Confidentiality and Security of edTPA Pilot Candidate Materials and Assessment Data
This information, prepared by Pearson and Stanford University, describes the policies and procedures related to the confidentiality and security of candidate edTPA submissions and assessment data for each phase of the process:
- Pre-Submission of Assessment Materials for Scoring
- Transfer, Upload, and Storage of the Assessment Materials
- Post-Submission and Scoring
This information applies to Pearson and Stanford University handling of materials and data for candidates who register for edTPA at tx.nesinc.com and submit their assessment for official scoring.
Teacher candidates own the content they create and submit for each edTPA portfolio. Neither Stanford University nor Pearson owns the candidates' edTPA portfolios.
The use of the portfolio video by candidates is restricted by the parameters of the release forms obtained for children and/or adults who appear in the video. Because parents/guardians and/or adults have not typically granted permission for public use of the videos in which they or their children appear, videos should NOT be displayed publicly (e.g., personal websites, YouTube, Facebook) without express permission for this purpose from those featured in the video.
Because of laws protecting confidentiality and privacy, only candidates can register themselves for edTPA. Information about registration or submission status may be provided to the educator preparation program in which the candidate is currently enrolled. Given the consequential nature of operational edTPA and associated program policies, programs and candidates will bear responsibility for reviewing program information and ensuring candidates meet appropriate timelines established by their educator preparation programs.
Pre-Submission of Assessment Materials for Scoring
Prior to candidate submission of edTPA assessment materials for scoring, the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website provides information for candidates related to the creation, review, and handling of candidate assessment materials, including video recordings. These include:
These guidelines address the need to maintain confidentiality of video participants and direct candidates to obtain appropriate permission from parents/guardians for students who appear in video recordings and from adults who appear in video recordings. In order to assist candidates in obtaining the appropriate releases, the program website and edTPA membership platform (edtpa.org ) include information describing the nature of the assessment and how assessment materials may be used. A sample release form is also provided for reference. Candidates should consult with their program for other specific information that may be required to include in the release form.
Authorized Access
Prior to submitting assessment materials for scoring, candidates may request authorized faculty reviewers at their educator preparation program to provide feedback on their edTPA materials (including video recordings) prior to submission. Faculty at educator preparation programs that are using the Pearson ePortfolio system's feedback feature may provide feedback directly within this system. Some programs may use other platforms or systems to support edTPA on their campus. Candidates should follow their campus directions for receiving feedback. In the Pearson ePortfolio system faculty do not have access to candidate edTPA materials unless authorized by a candidate. While candidates own the content they create and submit for the edTPA portfolio, once the candidate submits the assessment materials to Pearson for scoring, neither the candidate nor authorized faculty have access to the candidate's submitted materials in the Pearson ePortfolio system. If a candidate wants to retain a copy of their submission and share with program faculty with appropriate permission, the files should be saved outside the Pearson ePortfolio system prior to submission. edTPA materials, once submitted, cannot be returned to candidates or educator preparation programs.
Authorized faculty are required to abide by Guidelines for Video Confidentiality for Faculty, which prohibit the sharing, copying, or posting of candidate assessment materials, including video recordings, in any public way.
Attestations
When candidates are ready to submit their assessment materials to Pearson for scoring, they are presented with candidate attestations, which include requiring confirmation that they have obtained the necessary video releases and that they have not posted and will not post video recordings in any location other than the Pearson ePortfolio system, an approved integrated edTPA Platform Provider system, or another secure system designated by the candidate's educator preparation program to support edTPA. Candidates must keep their edTPA video recordings under secure conditions and share with programs only when appropriate permissions are granted.
Transfer, Upload, and Storage of the Assessment Materials
Candidate assessment materials, including video recordings, enter the Pearson ePortfolio system in one of two ways:
- Transfer from an approved, integrated edTPA Platform Provider system. Candidates who have registered on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website and are working in one of the approved integrated edTPA Platform Provider systems authorize the transfer of their assessment materials to the Pearson ePortfolio system.
- Uploading by the candidate directly into the Pearson ePortfolio system.
Transmission of assessment materials via these methods is protected using industry standard encryption practices.
