ACT earlier submitted a report that requested the Board of Education to reduce the passing score for the Praxis 2 test, provide non-English native teachers additional time to take the test, and consider alternative measure for non-highly qualified veteran teachers.
According to the ACT report, different groups were consulted to “ensure that the recommendations were reflective of the entire educational community.”
These included students from the Framingham master’s program who were taking a course on research and evaluation, and participants in the professional development workshop titled “The Rocky Road to HQT,” which was conducted in September.
ACT said 43 participated in its survey with teaching experience from 1to 30 years.
These included 35 highly qualified classroom teachers, two administrators, one administrative officer, one graduate professor, one counselor, one BOE member and one retired teacher.
ACT said 38 agreed to propose an amendment to the current HQT requirements while five disagreed; and 39 were in favor of requesting the development of a high objective uniform standard of evaluation, or additional ways for teachers to demonstrate subject matter competency and meet HQT requirements.
Many of the respondents said PSS/BOE set a fairly and reasonably scores for the Praxis 1 test but they favor an “adjustment” in the passing score for Praxis 2.
Thirty-nine respondents supported a 20-minute extension in time for non-English native teachers who are taking the test.
An alternative system for veteran teachers to prove competency in content areas after failing Praxis was also supported by majority of the respondents.
These alternative assessments may include college coursework, student achievement data, performance evaluations and parental surveys.
Majority of the respondents also supported the reinstatement of the salary of a non-highly qualified teacher based on his or her good faith effort toward passing Praxis.
ACT said the current HQT policy “lacks the critical component of input from those most impacted by such a plan — the teachers.”
BOE requires a public school teacher to have a bachelor’s degree and a valid teaching certificate, and pass Praxis 1 and 2 in order to be classified as a highly qualified teacher, or HQT.
PSS teachers who did not pass the Praxis tests will see a reduction in their salaries, which ACT describes as “punitive.”
ACT claims that “there are no funding ramifications for violating requirements for highly qualified teachers.”
BOE/PSS said it implemented the HQT requirement to comply with the federal No Child Left Behind Act and to continue receiving federal grants.
