University of Redlands
All teacher candidates must pass an assessment of their teaching performance with K-12 public school students as part of the requirements for earning a preliminary teaching credential in Multiple Subject, Single Subject, or Mild to Moderate Support Needs. This assessment of teaching performance is designed to measure the candidate's knowledge, skills and ability with relation to California's Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs).
CalTPA is offered in the following credential areas:
And the following Single Subject areas the University of Redlands is authorized to credential candidates in:
EdSpec CalTPA is offered in the following area that the University of Redlands is authorized to credential candidates in:
Candidates can access the CalTPA Assessment Materials, including directions, rubrics, templates, and a glossary, as well as the Assessment Materials Updates document. Candidates will also be able to download these materials in the ePortfolio system after they register for a cycle.
Candidates need to be aware of the Assessment Result Dates related to submission deadlines. Candidates can see when they will receive their results depending on when their cycle is submitted. Use these dates to plan your assessments accordingly while completing fieldwork.
Teacher candidates are to acquire permission to record lessons in the classroom from the school-site and from parents before video recording takes place.
PARENT/STUDENT VIDEO RECORDING RELEASE FORM
| Multiple Subject | Single Subject | World Languages | Mild to Moderate Support Needs | |
| Instructional Cycle 1 | MS Guide Cycle 1 | SS Guide Cycle 1 | WL Guide Cycle 1 | MMSN Guide Cycle 1 |
| Instructional Cycle 2 | MS Guide Cycle 2 | SS Guide Cycle 2 | WL Guide Cycle 2 | MMSN Guide Cycle 2 |
Teacher candidates must acknowledge understanding and acceptance of policies detailed in the CalTPA and EdSpec CalTPA scoring and remediation policy document.
Teacher candidates who fail to meet the scoring requirements are required to notify the CalTPA Coordinator, Dr. Stephanie Quan-Lorey.
The CalTPA Coordinator will respond to the teacher candidate within 48 hours of the teacher candidate's notification. Their response will include contact information for an assigned remediation specialist as well as the date, time and location of the required remediation workshop.
Teacher candidates will attend a one-on-one meeting with their assigned remediation specialist. The assigned remediation specialist will contact the teacher candidate (within 48-hours) to arrange a date, time, and location for one-on-one remediation. Following the remediation session, teacher candidates are required to re-register for the failed CalTPA or EdSpec CalTPA instructional cycle and pay $150 to resubmit the failed instructional cycle. In addition to the registration fee(s), teacher candidates are required to pay a $50 remediation fee.
The following guidance is provided for candidates who are completing their CalTPA or EdSpec CalTPA in an online or hybrid setting. This guidance is intended as a supplemental resource to the CalTPA or EdSpec CalTPA performance assessment guides. Candidates completing the CalTPA or EdSpec CalTPA in an online or hybrid setting must continue to meet all the assessment requirements as outlined in the guides and technical specifications as outlined in the CalTPA Submission Requirements or EdSp CalTPA Submission Requirements to ensure that their submissions can be scored.
Candidates will get helpful hints and tips to complete their Cycles and learn what is needed to pass them during their fieldwork orientation and fieldwork seminar course. Seminar instructors, University Supervisors, and Cooperating Teachers are provided training prior to and during the semester with helpful tips to support candidates with their Cycles.
If you need assistance with the CalTPA, please schedule an appointment with CalTPA Coordinator, Dr. Stephanie Quan-Lorey at stephanie_quan-lorey@redlands.edu.
If you need assistance with the EdSpec CalTPA, please schedule an appointment Coordinator of EDSP Programs, Dr. Kimiya Maghzi at kimiya_maghzi@redlands.edu.
Request a copy of your CalTPA or EdSpec CalTPA results
Test results are available for 2 years in your Pearson account.
From your account, you may view, print, and save your test results. Your testing history for all tests taken, reported as pass/fail status, is always available to you through your account.
After the 2-year period, you may request a copy using the reprint request form.
How much does the CalTPA cost?
The cost is $150 per cycle, for a total of $300. When registering, you will pay for one cycle at a time.
Where do I register for the CalTPA?
Registration is open now and can be found here.
Where can I learn about proper language to use to describe the class as a whole (e.g., social-emotional development, cultural linguistic resources & funds of knowledge)?
These terms are defined in the Assessment Guide. In addition, you should be getting information about these ideas in your courses.
What length is the CalTPA written portion supposed to be?
There are page limits for various portions of the CalTPA Consult the Assessment Guide for additional information.
Where can I find the due dates for the CalTPA?
Submission and reporting dates can be found here.
Do you have a sample filled out form of "Getting to know your students" ?
There are sample complete forms. Your student teaching seminar instructor will provide these for you or you may access these through the School of Education, Current Students, CalTPA.
