The Maryland Department of Education convened the Professional Standards & Teacher Education Board on March 7, 2024, to address critical issues surrounding teacher preparation and performance assessments. The meeting highlighted significant concerns regarding the effectiveness of current performance assessment products, particularly the edTPA and PPAT, which are used to evaluate preservice teachers.

Key discussions centered on the limitations of these assessment tools, which restrict mentors and supervisors from providing direct feedback to teacher candidates during their internships. This lack of immediate and constructive feedback is seen as detrimental to the development of essential teaching skills. Experts emphasized that preservice teachers benefit most from systematic instruction, multiple practice opportunities, and timely feedback, which are hindered by the current assessment policies.

Dr. Barbara Marinac, Dean of the School of Education at Mount Saint Mary's, raised alarms about the disproportionate failure rates of teacher candidates of color and those from linguistic minority groups on the edTPA. She pointed out that many states, after mandating the edTPA, have since repealed its requirement due to concerns over its reliability and validity, opting instead for locally created assessments that better support teacher candidates.

The board acknowledged the need to differentiate between performance assessment processes and products. While the process of planning, teaching, assessing, and reflecting is crucial for teacher preparation, the current products may not effectively measure these competencies. The meeting concluded with a call for a more collaborative and supportive assessment framework that fosters resilience and retention among new teachers.

Overall, the discussions underscored the urgent need for reform in teacher preparation assessments to ensure that all candidates receive the support necessary for their professional development.