Elementary Teacher Preparation Policy
Content Test Requirements: Iowa requires its early childhood education teacher candidates with the combined special education endorsement, who are
licensed to teach general elementary or special education grades through grade
3, to pass the Praxis II Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (5023)
test, the Praxis II Early Childhood Education (5025) test, or the edTPA
performance assessment. Only the Early Childhood Education (5025) test is a
subject-matter test, but it does not report separate subscores in the core
content areas of language arts, math, science or social studies.
Scientifically Based Reading Instruction: As a condition of initial licensure, Iowa does not require its early childhood candidates to pass a
reading test addressing the five instructional components of scientifically
based reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and
comprehension.
Informational Texts: The Early Childhood Education test addresses
both the use of informational text and text complexity. With regard to
the incorporation of informational text of increasing complexity,
teachers are required to know how to "explain factors that contribute
to text complexity (e.g., vocabulary, sentence complexity, images) [and]
select appropriate texts for readers at various levels."
Literacy Skills: Although Iowa teacher standards
require that all teachers demonstrate "competency in literacy, to
include... integrating literacy instruction
into
content areas," this standard does not go far enough to ensure that
teachers include literacy skills
across the core content areas.
Struggling Readers: In addition,
while the state requires teacher candidates to demonstrate "competency
in making appropriate accommodations for students who struggle with
literacy," Iowa's content test requirement fails to address struggling
readers.
Require early childhood teacher candidates to pass a subject-matter test designed to ensure sufficient content knowledge of all subjects.
Iowa should require all early childhood teacher candidates who teach the elementary grades to pass a content test with separate passing scores for each of the core subject areas, including reading/language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Although the state requires appropriate testing for elementary teachers teaching on an elementary certificate, Iowa creates a significant loophole by not holding early childhood teachers who teach elementary grades to the same requirements. The state's current practice of allowing teachers up through grade 3 to teach without ever having passed a content test is particularly worrisome and should be amended.
Require all teacher candidates who teach elementary grades to pass a rigorous assessment in the science of reading instruction.
Iowa should require a rigorous reading assessment tool to ensure that its early childhood candidates are adequately prepared in the science of reading instruction before entering the classroom. The assessment should clearly test knowledge and skills related to the science of reading and address all five instructional components of scientifically based reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. If the test is combined with an assessment that also tests general pedagogy or elementary content, it should report a subscore for the science of reading specifically. Early childhood teachers who do not possess the minimum knowledge in this area should not be eligible for licensure.
Ensure that early childhood teachers are prepared to meet the instructional requirements of college- and career-readiness standards for students.
Incorporate informational text of increasing complexity into classroom instruction.
Iowa's early childhood test does not adequately capture all the major instructional shifts of college- and career-readiness standards. Iowa is therefore encouraged to strengthen its teacher preparation requirements and ensure that all candidates who teach the elementary grades have the ability to address the use of informational texts as well as to incorporate complex informational texts into classroom instruction.
Incorporate literacy skills as an integral part of every subject.
To ensure that elementary students are capable of accessing varied information about the world around them, Iowa should also—either through testing frameworks or teacher standards—include literacy skills and using text to build content knowledge in history/social studies, science, technical subjects and the arts.
Support struggling readers.
Iowa should articulate more specific requirements ensuring that all candidates who teach elementary grades are prepared to intervene and support students who are struggling. The early elementary grades are an especially important time to address reading deficiencies before students fall behind.
Iowa recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.
2D: Elementary Licensure Deficiencies
Early childhood teachers who teach elementary grades must be ready for the demands of the elementary classroom. Many states have early childhood licenses that include some elementary classroom grades, usually up to grade three.[1] Because teachers with this early childhood license can still teach many elementary grades, they should not be held to a lower bar for subject-matter knowledge than if they held more standard elementary licenses. Given the focus on building students' content knowledge and vocabulary in college- and career-readiness standards,[2] states would put students at risk by not holding all elementary teachers to equivalent standards.[3] That is not to say the license requirements must be identical; there are certainly different focuses in terms of child development and pedagogy. But the idea that content knowledge is only needed by upper-grade elementary teachers is clearly false.
Focus on reading instruction is especially critical for early childhood teachers. Although some states do not ensure that any elementary teachers know the science of how to teach young children to read, in the states where this is a priority, it is inexcusable to hold elementary teachers on an early childhood license to a lower standard. Research is clear that the best defense against reading failure is effective early reading instruction.[4] Therefore, if such licenses are neglecting to meet the needs of the early elementary classroom, of which learning to read is paramount, they are failing to meet one of their most fundamental purposes.