Dr. Negussie Awarded a Certificate of Professional Distinction

IRVINE, Calif. (March 29, 2024) — Dr. Negussie has been awarded a Certificate of Professional Distinction by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing in recognition of her two-year service as a member of the Early Childhood Education Formative Teaching Performance Assessment design team. During this time, Dr. Negussie actively contributed to the development of the ECE formative performance assessment, providing valuable insights, extensive feedback, and guidance to ensure its effectiveness.

Reflecting on the process, Dr. Negussie highlights the collaborative nature of the project, describing it as iterative, evaluative, and inclusive of input from participants. She highlights the close collaboration with educators from across California, which facilitated the creation of an assessment tool that not only prioritizes children but also anticipates the evolving landscape of early childhood education (ECE). Dr. Negussie reaffirms the importance of such collaboration in deepening our understanding of educators' impact on children, particularly for faculty members in higher education who may not directly engage in ECE classroom instruction. As the department chair and associate professor of early childhood education at the University of Massachusetts Global (UMass Global), Dr. Negussie recognizes the significant value of assessment tools like the ECE Cal TPA, which embrace an asset-based approach and provide a comprehensive perspective on children's learning and development.

One crucial aspect of the ECE Cal TPA assessment tools is their focus on mitigating assessor bias while scrutinizing their practice. By incorporating strategies that validate children's identities and value their backgrounds, norms, and traditions, Dr. Negussie believes these tools play a critical role in leading equity and inclusivity-focused education, from birth through preschool and beyond. She stresses the need to address assessment biases that often lead to disparities in educational outcomes, specifically for Black and Brown children. Dr. Negussie argues that traditional assessment methods in the PK-12 education system have historically neglected resource-constrained communities' diverse needs and experiences. Stating for far too long assessment tools failed to harness children's community cultural wealth. Recognizing and addressing these pre-existing biases in assessment practices is a necessary skill for educators. By embracing a more culturally inclusive approach to evaluation, educators can better support the holistic needs of all learners and achieve equitable outcomes.

Dr. Negussie shares that the UMass Global program, which she helped develop, consistently explores these goals in its curriculum and instruction. Dr. Negussie discusses how her involvement with the CTC and her position as a design team member provided her with valuable insights and perspectives. One of her main objectives is to address the urgent need for highly qualified and well-educated teachers locally and globally. This includes educators who are knowledgeable not only in instruction but also well-trained to assess children's care, education, and learning. The early childhood education program at UMass Global, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, practical experiences, certificated programs, and professional development opportunities, is positioned to meet the requirements of early childhood educators at the local and national levels. Dr. Negussie concludes by stating, that the future of early childhood education is promising if we keep maintaining its priority on all fronts- education, policy, practice, advocacy, and most importantly funding.