessment of
candidates based upon criteria developed and approved by the Ontario College of Teachers.
Option B9 All members of the Ontario College of Teachers retain a
professional portfolio highlighting their ongoing professional learning and achievements
that is reported to the College periodically by employers, perhaps once every three to
five years.
Option B10 All members of the Ontario College of Teachers be required
to prepare an annual professional growth plan.
Option B11 All members of the Ontario College of Teachers be required
to participate in prescribed ongoing education and to submit evidence of such
participation to the College.
C. A link to re-certification
Option C1 Processes be established for the ongoing performance
appraisal process outlined in Regulation 298 made under the Education Act to
include the regular review of a professional portfolio developed by the Ontario College of
Teachers and organized around both the Standards of Practice for the Teaching
Profession and the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession.
Option C2 An orientation program be established for members of the
Ontario College of Teachers who return to the profession following a break in employment
in education in Ontario for a period of five years or more and successful completion of
the program be reported by the employer for inclusion on the Certificate of Qualification.
Option C3 An orientation program be established for members of the
Ontario College of Teachers who completed their teacher education program outside of
Ontario, and successful completion of the program be reported for inclusion on the
Certificate of Qualification.
D. Remediation for those who fail assessments
Option D1 The process for written assessment of basic knowledge and
skills with regard to literacy and numeracy prior to entrance to a teacher education
program in Ontario include a provision for remediation for unsuccessful candidates.
Option D2 Ontario faculties of education be required to demonstrate
during the accreditation process conducted by the Ontario College of Teachers that there
are policies and processes in place to support and remediate teacher candidates
experiencing difficulty meeting program assessment requirements and to provide for the
exit from the program of candidates who continue to experience difficulty.
Option D3 All providers of in-service programs accredited by the
Ontario College of Teachers will be required to demonstrate through the accreditation
process that policies and processes are in place to support and remediate candidates
experiencing difficulty in meeting program assessment requirements.
Option D4 The Minister of Education be requested to ensure that
employers provide support and remediation for members of the Ontario College of Teachers
when issues of teacher competency arise as part of the performance appraisal process
required by Regulation 298 made under the Education Act.
E. De-certification as a consequence if remediation is
unsuccessful
Option E1 Legislation be introduced to ensure that employers be
required to notify the Ontario College of Teachers where there are members whose ongoing
performance appraisals, after the provision to the members of appropriate support and
remediation, cause the employer to be concerned about the members’ possible
incompetence, in accordance with Section 30 (3) of the Ontario College of Teachers
Act/96, incapacity, in accordance with Section 31 (2), or professional misconduct, in
accordance with Regulation 437/97.
No other self-regulating profession in Ontario administers tests to members for the
purpose of maintaining their certification or continuing to hold a licence to practise
their profession.
