OVERVIEW OF THE RICA

Through the California Reading Initiative, California has made a major commitment to improving students' reading skills and performance. An important element of the California Reading Initiative is Education Code Section 44283, which is foremost among the efforts to improve the preservice preparation of teacher candidates. The law requires the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to "develop, adopt, and administer a reading instruction competence assessment . . . to measure an individual's knowledge, skill, and ability relative to effective reading instruction." Evaluation Systems was contracted by the CTC to assist in the development, administration, and scoring of this assessment, which is known as the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment® (RICA®).

The goal of reading instruction is to develop competent, thoughtful readers who are able to use, interpret, and appreciate all types of text. Beginning teachers need to be able to deliver effective reading instruction that

• is based on the results of ongoing assessment;
• reflects knowledge of state and local reading standards for different grade levels;
• represents a balanced, comprehensive reading curriculum;
• is sensitive to the needs of all students.

The purpose of the RICA is to ensure that California-trained candidates for Multiple Subject Teaching Credentials and Education Specialist Instruction Credentials (special education) possess the knowledge and skills important for the provision of effective reading instruction to students.

The original RICA Content Specifications were developed in 1997 by the CTC's RICA Advisory Panel, which consisted of California teachers, administrators, reading specialists, and teacher educators with experience and expertise in the areas of reading and reading instruction. Development of the specifications included a job analysis of the teaching of reading in which over 900 California teachers, reading specialists and teacher educators rated the importance of specific teacher tasks, knowledge, and abilities related to effective reading instruction. Results of the job analysis were used to develop draft RICA Content Specifications, which were the subject of a field review in which approximately 1,200 California teachers and teacher educators judged the importance of the proposed competencies. The RICA Advisory Panel used the results of the field review to finalize the RICA Content Specifications, which were subsequently adopted by the CTC.

The RICA was later revised to reflect the 2007 California Reading/Language Arts Framework. To realign the RICA with the 2007 framework, the CTC convened a new RICA Design Team, again consisting of a similar breadth of experienced and expert reading instruction educators. To validate the revisions, a field review by 1,900 California teachers and teacher educators was again held. The finalized revisions to the RICA Content Specifications were approved by the CTC in late 2008, resulting in the current RICA Written Examination and Video Performance Assessment. The initial administration of the revised RICA Written Examination was on August 8, 2009, and the initial submission deadline for the revised RICA Video Performance Assessment was November 13, 2009.

The set of teacher knowledge and skills described in the RICA Content Specifications and reflected in the RICA is organized into the following five domains:

• Domain 1: Planning, Organizing, and Managing Reading Instruction Based on Ongoing Assessment
• Domain 2: Word Analysis
• Domain 3: Fluency
• Domain 4: Vocabulary, Academic Language, and Background Knowledge
• Domain 5: Comprehension

The RICA Content Specifications are available for review on the RICA website by selecting "Preparation Materials."

RICA Test Design

RICA Written Examination

CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS DOMAIN	NUMBER OF COMPETENCIES	APPROXIMATE WEIGHTING	APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS	NUMBER AND TYPE OF CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE ITEMS
				Focused Educational Problems and Instructional Tasks	Case Study
Domain 1: Planning, Organizing, and Managing Reading Instruction Based on Ongoing Assessment	2	10%	10	0	1 (300- to 600-word response assessing all domains)
Domain 2: Word Analysis	5	33%	24	1 (150- to 300-word response)
Domain 3: Fluency	2	13%	8	1 (75- to 125-word response)
Domain 4: Vocabulary, Academic Language, and Background Knowledge	2	20%	15	1 (75- to 125-word response)
Domain 5: Comprehension	4	23%	13	1 (150- to 300-word response)
TOTAL	15	100%*	70	4	1

* Approximate due to rounding adjustment

RICA Video Performance Assessment

CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS DOMAIN	VIDEO PACKET A: Whole-Class Instruction	VIDEO PACKET B: Small-Group Instruction	VIDEO PACKET C: Individual Instruction
Domain 1: Planning, Organizing, and Managing Reading Instruction Based on Ongoing Assessment	Each video packet includes: Instructional Context Form 10-minute video-recorded instruction Reflection Form As detailed in instructions sent to registered candidates, each video packet should demonstrate competencies in designated domains of the RICA Content Specifications.
Domain 2: Word Analysis
Domain 3: Fluency
Domain 4: Vocabulary, Academic Language, and Background Knowledge
Domain 5: Comprehension
TOTAL	3 Video Packets

