Prairie State Wire

Illinois State Board of Education, Teacher Performance Assessment Task Force met Jan. 30.

Here are the minutes provided by the task force:

I. Call to Order/Roll Call:

Dr. Jason Helfer called the meeting to order at 3:31 p.m. and asked meeting facilitator Talor Mourning to conduct a roll call. A quorum was present.

Members Present:

Senator Tom Bennett

Dr. John Burkey

Dr. Kathryn Chval

Elizabeth Dampf

Dr. Vito Dipinto

Dr. Marie Donovan

Representative Amy Elik

Dr. Andrea Evans

Shannon Fehrholz

Lori Grant

Jessica Handy

Katrina Hankison

Gloria Helin

Dr. Terry Husband

Dr. Lori James-Gross

Bob Langman

Dr. Christie McIntyre

Erika Mendez

Senator Laura Murphy

Jessica Nunez

Dr. Abir Othman

Clair Siejka

Jennifer Smith

Dr. Michelle Stacy

Robin Steans

Representative Katie Stuart

Kesa Thurman-Stovall

Dr. Mary Ticknor

Dr. Diana Zaleski

Ex-officio member appointed by state superintendent of education: Dr. Jason Helfer

Members Absent:

Shauna Ejeh

Others Present:

Meeting facilitator: Talor Mourning (ISBE)

Bess Johnson (ISBE)

Henri Fonville (ISBE)

Jennifer Kirmes (ISBE)

Jim O’Connor (Advance Illinois)

Julia Peters (University of Illinois Chicago)

Laurie Sexton (Member of Public)

Mercedes Wentworth-Nice (Member of Public)

Omar Salem (Member of Public)

II. Member Introductions

Dr. Helfer noted that Senator Bennett wished to speak before moving on to other agenda items. Senator Bennett expressed his gratitude for the work of the task force and provided a brief summary of the recommendations from the previous teacher performance assessment working group. Senator Bennett explained the previous working group had not been able to reach a majority recommendation for a teacher performance assessment, and there were concerns with the use of the edTPA, including cost to candidate and interruption to student teaching experience. Senator Bennett shared he had heard from student teachers, current teachers, and principals in the field about their concerns with the edTPA.

Each of the task force members then introduced themselves by sharing their names and titles.

III. Norms and Rules of Procedure

Dr. Helfer reviewed group norms and the Rules of Procedure draft. Dr. Helfer called for questions or discussion on the Rules of Procedure; there were none.

Dr. Helfer moved on to discussion on the appointment of a chairperson for the committee. Ms. Steans suggested Dr. Helfer should serve as the chairperson. Dr. Donovan suggested Senator Bennett should serve as the chairperson. Representative Stuart shared her support of Senator Bennett as the chairperson. Senator Bennet stated his support for Dr. Helfer as the chairperson. Ms. Handy suggested Dr. Helfer serve as chairperson and Senator Bennet serve as vice chairperson.

Dr. Helfer called for a motion on the appointment of a chairperson. Ms. Steans made the motion to appoint Dr. Helfer as the chairperson. Senator Bennett seconded the motion. Dr. Helfer called for discussion and hearing none, called for a roll call vote. Ms. Mourning took the roll call vote on the motion.

Senator Tom Bennett - Yes

Dr. John Burkey - Yes

Dr. Kathryn Chval - Yes

Elizabeth Dampf - Yes

Dr. Vito Dipinto - Yes

Dr. Marie Donovan – Yes

Shauna Ejeh – Not Present

Representative Amy Elik - Yes

Dr. Andrea Evans - Yes

Shannon Fehrholz - Yes

Lori Grant - Yes

Jessica Handy – Yes

Katrina Hankison - Yes

Gloria Helin - Yes

Dr. Terry Husband - Yes

Dr. Lori James-Gross - Yes

Bob Langman - Yes

Dr. Christie McIntyre - Yes

Erika Mendez – Yes

Senator Laura Murphy - Yes

Jessica Nunez - Yes

Dr. Abir Othman - Yes

Clair Siejka - Yes

Jennifer Smith - Yes

Dr. Michelle Stacy - Yes

Robin Steans - Yes

Representative Katie Stuart - Yes

Kesa Thurman-Stovall - Yes

Dr. Mary Ticknor - Yes

Dr. Diana Zaleski - Yes

The motion was passed.

