Written Public Comment Submission Detail

Public Comment Details

Meeting
Commission Meeting - April 2021

Agenda Item
4H: COVID Flexibilities: Recommendation to Extend the Waiver of Preconditions Related to Demonstration of Subject Matter Competence and Student Teaching

Name
Jennifer Mahdavi Ph.D. BCBA-D

Organization
Sonoma State University

Comments
I hope that we can not only allow flexibility on the high-stakes tests for entry into the teaching profession (CBEST, CSET, RICA), but that we can get rid of them entirely. These exams are a barrier to the classroom that is unrelated to a candidate's potential to successfully teach children. As a professor in a special education credentialing program, I have seen candidates to struggle to pass these exams, the CSET in particular. Just a few years ago we had two women of color, one Asian-American, the other Black, who were teaching special education on emergency permits while they tried to pass the multiple subjects CSET. Each one was an effective teacher, according to the administrators who hired and evaluated them in the school districts. Each one excelled in our demanding coursework, demonstrating their grasp of high-leverage practices in special education. Each one took the CSET again and again, spending hours of time and potentially thousands of dollars to overcome this barrier to their dreams of teaching. Our university supported them with tutoring and test prep courses. One of these women had to spend a year as a paraprofessional, despite being a fantastic teacher. She was prepared to abandon the career entirely. Fortunately, each of these women did eventually pass the test- but what if they hadn't had the grit to carry on?
These high-stakes tests are demonstrated to be inequitable to people of color and to those from lower SES groups. Further, the CSET in particular tests skills and knowledge that are wholly unrelated to being able to teach children with special needs. We want and need to diversify our California teaching force so that it better reflects and meets the needs of children in our communities. Please abandon the expensive and discriminatory mandate to pass exams in order to become a teacher.
Jennifer Mahdavi
Professor
Sonoma State University

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