RICA Options

The RICA consists of two assessment options: the RICA Written Examination and the RICA Video Performance Assessment. Both the Written Examination and the Video Performance Assessment are based on the RICA Content Specifications. A passing score on either assessment represents successful completion of the RICA requirement. A passing score must be used to apply for California certification within five years of the test date or video submission deadline on which the score was earned.

RICA Written Examination

The RICA Written Examination consists of two sections that, together, permit a broad and deep assessment of the candidate's knowledge about effective reading instruction in the five RICA domains and the candidate's ability to apply that knowledge. The RICA Written Examination is administered year-round by appointment as a computer-based test.

Tests may include some questions that will not count toward an examinee's score. These questions are placed on the test in order to collect information about how the questions will perform under actual testing conditions.

The multiple-choice section of the RICA Written Examination includes 70 multiple-choice questions. The multiple-choice questions include both content questions, in which knowledge about reading and reading instruction is directly assessed, and contextualized questions that assess the candidate's ability to apply specific knowledge, to analyze specific problems, or to conduct specific tasks related to reading instruction.

The constructed-response section of the RICA Written Examination requires the candidate to write essays, as described below:

1. Focused Educational Problems and Instructional Tasks (4 essays, one each for Domains 2, 3, 4, and 5). In these assignments, the candidate is presented with a problem or task relating to a class, a group of students, an individual student, or an instructional situation. The candidate is asked to consider this information and provide explanations related to appropriate instructional strategies or assessment approaches. The assignments for Domains 3 and 4 each require a typed response of approximately 75–125 words, and those for Domains 2 and 5 each require a typed response of approximately 150–300 words.
2. Case Study (1 essay). For this assignment, candidates receive substantial background information about a student and samples of materials illustrating the student's reading performance. Candidates are asked to assess the student's reading performance, describe appro­priate instructional strategies, and explain why these strategies would be effective. The examination includes one case study, which includes content related to all five domains of the revised RICA Content Specifications and requires a typed response of approximately 300–600 words.

RICA Video Performance Assessment

The RICA Video Performance Assessment offers candidates the option of an evaluation based on actual classroom performance rather than a written examination. Candidates who choose the Video Performance Assessment create and submit video recordings of themselves teaching reading.

The RICA Video Performance Assessment requires the candidate to prepare three video packets, each of which includes (a) an Instructional Context Form, on which the candidate provides information relevant to the video-recorded instruction, such as information about the students and a lesson plan; (b) a ten-minute video recording of the candidate providing reading instruction to students; and (c) a Reflection Form, on which the candidate provides an appraisal of the video-recorded instruction, suggestions for further or alternative instructional strategies, and similar information.

For one video packet, the candidate must demonstrate whole-class instruction; for another, small-group instruction; and for the third, individual instruction. As detailed in instructions sent to registered candidates, one video packet should demonstrate competencies in RICA Domains 1 and 2, one should demonstrate competencies in RICA Domains 1 and 4, and one should demonstrate competencies in RICA Domains 1 and 5.

The RICA Video Performance Assessment schedule is based on submission deadlines—these are dates by which completed assessments must be received by the RICA program in order for candidates to be mailed their score reports on the corresponding score report date. There are three submission deadlines during the current RICA program year.

Before registering for the RICA Video Performance Assessment, candidates should ensure that they

• have access to either a self-contained classroom or a core class in which English reading/language arts are taught;
• have access to the recording equipment and media as specified in the RICA Video Performance Assessment Information Guide;
• obtain permission to video record from (1) the principal of the school where the video recording will occur, (2) the supervising (master) teacher (if applicable), and (3) the parents/guardians of each student who will be included in the video-recorded instruction.

Refer to "Test Dates" for more information about the Video Performance Assessment, including the registration deadline, information about preparing materials, submission deadlines, and score report dates.

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