WHAT’S NEXT FOR A TEACHER?
After being a classroom teacher and formal teacher leader for many years, I began to naturally think, “What’s next?” I did all the committees (Department, Grade Level, Professional Development Planning, Positive Behavior Interventions & Support, Advisory, etc). I had a great relationship with my school leaders and colleagues. My students were making significant gains each year on internal and state-wide assessments. Yet, after doing this for so long, I wondered if I could make a greater impact beyond the four walls of my classroom.
That is when school leadership became an idea in my mind that I pushed into fruition. I was hired as an administrator, but I needed to earn my admin credential before the year ended in order for me to keep my position.
WHAT DID YOU DO?
I asked several administrators what their process was for earning their credential. I was given lukewarm recommendations for various grad school programs. Some attended night and Saturday classes over the course of 2 years. Some did online courses full-time for 15 months. Some did hybrid versions of night classes and intense summer boot camps. Honestly, none of these appealed to me. Working full-time as a teacher or administrator is hard enough. Taking coursework along side my full load of administrative duties was not what I had envisioned–not to mention the extra $12,o00 I would have to go into debt to attend grad school.
That was when I finally came across one school leader who asked me, “Why don’t you just take the CPACE?”
“Um…what?” was my response. I quickly learned that there is this magical less-known door #2 to earning your admin credential: ONE TEST – The CPACE!
How is this even possible?
After doing much research, I learned California is one of few states that has an expedited examination route to earning an admin credential.
How this is not the option that EVERYONE takes baffles me. Sharon Robison, a retired superintendent and ACSA’s liason to the CTC states, “The pool of candidates for becoming [an] administrator is becoming shallow, but there are mid-career teachers with outstanding experience as curriculum specialists, teacher coaches and site leaders who would be excellent candidates for a credential. Yet they aren’t interested in returning to school to obtain it.”
This described my EXACT sentiments. I already spent 1 year getting my teaching credential, 1 year getting my masters in education, and 1 year clearing my preliminary teaching credential through BTSA. Now grad school again for an admin credential??
Jokes aside, I really did not want to go back to grad school, so the CPACE was a no-brainer.
WHAT IS THE CPACE?
The CPACE stands for the California Preliminary Administrative Credential Examination. Passing this one test is the equivalent of attending a commission-approved graduate school program. Amazing, right?
WHAT’S COVERED ON THE CPACE EXAM?
The CPACE is a blend of multiple choice, writing, and performance-based assessments. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) plans to roll out the first administration of the updated CPACE starting June of 2015.
The new CPACE really puts an emphasis on performance assessments by having test takers take on the role of an administrator to draft school improvement plans and evaluate teacher effectiveness by watching a 12-15 minute video clip of a teacher and provide feedback on strengths and areas of growth.
Test takers must show competency in 6 domains:
- Visionary Leadership
- Instructional Leadership
- School Improvement Leadership
- Professional Learning & Growth Leadership
- Organizational & Systems Leadership
- Community Leadership
These 6 domains are tested through multiple choice questions and 3 focused written assignments, while the performance portion of the CPACE assesses Instructional & School Improvement Leadership domains.
While this may seem like a lot for one assessment, it’s still an expedited option and I took it (and passed the previous version of the CPACE which had a different performance-based assessment).
So, now that you are well-versed in what the CPACE is and what it entails, will you consider this option to start your pathway to school leadership?
If this really interests you, then do your research and see for yourself which option will better balance your time and money…because LeVar Burton says so.