The CTC will be meeting on Friday, April 16, and will be discussing whether or not to extend waivers on high-stakes teacher testing related to subject matter competency and student teaching. We are asking all NAME members to contact the CTC urging them to permanently eliminate these high-stakes teacher testing requirements. 

Make your voice heard:

Email the CTC to sign-up to give public testimony on Friday, April 16: Members of the public wishing to address the Commission are asked to send an email to [email protected]. When you write, please include your name, phone number, and affiliation, and indicate that you are addressing agenda item #4H.

Remember: Public comments will be limited to one minute per person. Please indicate that you would like to address agenda item #4H and then share your story at the meeting.

You are also encouraged to attend the CTC meeting on Friday, April 16. You can attend through Zoom using this link or you can call in during the meeting on Friday, April, 16, using the phone number and meeting ID number below:

Phone number: 877-853-5257
Meeting ID# for April 16: 889 6746 0060

Key Talking Points & Sample Script:

[Personal stories are a highly effective way to persuade the CTC, and we encourage you to share your experience and to reach out to your students to ask them to share their experiences with the CBEST, RICA, and CSET at the Commission meeting this week. You may also want to use some key talking points from CARE-ED's brief when writing or calling in to the CTC meeting. Be sure to indicate you are addressing agenda item #4H.]

Hello, my name is (insert your name), I’m from (affiliation). I’m calling (or writing ) today because I’d like to address the commission on agenda item #4H.

I am a member of the California NAME, the California Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education.

I am (writing) (I’m here) today to urge the Commission to end the high-stakes teacher testing in California, for the following reasons:

First, high-stakes tests like the CBEST, CSET, and RICA have not been proven by research to produce a higher quality teaching force.

Secondly, while these high-stakes tests are not valid and reliable in predicting teacher quality, they do disproportionately filter out students of color.

Third, according to a 2009 study, teacher licensure scores have little if any effect on classroom student achievement.

In place of such tests, we reiterate the recommendations from CARE-ED:

• “Provide models for how institutions are effectively using a variety of more authentic criteria (including previous university coursework, supervisor evaluations of work in schools and/or community settings, and experience addressing issues of diversity and justice) to determine eligibility for program entrance and completion;” and

• “Support institutions in developing and implementing their own criteria and process for ensuring that diversity and justice are at the heart of admissions.”

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely (if you’re submitting your comments in writing),

Your name and affiliation