Once materials have been transferred from an approved, integrated edTPA Platform Provider system or uploaded directly into the Pearson ePortfolio system, they must be reviewed and verified by the candidate in the Pearson ePortfolio system and submitted for official scoring.
Storage
The assessment materials are stored by Pearson in secure repositories and areas accessible only to authorized users via unique, secure log-in credentials for specific actions and for limited periods of time.
Access
By using industry-standard security software (encrypted protocols and encrypted and expiring tokens), the system ensures that access to view the stored assessment materials/videos is granted only to authorized users.
- Authorized Pearson users may include scorers, scorer supervisors, scorer trainers, scoring support personnel, and personnel required to conduct quality control.
- Authorized Stanford personnel associated with assessment development may view candidates' edTPA materials for the purposes of selection of scorer training materials and scorer training activities.
Post-Submission and Scoring
Access
- Authorized Pearson users may include scorers, scorer supervisors, scorer trainers, scoring support personnel, and personnel required to conduct quality control or required to conduct an investigation associated with compliance with the Rules of Assessment Participation, as needed.
- Authorized Stanford personnel associated with assessment development may view candidates' edTPA materials for the purposes of selection of scorer training materials and scorer training activities.
- Authorized individuals at the educator preparation program in which a candidate is enrolled and/or the Texas Education Agency (TEA) may be provided access to submitted assessment materials or a portion thereof as part of an investigation associated with compliance with the Rules of Assessment Participation, as needed.
Authorized scorers access the candidate assessment materials, including video recordings, through Pearson's password-protected secure Scoring System. Candidate assessment materials are available only for the period in which scoring occurs. Scorer access to the Pearson Scoring System is disabled after the scorer's activities are completed.
Access to edTPA Data
Candidate scores will be reported to the candidate, to TEA, and to the educator preparation program (if applicable).
- States will receive aggregated score information and may also receive individual and program-level information, depending on state policy. Summary statistics by state and nation will be made available to participating states. Candidate and campus identities are not disclosed in aggregated or summary data reports.
- Data will be available to the authorized edTPA reporting contact at educator preparation programs and states via Pearson's secure reporting site that requires unique username and password access. The information reported, via this secure, web-based system, is expressly for use by approved edTPA reporting educator preparation programs.
- Stanford University does not receive individual candidate information or scores. Stanford University will receive edTPA results without candidate name or other identifying information.
Other Uses of Candidate Materials
- edTPA assessment materials, without candidate or other identifying information, may be used for edTPA program development and implementation, including scorer training.
- Prior to submitting their assessment materials to Pearson for scoring, edTPA candidates will be asked to consent to or opt out of use of their assessment materials to support continued program improvement activities conducted by Stanford University and Pearson, such as future validity and reliability studies of edTPA.
- Candidate video recordings will not be shown in any public venue nor made available in a non-secure way.
- Candidate materials, including video recordings, will not be used for marketing purposes or as exemplars for marketing purposes.
Other Use or Disclosure of Information
It is Pearson's practice not to transmit personally identifiable information to third parties, except as provided in this Privacy Policy posted on this website. We may disclose personally identifiable information in the following situations:
- in response to a subpoena, court order, or legal process, to the extent permitted and required by law;
- to address violations of law, and/or to protect your security or the security of other persons, consistent with applicable law;
- in connection with a sale, joint venture, or other transfer of some or all of the assets of Pearson;
- to organizations who are working as contractors or agents of Pearson and who are committed or obliged to protect your privacy in a manner consistent with the Privacy Policy.
By using this website and the Pearson ePortfolio system, candidates give their consent for personal information to be transmitted in the situations outlined above.
edTPA Retention and Destruction
The standard retention period for edTPA submissions, including videos, is four years, after which submissions will be destroyed. There may be exceptions to the standard retention period for extenuating circumstances, such as a score void or other challenge.
After the retention period, edTPA artifacts, including videos, are disposed of through a set of automated processes that identify and physically delete the artifacts from their repository locations. These processes are executed on a regular, periodic basis and render the artifacts inaccessible and irretrievable.
Candidate edTPA scores and associated identifying information will be retained indefinitely, supporting the reproduction of edTPA score reports for candidates as requested.