edTPA REQUIREMENT FOR LICENSURE
Beginning Fall 2015, a passing score of 35 is required on the edTPA submitted to Pearson to be eligible for
licensure in Illinois. The cost of official scoring is currently $300. With careful planning, it may be
possible to resubmit the edTPA during the semester if a passing score is not earned. The cost of
resubmitting the edTPA currently is $100-$300. If the edTPA is not passed during the student teaching
semester, the candidate can earn the bachelor’s degree, but the transcript will indicate that the individual is
not eligible for teacher licensure.
OVERVIEW OF THE edTPA TASKS
Special Education
Below are general descriptions of the requirements for each of the three edTPA tasks. Specific directions
and information about the edTPA are included in the Special Education handbook.
For each task, the candidate will submit commentaries that respond to specific prompts/questions as well as
artifacts (lesson plans, instructional materials, student work samples, assessment materials, video clips, etc).
TASK 1: PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT
Select one learner as a focus for this assessment.
Obtain required permissions for videorecording from a parent/guardian of this focus learner before
planning the learning segment.
Provide relevant context information.
Select a primary and a secondary learning target for the focus learner, which will be the focus of
instruction for this assessment. See the Overview of the Assessment section in the handbook for more
detailed information about selecting the learning targets.
Obtain or collect baseline data for the focus learner’s knowledge and skills related to both learning targets
prior to the beginning of the learning segment. (This could be a pre-assessment.)
From the learning targets and the baseline data, develop lesson objectives that can be achieved in a 3–5
lesson learning segment for each learning target.
Design a learning segment of 3–5 lessons that provides access to curriculum and instruction and supports
the focus learner in meeting the lesson objectives. Document instruction, support, and assessment for both
learning targets.
As part of the commentary, choose one communication skill (function) needed to achieve the primary
learning target. Identify the communication demands that support the focus learner’s use of that skill to
engage in learning tasks and/or demonstrate learning. For a focus learner with a learning target in the
academic curriculum, this should be the language of the appropriate discipline. Explain how to support the
learner’s use of the communication skill (function) and related communication demands.
Write and submit a lesson plan for each lesson in the learning segment, including the daily collection of
assessment data to monitor the focus learner’s progress toward lesson objectives associated with both
learning targets.
Select and submit key instructional and support materials needed to understand what the teacher and the
focus learner are doing.
Submit copies of all assessment tools or descriptions of data collection procedures.
Respond to commentary prompts prior to teaching the learning segment.
TASK 2: INSTRUCTING AND ENGAGING THE FOCUS LEARNER
Obtain required permissions for videorecording from other adults and from parents/guardians of ALL
learners who might appear in the videorecording.
Videorecord the instruction for the primary learning target during the learning segment. Check the video
and sound quality, analyze teaching, and select the most appropriate video clips to submit.
Select 1–2 video clips (no more than 20 minutes total). The interactions in the clips should demonstrate
how (1) establish a positive learning environment and (2) engage and support the focus learner in an
individual or group setting and in developing and applying the new knowledge and skills related to the
primary learning target..
Analyze teaching and the learning of the focus learner in the video clips by responding to commentary
prompts.
TASK 3: ASSESSING LEARNING
Use the baseline data, the daily assessment records, and the final assessments to analyze the focus learner’s
progress on lesson objectives related to both learning targets. For some lesson objectives, the final daily
assessment record will be the final assessment.
Submit one copy of the baseline data and the completed daily assessment record for each lesson for both
learning targets.
Submit completed final assessments for both learning targets to help illustrate the conclusions you reach
in your analysis. For the primary learning target, the completed final assessment should be a work sample.
The work sample may take the form of a test, an assignment, or a video clip of performance.
Submit feedback given to the focus learner for the final assessment for the primary learning target on the
work sample itself, as an audio clip, or as a video clip.
Analyze evidence of the focus learner’s use of the targeted expressive and/or receptive communication
demands for the primary learning target from (1) the video clip(s) from the Instruction task, (2) an
additional video clip of the focus learner using the targeted communication within the learning segment,
AND/OR (3) a work sample from the Assessment task.
Analyze the data on learning progress related to both learning targets, and plan for next steps by
responding to commentary prompts.
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