January 2014 Pennsylvania ALL GR ER AD V E OC- D D+ 2009 2011 Acknowledgments STATES State education agencies remain our most important partners in this effort, and their gracious cooperation has helped to ensure the factual accuracy of the final product. Every state formally received a draft of the Yearbook in July 2013 for comment and correction; states also received a final draft of their reports a month prior to release. All but two states responded to our inquiries. While states do not always agree with our recommendations, their willingness to engage in dialogue and often acknowledge the imperfections of their teacher policies is an important step forward. FUNDERS The primary funders for the 2013 Yearbook were: n Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation n The Joyce Foundation n Carnegie Corporation of New York n The Walton Family Foundation n Gleason Family Foundation The National Council on Teacher Quality does not accept any direct funding from the federal government. STAFF Sandi Jacobs, Project Director Adrienne S. Davis, Project Assistant Kathryn M. Doherty, Special Contributor Kelli Lakis, Lead Researcher Stephanie T. Maltz and Lisa N. Staresina, Researchers Phil Lasser, Research Assistant Special thanks to Leigh Zimnisky, Brittany Atkinson and Justin Rakowski at CPS Gumpert for their design of the 2013 Yearbook. Thanks also to Colleen Hale and Jeff Hale at EFA Solutions for the original Yearbook design and ongoing technical support. Executive Summary The 2013 State Teacher Policy Yearbook includes the National Council on Teacher Quality’s (NCTQ) full review of the state laws, rules and regulations that govern the teaching profession. This year’s report measures state progress against a set of 31 policy goals focused on helping states put in place a comprehensive framework in support of preparing, retaining and rewarding effective teachers. Pennsylvania at a Glance Overall 2013 Yearbook Grade C- Overall 2011 Yearbook Grade: D+ Area Grades 2013 2011 Area 1 Delivering Well-Prepared Teachers C C Area 2 Expanding the Teaching Pool C- C Area 3 Identifying Effective Teachers C D+ Area 4 Retaining Effective Teachers D+ D1 Area 5 Exiting Ineffective Teachers D- F Goal Breakdown 2013 Progress on Goals Best Practice 0 Since 2011 Fully Meets 3 Progress has increased 8 Nearly Meets 4 No change in progress 20 Partially Meets 11 Progress has decreased 3 Meets Only a Small Part 7 Does Not Meet 6 1 State teacher pension policy is no longer included in the State Teacher Policy Yearbook. So that Area 4 grades can be compared, 2011 grades have been recalculated to exclude the pension goals. Overall 2011 grades were not recalculated, as the impact was negligible. PENNSYLVANIA NCTQ STATE TEACHER POLICY YEARBOOK 2013 : 1 How is Pennsylvania Faring? Area 1: Delivering Well-Prepared Teachers Page 5 Admission into Teacher Preparation Secondary Teacher Preparation in Science Elementary Teacher Preparation Special Education Teacher Preparation Teacher Preparation in Reading Instruction Assessing Professional Knowledge Teacher Preparation in Mathematics Student Teaching Middle School Teacher Preparation Teacher Preparation Program Accountability Secondary Teacher Preparation Policy Strengths ■ Middle school teachers may not teach on a K-8 ■ The state does not offer a K-12 special education generalist license, and they must appropriately pass a certification. single-subject content test. Policy Weaknesses ■ Teacher candidates are not required to pass a test of ■ Some secondary science and social studies teachers academic proficiency as a criterion for admission to are not required to pass content tests for each teacher preparation programs. discipline they are licensed to teach. ■ Elementary teacher candidates are not required ■ Only some new teachers are required to pass a to pass a content test with individually scored pedagogy test. subtests in each of the core content areas, including ■ There are no requirements to ensure that student mathematics. teachers are placed with cooperating teachers who ■ Although the state requires teacher preparation were selected based on evidence of effectiveness. programs to address the science of reading, it does ■ The teacher preparation program approval process not require elementary teacher candidates to pass does not hold programs accountable for the quality of an adequate test to ensure knowledge of effective the teachers they produce. reading instruction. Area 2: Expanding the Pool of Teachers Page 51 Alternate Route Eligibility Part-Time Teaching Licenses Alternate Route Preparation Licensure Reciprocity Alternate Route Usage and Providers Policy Strengths ■ There are no restrictions on providers, although some alternate routes do have limitations on usage. Policy Weaknesses ■ Admission criteria for alternate routes to certification ■ The state offers a license that allows content experts are not consistently selective or flexible for to teach part time, but only in support of a certified nontraditional candidates. teacher. ■ Alternate route programs do not provide efficient ■ Although out-of-state teachers are appropriately preparation that is geared toward the immediate required to meet the state’s testing requirements, needs of new teachers. there are additional obstacles that do not support licensure reciprocity. 