• Code of Ethics
• Evaluation
• Future Teachers
• Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements
• KNEA KPA Guide
• Mentoring & Peer Assistance
• National Board Certification
• Professional Development
• State Board News
• Supporting New Teachers
• Teacher Tool Kit
• Teaching License

The Kansas Performance Assessment

Background
For future teaching professionals, after completing a preparation program and passing both the Principles of Learning and Teaching and the Praxis II test in their content area (to show what the candidate knows), teachers earn an Initial License. This allows them to work in a Kansas school for two years. This license is renewable once. During that time, each must successfully complete a performance assessment, to earn the five-year, renewable, Professional Teaching License.

Who must complete a performance assessment?
Anyone who has a document titled "Conditional License" or "Initial License."  The only exceptions are for applicants who came with the equivalent of a Professional Teaching License or an Accomplished Teaching License from another state.

What is the performance assessment?
For the 2008-2009 school year, the State Board has decided that the performance assessment requirement will be met through completion of a year-long, district-administered induction and mentoring program.  Read the KSDE memos for specific instructions.  At that same site, you can download the form you must use to document completion of an induction and mentoring program.

Make sure you read the second letter, dated May 27, 2008, which appears on the third page of the download titled “Transitional Performance Assessment Information,”  because it changes some of the information contained in the first letter, dated May 22, 2008.

Induction and mentoring programs completed prior to the 2008-2009 school year are applicable for upgrading to the Professional License, provided all the KPA eligibility requirements are met:

1. Candidates must hold a current conditional/initial license.
2. Candidates must be teaching in the area in which they are licensed by either the conditional license or the provisional license endorsed area.
3. Candidates working under a waiver are not eligible.
4. Out-of-State candidates must hold a valid certificate/license in that state with an endorsement valid for the specific teaching assignment, in addition to a valid Kansas conditional/initial license.
5. Candidate is working in a school that is accredited by the state board or a comparable agency in that state.

Individuals who hold currently valid Conditional Licenses will be notified of the State Board action through written notification mailed to the most recent address recorded in the licensure database.  If you have moved since you received your Conditional License, be sure to read the information on the KSDE website!