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"New York is raising standards for our students. To maximize the success of that effort, we also need to raise the standards for the educators who will teach them. Teacher candidates across the State are meeting these higher expectations; right now, more than eighty percent of them have passed the new, more rigorous edTPA exam, which evaluates a candidate's readiness to lead an actual classroom.

"We are nearly five years into the implementation of the new and revised certification examinations. The Department has already provided a one year extension of the teacher performance assessment and CUNY, SUNY and the independent colleges have received $11.5 million to support faculty professional development on a variety of topics, including the Common Core and the new certification examinations. Deans and faculty members across the State are already seeing the benefits of the edTPA for their students.

"However, some faculty members and other stakeholders asked the Board of Regents to approve a "safety net," for the edTPA and the Board acted. Now through June 2015, teacher prep students who face difficulties passing the edTPA will have the opportunity to demonstrate their readiness for the classroom by passing an older certification exam. We appreciate the support we've received from NYSUT, UUP, PSC, TEAG, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity and others who helped develop this 'safety net' option.

"We've raised the bar for the teaching profession and at the same time we've ensured a smooth transition for teachers who have worked so hard to join the profession."

The Regents' item enacting the "safety net" can be found at:

A letter signed by college deans supporting the Regent's action can be found at:
http://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/new-assessments-letter.pdf

A letter to Senator LaValle signed by college deans supporting the Regent's action can be found at:
http://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/letter-lavalle-edtpa.pdf

A letter to Assemblywoman Glick signed by college deans supporting the Regent's action can be found at:
http://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/letter-glick-edtpa.pdf

A message of support from AACTE can be found here:
http://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/aacte-statement-edtpa.pdf