Do we have an individual advisor for this process?
Support for completing the CalTPAs will come from your MALT 655/EDUC 555 Student Teaching Seminar instructor, MALT 656/EDUC 556 Internship Seminar Instructor, or MALT 657 Residency Seminar Instructor in addition to the CalTPA Coordinator, your cooperating teacher, and University Supervisor.
If you need assistance, please contact our CalTPA Coordinator, Dr. Stephanie Quan-Lorey at stephanie_quan-lorey@redlands.edu.
How long is the math lesson for the multiple subject program?
There is no mandatory minimum time. However, you will be choosing 3 clips of up to 5 minutes each for Cycle 1 alone. So were recommend taping a lesson that is at least 30 minutes long to ensure that you have enough to choose from. Your lesson needs to have a beginning, middle and end, which you can read about in Step 2: Teach & Assess.
Do I need to be in a program to complete the CalTPA process?
Not necessarily, but you should reach out to your advisor. Each student’s situation is a bit different, so if you’ve completed a program but have not yet passed a TPA you should get in touch.
What happens if you don’t pass the first cycle?
You will retake it. You'll have to pay the $150 fee to retake a cycle, so do your best to submit quality work the first time out. You will work with the CalTPA Coordinator, Dr. Stephanie Quan-Lorey, who will remediate and support you through your revisions and resubmission.
Can our cooperating teacher look at our work before we submit?
Even though professors cannot help in that way, your cooperating teacher can look over your work, but they cannot tell you what needs to change or how to score a certain rubric score.
Do we need to specifically outline the groups?
There is a portion of the Lesson Plan template that does ask about your grouping strategy, so you should describe that.
Can we type in our submissions/work on the templates before, and then submit on the November date?
Yes! You can and should start filling in the templates ahead of time. Those are the documents you will submit when you are ready.
When will we receive due dates and information about the CalTPA?
Due dates and information about the CalTPA are available here.
For the multiple subject TPA is it an option to do literacy for the first session? Or is it math only?
You will do the subject that makes the most sense for your placement.
If you're teaching Spanish, how are ELD standards relevant?
For the World Languages assessment, you do not need to include ELD standards, but you do need to address Academic Language. See your Assessment Guides for more information.
Questions about Choosing the Focus Students:
If the district does not do GATE designation and there are no students with IEPs/504s, how would you about that?
According to the Assessment Guide, "Choose a student taught in the general education classroom (i.e., not pulled out for instruction during the lesson for the content you will teach) who the district has identified as having a disability with an IEP or a 504 plan or a student identified for GATE who will be participating in the lesson. If there are no identified students in your classroom, select a student who has recently been referred for specialized support or who requires additional learning support in the general education setting.”
I’m a World Languages student. How do I choose my Focus Student 1?
According to the Assessment Guide, "Choose a student with a different language learning need (e.g., heritage language learner, bilingual/multilingual student)."
In some of my Cooperating Teacher's classes, she has a Co-teacher who is there for some of the students. When there are activities and tests, the Co-teacher helps the students with IEPs, and, at times, takes them out to a different room. My concern is how do I meet the requirements for the CalTPA, if I don't really get to work with these students?
You will want to work with your CT to design a lesson where all 3 of your focus students are present. We recommend starting a conversation soon about what that might look like.
I am one of the few who doesn’t have an ELD student in my classroom. How should I proceed?
Please work with your CT and your university supervisor on determining how best to address this concern.
How do I choose the third focus student?
The Assessment Guide has a lot of great information about choosing the third focus student. Review that, and then consult with your CT.
Would a student whose parent is deployed be acceptable for focus student 3?
Yes, that could definitely work.
What modifications will be made for those without all three focus students?
The Assessment Guide has information about how to choose the 3 focus students. Review that, and then check in with your CT, your University Supervisor and your program faculty for additional guidance.
What length is the TPA written portion supposed to be?
Each section has different page limits. Review your Assessment Guide for more details.
My CT has confirmed that we have no English Learners in my classroom placement. How do I satisfy the CalTPA requirement of having an EL focus student if there aren’t any in my class?
According to the Assessment Guide, "If you have only re-designated English learners in your class, you may select one of them or select a student who needs support for his or her language development."
If a student is an English Learner and has an IEP, can we refer to them as both FS1 and FS2?
No. You must have a different student for each category, for a total of 3 students.
What if I am teaching Kindergarten or TK, and my students haven't yet been given IEPs?
According to the Assessment Guide, "When selecting Focus Student 2 in transitional kindergarten or primary grade classrooms where students have yet to be identified as having a special learning need, select a student who has been identified for support through the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) process, who has recently been referred for evaluation, or who is struggling in the content area that is the focus of the lesson.”
