Educational research reveals that those teachers with strong verbal skills, who have a high level of mastery of their subject matter (especially in science and mathematics), and who have engaged in well-designed and supervised field experiences are most likely to be successful in improving student learning. (See endnote 1)

MARTP¹ has identified the following three areas for judging the quality of teacher candidates and awarding the designation of Meritorious New Teacher Candidate to highly qualified new teachers:

1. Performance in the professional education program
2. Evidence of content knowledge
3. Evidence of verbal skills.

(All of the following must be met.)

The Meritorious New Teacher Candidate has completed a state-approved teacher preparation program, of traditional or alternative format. The candidate must earn a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA. A minimum 3.7 cumulative GPA must be earned in a graduate professional studies program.

The Meritorious New Teacher Candidate has a minimum of 400 hours of supervised clinical experience, of which at least 300 hours are directed instructional student teaching. Such clinical experience may occur within any state-approved model, including "total immersion" experiences as teachers of record.

The Meritorious New Teacher Candidate has met the highest standard of both the university supervisor and the cooperating teacher on the institution's formal student teaching (or "immersion") component of the required clinical experience, based upon state and/or state-recognized standards.

The Meritorious New Teacher Candidate has met the highest standard on the institution's professional preparation assessment.

The Meritorious New Teacher Candidate has received a recommendation by the teacher preparation program that he or she be awarded the designation of "Meritorious New Teacher Candidate." Each teacher preparation program may determine the indicators to be used in making this determination. They are encouraged to use the performance assessments required for national accreditation and must provide the State with a description of the indicators used. The institution is NOT required to recommend for the MNTC designation every student who meets the criteria, as factors such as disposition, dedication, and commitment to high expectations for all students are also important.

2. EVIDENCE OF CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

The Meritorious New Teacher Candidate in Elementary Education scores in the upper quartile of students nationally in math, science, social studies, and English/language arts in the Praxis II Content Knowledge for Elementary Teachers test. (See endnote 2) The Meritorious New Teacher Candidate has a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA. (See endnote 3)

The Meritorious New Teacher Candidate in Middle School Education scores in the upper quartile of students nationally on the Praxis II test in his or her specialty area. He or she has an academic major in the subject area they will teach, with a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in those courses.

The Meritorious New Teacher Candidate in Secondary Education scores in the upper quartile of students nationally on the Praxis II test in his or her specialty area. He or she has an academic major in the subject area they will teach, with a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in those courses.

Upper Quartile Scores for Reference

The upper quartile scores of the Praxis II content tests over the five-year period of 1998-2003 are used as the initial qualifying score for the Meritorious New Teacher Candidate designation. The minimum score to qualify for MNTC is shown for each test.

CERTIFICATION AREA	TEST NAME & CODE	MNTC STATES	MINIMUM SCORE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Elementary School Content Knowledge, 0014	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	175
	Early Childhood Content Knowledge, 0022 *	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	183
MIDDLE SCHOOL	Middle School English/Language Arts, 0049	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	183
	Middle School Mathematics, 0069	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	178
	Middle School Science, 0439	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	169
	Middle School Social Studies, 0089	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	178
ART	Art Content Knowledge, 0133	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	181
BIOLOGY	Biology Content Knowledge, 0231	DC, DE, MD, NJ	180
	Biology Content Knowledge, 0232	DC, MD, NJ	162
	Biology Content Knowledge, 0235	MD, NJ, VA	172
CHEMISTRY	Chemistry Content Knowledge, 0241	DC, DE, NJ	168
	Chemistry Content Knowledge, 0245	MD, NJ, VA	177
EARTH SCIENCE	Earth Science Content Knowledge, 0571	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	181
ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS	English Language, Literature, and Composition Content Knowledge, 0041	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	188
FRENCH	French Content Knowledge, 0173	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	193
GENERAL SCIENCE	Chemistry, Physics, and General Science, 0070	MD, NJ	620
	General Science Content Knowledge, 0431	DC, NJ	177
	General Science Content Knowledge, 0432	DC, DE, NJ	170
	General Science Content Knowledge, 0435	NJ, VA	180
GERMAN	German Content Knowledge, 0180	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	196
HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION	Health & Physical Education Content Knowledge, 0856	NJ, VA	170
	Physical Education Content Knowledge, 0091	DE, MD, NJ	162
MATHEMATICS	Mathematics Content Knowledge, 0061	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	157
MUSIC	Music Content Knowledge, 0113	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	174
PHYSICAL SCIENCE	Physical Science Content Knowledge, 0481	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	173
PHYSICS	Physics Content Knowledge, 0265	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	169
SOCIAL STUDIES	Social Studies Content Knowledge, 0081	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	179
SPANISH	Spanish Content Knowledge, 0191	DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA	187

3. EVIDENCE OF VERBAL SKILLS

In numerous studies of the attributes of highly effective teachers, defined as those who bring about the largest gains in student learning as measured on standardized assessments, the strongest correlate has been the scores of teachers on tests of verbal ability.

The Meritorious New Teacher Candidate scores in the upper quartile of students nationally on the verbal portion of the SAT, GRE, or ACT. (See endnote 4)

The upper quartile scores in the verbal sections of ACT, SAT, and GRE tests, calculated nationally over the five-year period of 1998-2003, are used as the initial qualifying score for the Meritorious New Teacher Candidate designation.

TEST	SCORE
ACT English	24
ACT Reading	25
SAT Verbal	580
GRE Verbal	560

* Early Childhood: Content Knowledge (0022) was introduced into the Praxis II program in 2006.  Analyses for this test are based upon examinee performance from April 2006 though July 2008.

Endnotes

1. Reviews of research on the characteristics of high quality teachers can be found in Teacher Development: A Literature Review by SRI (1999) and Teacher Preparation Research: Current Knowledge, Gaps, and Recommendations by the Center for Teaching Policy (2001).
2. As assessments of content knowledge are developed and determined to be adequate substitutes, MARTP may add them to the list of acceptable alternatives to the tests listed in Content Knowledge criteria.
3. While we understand that there is institutional variability in assigning grades, it was decided that GPA is the best understood measure of academic excellence in college coursework and will be applied to the Meritorious New Teacher Candidate designation during the initial phase of its use. MARTP may revisit this decision at its five-year review of the designation.
4. As assessments of verbal skills are developed and determined to be adequate substitutes, MARTP may add them to the list of acceptable alternatives to the tests listed in Verbal Skills criteria. The Praxis I was not found to be an appropriate assessment of verbal skills as, according to ETS, the producers of the assessment, it was not designed to distinguish high levels of performance from minimal competency.