Dr. Helfer called for a motion to nominate a vice chairperson. Representative Stuart made the motion to nominate Senator Bennett as the vice chairperson. Representative Stuart seconded the motion. Dr. Helfer called for discussion and hearing none, called for a roll call vote. Ms. Mourning took the roll call vote on the motion.

Senator Tom Bennett - Yes

Dr. John Burkey - Yes

Dr. Kathryn Chval - Yes

Elizabeth Dampf - Yes

Dr. Vito Dipinto - Yes

Dr. Marie Donovan – Yes

Shauna Ejeh – Not Present

Representative Amy Elik - Yes

Dr. Andrea Evans - Yes

Shannon Fehrholz - Yes

Lori Grant - Yes

Jessica Handy – Yes

Katrina Hankison - Yes

Gloria Helin - Yes

Dr. Terry Husband - Yes

Dr. Lori James-Gross - Yes

Bob Langman - Yes

Dr. Christie McIntyre - Yes

Erika Mendez – Yes

Senator Laura Murphy - Yes

Jessica Nunez - Yes

Dr. Abir Othman - Yes

Clair Siejka - Yes

Jennifer Smith - Yes

Dr. Michelle Stacy - Yes

Robin Steans - Yes

Representative Katie Stuart - Yes

Kesa Thurman-Stovall - Yes

Dr. Mary Ticknor - Yes

Dr. Diana Zaleski - Yes

The motion was passed.

Dr. Helfer invited members of the task force to share their thoughts on the work of the task force via Mentimeter. A summarization of shared comments is attached to these minutes via Appendix A.

Dr. Helfer called for a motion to adopt the Rules of Procedure. Ms. Grant made the motion to adopt the Rules of Procedure. Ms. Handy seconded the motion. Dr. Helfer called for discussion and hearing none, called for a roll call vote. Ms. Mourning took the roll call vote on the motion.

Senator Tom Bennett - Yes

Dr. John Burkey - Yes

Dr. Kathryn Chval - Yes

Elizabeth Dampf - Yes

Dr. Vito Dipinto - Yes

Dr. Marie Donovan – Yes

Shauna Ejeh – Not Present

Representative Amy Elik - Yes

Dr. Andrea Evans - Yes

Shannon Fehrholz - Yes

Lori Grant - Yes

Jessica Handy – Yes

Katrina Hankison - Yes

Gloria Helin - Yes

Dr. Terry Husband - Yes

Dr. Lori James-Gross - Yes

Bob Langman - Yes

Dr. Christie McIntyre - Yes

Erika Mendez – Yes

Senator Laura Murphy - Yes

Jessica Nunez - Yes

Dr. Abir Othman - Yes

Clair Siejka - Yes

Jennifer Smith - Yes

Dr. Michelle Stacy - Yes

Robin Steans - Yes

Representative Katie Stuart - Yes

Kesa Thurman-Stovall - Yes

Dr. Mary Ticknor - Yes

Dr. Diana Zaleski - Yes

The motion was passed.

IV. Charge of Task Force

Dr. Helfer reviewed the charge of the task force and related deadlines. He explained that committee recommendations and a summary of the work that was completed are due to the state board of education by August 1, 2024. Dr. Helfer invited members of the task force to share their thoughts on the charge of the task force via Mentimeter. A summarization of shared comments are attached to these minutes via Appendix A.

Dr. Helfer called for additional discussion. Dr. Donovan shared that she had recently had a conversation with cooperating teachers in the field and stressed the importance of preserving the student teaching experience. Dr. Donovan shared that teachers in the field felt their judgment and ability to evaluate a student teacher were not valued with the use of the edTPA and felt professionally insulted. Mr. Langman stated his agreement with these comments based on feedback he had received from cooperating teachers, student teachers, and administrators in the field.

