Psychometrics of Praxis III: Classroom Performance Assessments

The article describes the Praxis III assessment, an observation-based system for assessing the skills of beginning teachers that emphasizes teacher decision-making and the importance of student, school, and curricular context. The article also describes the principles and process of the assessments design and construction, including the underlying conception of teaching, how this construct was operationalized, and how assessment criteria were developed. Additional issues in teacher performance assessments, including whether such assessments should reflect current practice or lead it, the balance between assessment of practical and theoretical knowledge, and the role of assessor judgment, are discussed.