Tennessee board committee signals move to drop edTPA if clinical practice is strengthened

At a meeting of a State Board committee (date not specified), members and Department of Education staff said the group is moving toward removing the edTPA performance assessment for candidates who complete a strengthened, state‑approved clinical practice pathway. Michael (meeting facilitator) framed the recommendation as conditional: “candidates completing this more rigorous clinical practice do not have to complete the edTPA assessment,” he said.

The recommendation grew from a review of educator preparation that found the edTPA can pose a barrier for candidates. Committee members and Department staff said the board should raise the minimum requirements for clinical practice so the state can rely on program quality rather than a separate performance test.

Committee members discussed specific policy proposals to back a change. Jennifer Nelson, senior director of educator preparation for the Tennessee Department of Education, described a proposed rule change already presented to the board: “Beginning on July 1, 2026, clinical mentors supervising candidates completing an internship clinical practice, that is the year…