Representative Stuart stated that in teacher preparation, educator preparation programs preach not to teach to the test, as assessment is not the sole purpose of instruction. But the current structure of the edTPA causes the student teacher experience to be solely focused on preparing for the assessment.

Multiple members of the task force noted the edTPA may not be appropriate at the student teaching level and perhaps more appropriate in the first few years of teaching. Dr. Zaleski noted that an assessment that would follow teacher candidates into their career might undermine the ability of principals to evaluate.

Ms. Nunez commented that she felt the student teachers she worked with as a cooperating teacher were missing an opportunity to formally reflect on their teaching.

Ms. Mendez encouraged the group to consider educators from different preparation pathways or varying entry points into the teaching profession as the group considered assessment options. Ms. Mendez specifically mentioned educators from early childhood or bilingual pathways.

V. New Business

Dr. Helfer moved on to new business and provided a brief overview of educator licensure requirement and previous performance assessments used in Illinois. He invited members of the task force to share any performance assessment instruments they had heard of via Mentimeter. A summarization of shared comments is attached to these minutes via Appendix A.

Dr. Helfer went on to provide a summary of the recommendations from the previous performance assessment working group from 2020. He explained there had been no majority consensus on a performance assessment recommendation from the previous group and the group had instead recommended continuing the use of the edTPA while also working to evaluate and address concerns with the assessment.

Dr. Helfer invited members of the task force to share any final thoughts via Mentimeter. A summarization of shared comments is attached to these minutes via Appendix A.

Dr. Helfer called for any additional discussion. Representative Stuart stated she wanted to ensure the task force took time to hear from cooperating teachers in the classroom to understand their experience and hear their expert testimony. Mr. Langman echoed this recommendation and suggested the task force assemble a panel of cooperating teachers and teachers who had gone through the edTPA assessment as student teachers to hear their perspectives on teacher performance assessment.

VI. Public Participation

Dr. Helfer then called for public comment. Julie Peters, a professor in the history program at the University of Illinois Chicago, requested to make a public comment. Ms. Peters stated that she felt thankful for the work of the task force and was encouraged by the expertise and creativity of the group.

No further public participation was requested.

VII. Adjournment

Dr. Helfer explained the future meeting cadence would likely be Monday afternoons every two or three weeks, and the finalized schedule would be sent to task force members via email from group facilitator Talor Mourning. Dr. Helfer thanked bill sponsors and members of the task force for their time and expertise.

Dr. Helfer called for a roll call vote to adjourn the meeting. Senator Bennett motioned for adjournment. Dr. Donovan seconded. Ms. Mourning took the roll call vote on the motion.

Senator Tom Bennett - Yes

Dr. John Burkey - Yes

Dr. Kathryn Chval - Yes

Elizabeth Dampf - Yes

Dr. Vito Dipinto - Yes

Dr. Marie Donovan – Yes

Shauna Ejeh - Yes

Representative Amy Elik - Yes

Dr. Andrea Evans - Yes

Shannon Fehrholz - Yes

Lori Grant - Yes

Jessica Handy – Not Present

Katrina Hankison - Yes

Gloria Helin - Yes

Dr. Terry Husband - Yes

Dr. Lori James-Gross - Yes

Bob Langman - Yes

Dr. Christie McIntyre - Yes

Erika Mendez – Not Present

Senator Laura Murphy - Yes

Jessica Nunez - Yes

Dr. Abir Othman - Yes

Clair Siejka - Yes

Jennifer Smith - Yes

Dr. Michelle Stacy - Yes

Robin Steans - Yes

Representative Katie Stuart - Yes

Kesa Thurman-Stovall - Yes

Dr. Mary Ticknor - Yes

Dr. Diana Zaleski - Yes

The motion was passed.

Meeting adjourned at 4:57 p.m.

https://www.isbe.net/Documents_TPA/20240130-Minutes.pdf