Explanation of PDE 430

Pennsylvania Statewide Evaluation Form for Student Professional Knowledge and Practice Pennsylvania Department of Education – PDE 430

HEADING AND SIGNATURE PAGE

  1. The heading of the evaluation form contains biographical information regarding the student teacher / candidate being evaluated and the evaluation period
  2. The subjects being taught and the grade level should be clearly listed.
  3. Write the date on which the conference was held between the student teacher / candidate and the evaluator on the signature page of the PDE- 430 form.
  4. Clearly state the school year and the term in the appropriate place on the signature page.

CATEGORIES OF EVALUATION

  1. PDE 430 has 4 major categories addressing evaluation of student teacher / candidate:
    1. Category I- Planning and Preparation
    2. Category II- Classroom Environment
    3. Category III- Instructional Delivery
    4. Category IV- Professionalism

    Each category has student teacher / candidate performance indicators that support the category’s evaluation on a continuum from Exemplary through Unsatisfactory. The “Student Teacher / Candidate’s Performance Appropriately Demonstrates” indicators are the criteria for the evaluation. Both the evaluator and the student teacher / candidate must be aware of the performance indicators being used in the evaluation before the evaluation takes place.
  2. Each PDE 430 Category, I through IV, includes an explanation of the various aspects of teaching that aid in the further definition of the category.

LEVELS OF PROFICIENCY IN THE CATEGORIES

  1. The categories presented on the PDE 430 provide knowledge, to the evaluator and the student teacher / candidate, of performance expectations and the required levels of proficiency for each category. The category’s results are evaluated through the review of the defined “Student Teacher / Candidate’s Performance Demonstrates” indicators in each of the four categories.
  2. The student teacher / candidate’s demonstrated performance indicators in each category should be checked or highlighted in a manner to assist the evaluator in determining the appropriate level of proficiency. The judgment of the performance for the rating of any category is based on:
    1. The rater’s overall evaluation of performance in each category and
    2.  Is not dependent on seeing each single performance indicator demonstrated successfully in order to receive a high-level evaluation.

SOURCES OF EVIDENCE

  1. The sources of evidence gathered by the student teacher/candidate and the evaluator should be considered by the evaluator to make a judgment about the student teacher / candidate’s performance / level of proficiency.
  2. It is also the responsibility of the student teacher /candidate to ensure the availability of evidence required for each of the categories evaluated. The evaluator and the student teacher /candidate will share the sources at the conference date. The evaluator will mark, on the form next to the source of evidence, pertinent pieces of evidence that were reviewed during the evaluation of a student teacher /candidate’s performance / level proficiency.
  3. Since the evaluation form serves as a recordkeeping device in support of the recommendation for a successful performance assessment, it is important that the evaluator specify, next to the source of evidence, any evidence considered so that the student teacher, and other administrators reviewing the form, may have a sense of what was used to arrive at a judgment on the level of proficiency.
  4. Sources of evidence should have, where appropriate, written dates that the source of evidence occurred: for example, the date of the planning document or dates of classroom observations / visits. Types of evidence reviewed can be listed as well as titles, for example, Back-to-School Night presentation. It should include the number of sources; for example if seven pieces of student work were collected for a particular source of evidence, that number should be included.
  5. The space following each source of evidence allows an evaluator to document the important source(s) that were considered and captures the essential information about the source. If further space is required, an additional sheet may be attached.

JUSTIFICATION FOR EVALUATION

  1. After reviewing the results of the student teacher / candidate’s performance indicators in each category, and the pertinent sources of evidence, the assessor will make a judgment for each category on the PDE 430. The appropriate box is then checked.
  2. This is a key section as it provides the student teacher with a clear understanding of the evaluator’s decision based on observations and other specific sources of evidence. This section also provides further explanation of why the student teacher is receiving a particular rating for the category. The evaluator’s comments help to focus the student teacher on his/ her specific strengths and areas for improvement. It is important to write statements that are clear, consistent and specify key areas for improvement, if required.

    The justification section may be expanded to whatever length the rater feels necessary to help the student teacher / candidate understand the rating, the reasons for it and steps that can be taken to improve performance, whenever required.

EVALUATION

  1. The evaluation / signature page of the PDE 430 includes the school year and the term during which the observation occurred. An appropriate overall judgment of the student teacher / candidate’s demonstrated performance will be made and checked, resulting in a particular level of proficiency.
  2. The signature of the evaluator, usually the student teacher / candidate’s supervisor, must be included. In addition, the signature of the student teacher / candidate and the appropriate signature dates must also be included. The student teacher / candidate does not have to agree with the judgments or statements of the evaluator in order to sign the form. The student teacher / candidate is obligated to sign the form once the evaluator has shared the contents of the form with the student teacher / candidate. Student teacher / candidate may annotate the form with “I disagree with this rating.”
  3. The Overall Justification for Evaluation section should specify any key areas for improvement, when used for the first assessment, and provide the student teacher / candidate with a clear understanding of the evaluator’s overall judgment of their performance. All written sections may be expanded in size in order to fully express the observations and recommendations to the student teacher /candidate. Additional pages may be added if necessary.

    The level of proficiency indicated in each of the four categories will be added to determine an overall rating / level of proficiency for the entire PDE 430 form and the single rating period. At least a satisfactory rating must have been achieved in each of the four categories.

    The certifying officer must now verify that the candidate has achieved at least a satisfactory rating on the PDE 430 by indicating on the PDE 338C, College/University Verification Form, which is used to recommend a candidate to the Commonwealth for certification.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

  1. Each student teacher / candidate must be observed and evaluated using PDE 430 a minimum of two times during their student teaching experience – once at the midpoint, and once at the end. Note that his is a minimum number of times and further evaluations may be completed, as the college/ university desires. For example, if a candidate has two separate student teaching assignments, they may be observed at the midpoint and end of each assignment.
  2. All evaluations with the PDE 430 assessment instrument must be used a minimum of two times. A satisfactory rating (1)in each of the four categories, resulting in a minimum total of at least (4) points, must be achieved on the final summative rating to favorably complete the overall assessment. Not that all categories must have achieved at least a satisfactory rating in all cases.
  3. A copy of the PDE 430 is kept in the student teacher/candidate’s college file. Student teacher / candidates should have a copy of their completed PDE 430. However, copies of the PDE 430 should not be provided by the college to outside agencies, prospective employers, or other individuals, in any situation, as this is an internal document. The PDE 430 is a confidential document. Copies of the PDE 430 will be reviewed during stat major program reviews.
     

Division of Teacher Education
Tel:  717 787 3470
Bureau of Teacher Certification and Preparation Pennsylvania Department of Education (8/1/03)