2 : NCTQ STATE TEACHER POLICY YEARBOOK 2013 PENNSYLVANIA How is Pennsylvania Faring? Area 3: Identifying Effective Teachers Page 73 State Data Systems Tenure Evaluation of Effectiveness Licensure Advancement Frequency of Evaluations Equitable Distribution Policy Strengths ■ Objective evidence of student learning is the ■ Licensure advancement is based on teacher preponderant criterion of teacher evaluations. effectiveness. ■ All teachers must be evaluated annually. ■ School-level teacher effectiveness data are publicly reported. Policy Weaknesses ■ The state data system does not have the capacity ■ Tenure decisions are not connected to evidence of to provide evidence of teacher effectiveness. teacher effectiveness. Area 4: Retaining Effective Teachers Page 103 Induction Compensation for Prior Work Experience Professional Development Differential Pay Pay Scales Performance Pay Policy Strengths ■ All new teachers receive mentoring. ■ Districts are given full authority for how teachers are ■ Teachers who receive unsatisfactory evaluations are paid, although they are not discouraged from basing placed on structured improvement plans. salary schedules solely on years of experience and advanced degrees. ■ Teachers can receive additional compensation for working in shortage subject areas. Policy Weaknesses ■ Professional development is not aligned with findings ■ The state does not support performance pay or from teachers’ evaluations. additional compensation for relevant prior work experience or working in high-need schools. Area 5: Exiting Ineffective Teachers Page 127 Extended Emergency Licenses Reductions in Force Dismissal for Poor Performance Policy Weaknesses ■ Teachers can teach for up to three years before having ■ Seniority, rather than a teacher’s performance in the to pass required subject-matter tests. classroom, is considered in determining which teachers ■ Although ineffectiveness is grounds for dismissal, the to lay off during reductions in force. state allows multiple appeals for teachers who are dismissed. PENNSYLVANIA NCTQ STATE TEACHER POLICY YEARBOOK 2013 : 3 Figure A How to Read the Yearbook Overall State Overall State Overall State Grade 2009 Grade 2013 Grade 2011 Florida B+ BC GOAL SCORE Louisiana B C- C- The extent to which each goal has been met: Rhode Island B B- D Tennessee B B- C- Arkansas B- C C- Best Practice Connecticut B- C- D+ Fully Meets Georgia B- C C- Indiana B- C+ D Nearly Meets Massachusetts B- C D+ Partially Meets Michigan B- C+ D- New Jersey B- D+ D+ Meets Only a Small Part New York B- C D+ Does Not Meet Ohio B- C+ D+ Oklahoma B- B- D+ Colorado C+ C D+ PROGRESS INDICATOR Delaware C+ CD Illinois C+ C D+ Whether the state has advanced on the goal, Virginia C+ D+ D+ policy has remained unchanged or the state Kentucky C D+ D+ has lost ground on that topic: Mississippi C D+ D+ North Carolina C D+ D+ Utah C C- D Goal progress has increased since 2011 Alabama C- C- C- Goal progress has decreased since 2011 Arizona C- D+ D+ Maine C- D- F Goal progress has remained the same since 2011 Minnesota C- C- D- Missouri C- DD Nevada C- C- D- PENNSYLVANIA C- D+ D BAR RAISED FOR THIS GOAL South Carolina C- C- C- Indicates the criteria to meet the goal have Texas C- C- C- been raised since the 2011 Yearbook. Washington C- C- D+ West Virginia C- D+ D+ California D+ D+ D+ District of Columbia D+ D D- READING CHARTS AND TABLES: Hawaii D+ D- D- Strong practices or the ideal policy positions Idaho D+ D+ D- for the states are capitalized: Maryland D+ D+ D New Mexico D+ D+ D+ Wisconsin D+ DD 29 14 Alaska D DD BEFORE During or after Iowa D DD ADMISSION completion of TO PREP prep program Kansas D D D- PROGRAM New Hampshire D D- D- North Dakota D D D- Oregon D D- D- Wyoming D D D- Nebraska D- D- D- 8 South Dakota D- DD No test required Vermont D- D- F Montana F FF 4 : NCTQ STATE TEACHER POLICY YEARBOOK 2013 PENNSYLVANIA A 1 GRA RE D A E Area 1 Summary P ENC IA NSYLVAN How States are Faring on Delivering Well-Prepared Teachers State Area Grades F B+ 53 Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, Rhode Island B Wyoming 2 D- Alabama, Texas 4 Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, South Dakota B- 6 Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee D ARE GE A G 4 A R R A Michigan,