Purpose. The general teacher preparation competencies apply to teacher candidates across all content areas and grade levels, to determine readiness to enter the profession. The teacher candidate shall demonstrate essential knowledge and skills of general competencies that align with current expectations for teacher candidates to exit a program. Required General Competencies. The teacher candidate shall: Use evidence-based research strategies, learning theories, and methods to help improve student performance; Use inquiry skills and methods regularly to collect meaningful data and improve the candidate’s professional practice; Incorporate personal reflection, professionals’ feedback, best practice, and expert opinion to improve the candidate’s professional practice; Demonstrate that knowledge of the learner’s physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and cultural development is the basis of effective teaching of the following students: Students from different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds; Students for whom English is not their primary language; Students with different learning abilities; and Students with social and emotional needs; Create, build, and sustain a safe, inclusive learning environment by effectively: Using trauma-informed instruction and other approaches to meet social and emotional needs; Implementing restorative practices; Using active listening, conflict de-escalation to include bullying, and other strategies; and Managing student behavior; Apply multiple, valid assessment approaches, both formal and informal, modifying when appropriate, that address a variety of developmental needs, conceptual abilities, curriculum outcomes, and school goals; Develop action research that advances the candidate’s knowledge base, promotes equity, and addresses an academic need; Collaborate effectively with colleagues, families, school professionals, businesses, and social services agencies to support student development and student achievement; Apply instructional supports, including a 504 Plan and an individualized education plan, to support a student with disabilities by providing developmentally appropriate access to age-level or grade-level instruction, individually and in collaboration with colleagues; Evaluate student behaviors and unique learning needs in the adaption of various learning environments, such as physical arrangement, student grouping, instructional intensity, pacing, and embedded assistive technology supports; Use assistive technologies ranging from low-tech to high-tech devices or equipment, materials, and resources to educate individuals whose disabilities interfere with written or verbal communication; Analyze and use data derived from assessments to develop intervention plans aligned to the specific needs of individual students to remedy learning deficits; Implement Response to Intervention (RtI), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Direct Instruction (DI) to differentiate instruction; Implement Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) to implement the Individualized Education Program for students with disabilities; and Effectively use high quality instructional materials (including online) and adapt existing curriculum to make it stronger using standards-aligned tools, including the ability to use digital resources and computer technology.