For the second focus student, can that student just be a Special Ed student or the must the student have an IEP, 504, or GATE designation?
According to the Assessment Guide, "Choose a student taught in the general education classroom (i.e., not pulled out for instruction during the lesson for the content you will teach) who the district has identified as having a disability with an IEP or a 504 plan or a student identified for GATE who will be participating in the lesson.
If there are no identified students in your classroom, select a student who has recently been referred for specialized support or who requires additional learning support in the general education setting.
Can the FS1 English learner be a student who is bilingual and needs additional language assistance but not specifically identified as an ELL?
Yes, if you don't have any designated EL students, this student would work for FS1.
Are there some "wrong" ways to video tape?
There are some wrong ways: If you can't hear anything, or if the video is shaky and low quality, or if your students are not visible in the video then you might have an issue.
Do I need permission slips to video record my classes?
You are responsible for verifying that the students in your class have granted permission to be video recorded. To do this, check with your site's administration to see if there is a record of students' parents who have opted out of the video/media release policy. If there is not, you must get permission slips signed. You will retain possession of those permission slips in case anyone from CTC requests them.
Also, I was under the impression that the CALTPA did not want us to cut and snip clips. Please clarify.
You may not edit the clips you submit. But you will be selecting clips from the larger video recording to submit.
Is our CT allowed to be in the video assisting with set-up of activity, HW check, passing out supplies? Sometimes we modify an activity for my FS2 and the aid assists with modifications/questions the student has. Should I ask them to allow me to help the student one-on-one during the video lesson?
Yes, it is perfectly ok of other adults appear in the video. In fact, you can highlight that support in your written submissions, since aides and support teachers are there to help students.
If our classes are 55 minutes will that work, and are we allowed to film a lesson that directly connects or builds off a previous day that wasn't filmed?
Yes, and yes.
When will the sample permission slips to record students, be available? I have been told by my cooperating teacher that we need to start sending them home.
They are posted on our website.
What kinds of physical video cameras are allowed to record our classes?
iPhone, GoPro, handheld, etc.
Do they have to be official School of Education video cameras?
Here is a link to some guidelines on equipment, file sizes, etc.:
You may use a variety of video cameras. A smart phone often works well.
Do we need to keep students faces blurred in our videos even if them or their parents did not request this?
No, you do not need to blur students' faces. If students do not have permission to appear in videos, seat them out of range of the video camera.
Does anyone review the videos that we record prior to submitting?
No, no one reviews your video or other materials prior to submission.
When teaching a lesson for the video for a math lesson, should I be teaching the whole class through instruction or can I teach a small group through math rotations?
You may do whole class or small group instruction, or a combination of both. Be sure to explain your choices in your written materials.
What kind of video equipment and software is necessary for the CalTPA submission?
Here is a link to some guidelines on equipment, file sizes, etc. We have also posted other video editing resources on our website.
Will there be a class that instructs any skills with computer in order to take the CalTPA?
Here is a link to some guidelines on equipment, file sizes, etc.
We have also posted other resources on our website including computer technology workshops in October and February.
Where can we get filming equipment?
If you need to check-out a video camera from the School of Education, please contact the CalTPA Co-Coordinator, Dr. Stephanie Quan-Lorey at stephanie_quan-lorey@redlands.edu.
Even though students can be recorded should we still let the parents know that the students will be recorded?
It is always a good idea to communicate with parents. But you are not required to notify them unless you are required by district policy to request their permission.
When will we be receiving the rubrics for the videotaping?
For Cycle 1, the rubrics for the video portion are 1.5 and 1.6, both of which are in the Assessment Guide.
What do we do if one or more of our focus students is absent the day we are filming?
It is not required that the focus students appear in the video. The purpose of the video is to demonstrate specific teaching skills as outlined in rubrics 1.5 and 1.6. The purpose of learning about your focus students is to demonstrate your ability to plan lessons that address their needs. These skills are closely related, but they are assessed separately on the CalTPA.
If we are doing our lesson in a small group format how many students do we need at a minimum in the group?
There is no minimum or maximum number of students that need to appear in the video. Be sure to explain your grouping strategy in your lesson plan rationale, however.
What resources do we have to help with editing videos?
We have posted a number of support documents on our website In addition, we will hold two video compression and upload workshops, one in October 2019 and one in February 2020.
At those workshops we will have support for editing videos. Will the University of Redlands computer labs have the software needed to edit the videos?
For more information on University of Redlands computer labs, software needed to edit videos, and video compression and upload contact Iyan Sandri, Computer Lab Supervisor. Iyan provides support for computer labs around campus. This included the monitoring of the labs, maintaining the various software packages, and scheduling the usage of both the labs and the CLS. As the labs are open to all University of Redlands community, Iyan supports faculty, staff, and students in the use of the lab technology.
