The PPAT assessment allows test takers to collaborate with and receive support from supervising faculty, cooperating teachers and peers while preparing submissions. However, the work test takers submit in response to each performance assessment task must be their own.
Supporting PPAT Test Takers
Ethics guidelines and supportive roles
The supervising faculty and cooperating teachers should ask thought-provoking questions that guide test takers in making good instructional choices rather than actually make the choices for them. Support providers should also avoid giving, asking for or receiving information about secure assessment materials and comparing one test taker's response with another’s response.
Review “Support and Ethics” and “A Team Approach” in the PPAT® Candidate and Educator Handbook (PDF) for ethical guidelines and to understand your supporting roles while working with the test taker during their student teaching experience.
Cooperating teachers
If you’re the cooperating teacher, view the PPAT® Cooperating Teacher Handbook (PDF) for an overview of what’s expected of the test takers and how you can offer support as they complete the assessment.
Providing Task 1 feedback
If you’re the EPP supervising instructor, you’ll provide feedback on Task 1, which is a formative task that should be evaluated locally by faculty and cooperating teachers. The Candidate and Educator Handbook provides helpful information to support your efforts in providing this feedback.
Candidates can share their Task 1 response with you directly or you can view the submitted response in the online submission system. Once you have access, you’ll be able to view and submit feedback to your candidate’s Task 1 responses. Additionally, you’ll be able to view a list of your candidates who have registered for the assessment and the task status for all tasks.
To log in or request access, visit ETS Client Services for Educator Licensure. For more information, including how to set up a primary and secondary user, view Accessing the Online Submission System (PDF).
Test-taker resources
The materials below are designed to help test takers, the EPP supervising instructor and the cooperating teacher work together to fulfill the requirements of the PPAT assessment. Test takers can use them throughout their teaching experience.
Professional Growth Plan
Helps test takers identify specific learning goals and provide a structure for continuing professional growth. This plan is highly recommended and may be required as part of their activities of the assessment.
PPAT® Reflective Practice Handbook
Introduces test takers to the benefits and practice of regular professional reflection, and helps them complete a Professional Growth Plan.
Daily Reflection Form
Promotes daily self-reflection of test takers’ teaching practice to help improve their instruction and student learning.
Lesson Plan Format
Helps test takers develop meaningful daily lessons to best meet student needs. They can use this format in conjunction with Tasks 2, 3 and 4, or use their own lesson plan format.
Download the handbook and guides below for detailed information about the PPAT assessment and instructions on how test takers submit tasks.
PPAT® Assessment Candidate and Educator Handbook
Information about the tasks, rubrics, writing guidelines, how test takers include artifacts and record videos, scoring and more.
Submission System User Guide
Instructions for test takers on how to register, upload artifacts and videos, resubmit tasks and resolve technical issues.
PPAT® Task 1 Handbook
Guides the test taker, their EPP instructor and cooperating teacher through the collaborative efforts to complete Task 1.
Guidance for Completing the PPAT® Assessment in a Virtual or Hybrid Environment
Recommendations for how test takers can gather and submit artifacts for each task if they’re teaching a remote classroom or hybrid environment.
Frequently Asked Questions About the PPAT® Assessment
View FAQs about the PPAT assessment.
EPPs should obtain approval from the superintendent in the school districts where the test takers will be student teaching, and from the school principals, for the video recording component of the assessment and for the use of permission forms.
Test takers need to use the PPAT assessment permission forms below; district and school permission forms are not acceptable.
- Student Permission Form (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Spanish (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Arabic (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Chinese (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Farsi (PDF)
- Student Permission Form French (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Kayah (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Nepalese (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Pashto (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Portuguese (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Rohingya (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Samoan (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Somali (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Tongan (PDF)
- Student Permission Form Vietnamese (PDF)
- Student 18+ Permission Form (PDF)
- Adult Permission Form (PDF)
Permission forms for teachers of record
If the test taker is a teacher of record who’s taking the assessment to meet reciprocity requirements during your first year of teaching, they need to the permission forms below.
In additional to the materials above, the PPAT test-taker website offers valuable resources to guide them through the assessment. Here are some of the key pages:
- How to Register
- Dates and Deadlines for registration and task submission
- Building and Submitting Tasks
- Task Requirements and Rubrics
- Library of Examples – examples of past test-taker responses that test takers can review to see how their own responses compare
- Scores – how test takers get and send their scores, and information for understanding their score report