NCATE/BOT Institutional Report

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III. Response to Standards

Standard 1: Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

The candidates in the professional education programs in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that meet and exceed the standards established by the Board of Teaching (BOT) and NCATE. The individuals completing programs have been provided opportunities to develop and demonstrate their understanding of both content and pedagogy. The faculty oversee the development of the educators and provide feedback to allow candidates to develop their skills and abilities. The dispositions demonstrated by the candidates meet the high standards of the BOT, NCATE, professional organizations, and those established by the faculty articulated in the conceptual framework.

Element 1: Content Knowledge for Teacher Candidates (Initial and Continuing Preparation of Teachers)

Initial teacher preparation
Candidates for initial licensure programs possess strong content knowledge. This is evident through an assessment process that includes assessments at admission, during coursework, in practicum and clinical practice, before the end of the program, and through content exams for licensure. Candidates in the initial programs passed content exams above the 95% level as evidenced in the federal Title II reports.

Candidates are assessed on their content knowledge through the admission review process, including their content coursework which is linked to the content standards for each of the content areas. The initial licensure programs require a baccalaureate degree for admission — candidates must hold a baccalaureate degree in a content specialty or have equivalent coursework before applying to the program. The exceptions to this are music, agriculture, and technology which offer the program at both the baccalaureate and masters level. In addition to reviewing evidence of the undergraduate degree, admission advisers review transcripts and other materials to assure that candidates have completed certain content prerequisites before entering the program. Thus, it is ensured that post-baccalaureate candidates possess a depth of content knowledge. The Minnesota Board of Teaching (BOT) approved this content knowledge evaluation process in 2000. The content standards have been mapped to University of Minnesota undergraduate courses for each initial licensure program. Since about half of the licensure students complete content degrees at other institutions, the University’s courses serve as a guide to ensure that content standards have been met. Lists of prerequisites (or their equivalents for applicants from other institutions) are available for each content area. In the undergraduate licensure programs, content prerequisites are satisfied as part of the undergraduate degree along with education coursework. These courses are also mapped to the standards.

The Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice for Teachers (MNSEPT) are embedded in course syllabi, curriculum, and assessments. These standards are an adaptation of the standards of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC). Thus, in the program, content knowledge is included in coursework that addresses MNSEPT Standard 1: Subject Matter. In Minnesota, content standards were written by practicing classroom teachers and higher education faculty. Candidates must meet these standards as part of the admission process. Because faculty in the CEHD are both content and pedagogy specialists, they are able to assess whether students meet the content standards through the evaluation of content course prerequisites, through pedagogical activities within courses, and through clinical practice. All initial licensure candidates are given the opportunity to document their attainment of the standards through eFolio Minnesota, an online electronic portfolio system. (See Standard 2.)

Additionally, unit assessments are employed to ensure strong content knowledge. Before program completion, each initial licensure candidate is assessed by the program faculty on the Standards Rubric described in Standard 2. The first item on this assessment addresses the subject matter standard. The table below summarizes how candidates have been rated on this item in the two years since the instrument was adopted. (Candidates are rated on a four-point scale, with a score of 3 considered “proficient” and a score of 4 considered “exemplary.”) Ninety-nine percent of the candidates were rated at “proficient or exemplary” on their content knowledge.

Table 1.1 Evaluation of candidate content knowledge by faculty

Before the Standards Rubric was initiated, candidates were assessed within both prerequisite and program coursework. The standards were adopted in 1999-2000, and grids were developed showing placement across all initial licensure program areas. This provided a uniform vehicle for ensuring that all candidates possessed the content knowledge deemed essential by the BOT. The Standards Rubric allows for assessment of the standards to supplement individual course assessments.

During their final student teaching experience, candidates are assessed on the Evaluation of Student Teaching (described in Standard 2). Data from this assessment also demonstrate that candidates have strong content knowledge. Candidates are rated by the University supervisor on a five-point scale, with a score of 3 representing “performs satisfactorily,” to a score of 5 representing “demonstrates excellence.” Data from this assessment show that in 2004-05 98.7% of the candidates were rated “performs satisfactorily” or above.

Table 1.2 Evaluation of candidate content knowledge by University supervisor

As part of the requirements for licensure recommendation, candidates must take the Praxis II Content exams. These exams are a required part of the recommendation for licensure in the state of Minnesota. Aggregated data from the content test demonstrate that candidates who reach program completion possess strong content knowledge (see Table 1.3). These data show that 100% of the candidates in 2003-04 met the standard as set by the BOT.

Table 1.3 Evaluation of candidate content knowledge using Praxis II content exams

* Title II scores are reported only when the number taking the exam is 10 or more.

Follow-up surveys are another source of evidence that candidates are well-prepared in the area of content knowledge. In their first year after program completion, completers are mailed the How Their Careers Began Survey. This survey and all others are described in Standard 2. In the second year after program completion, completers receive the Second-Year Professional Survey. Data from content related questions on these two surveys are summarized below. Survey respondents are asked to rate their preparation by responding to the prompt, “How well did the college prepare you to . . .” On both surveys, there is a four-point scale, with 3 representing “well” and 4 representing “Very well.” Table 1.4 demonstrates that over 83.8% of completers indicated that they were prepared “well” or “very well” on content items.

Table 1.4 Completer evaluation of content knowledge preparation

*2002-03 Second-Year Professional Survey data was not available at time of printing this document.

The Employer Survey also provides information about completers’ content preparation. In this survey principals and other school administrators who employ program completers are asked to rate a specific completer by responding to the stem, “How well does this teacher . . .” One question on this survey is directly related to content knowledge and the results show that the completers possess depth of preparation in this area. On this survey, respondents rate completers on a five-point scale, with a score of 3 considered “fairly,” a score of 4 considered “well,” and a score of 5 considered “very well.” These data show that 90.6% of the principals responding in 2005 rated the new teachers as knowledgeable in content.

Table 1.5 Evaluation of completer content knowledge by employer

Finally, anecdotal comments from school administrators, including members of the CTE advisory board, consistently indicate that initial licensure program completers are strong in content knowledge (CTE advisory board minutes from 11/11/04).

Advanced teacher preparation
Advanced teacher preparation programs include M.Ed. professional studies programs for teachers as well as the K-12 reading licensure program.

Candidates in M.Ed. professional studies programs demonstrate content knowledge. They do this at admission to the content-specific advanced programs. The program admission requirements and assessment at admission ensure that candidates are prepared in the academic area for which they are seeking the master’s degree. The admissions process ensures that they possess strong content knowledge. To be accepted into the program, candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and a GPA of 2.80 in prior coursework. Licensed teachers must submit a photocopy of their teaching license, which is issued by the Minnesota Department of Education, Division of Educator Licensing and Teacher Quality, who evaluate prior preparation. In addition, certain programs require letters of recommendation attesting to the applicant’s capacity for development in the discipline.

A maximum of 30 candidates are admitted annually to the K-12 reading licensure program, a cohort program. Applicants must hold a current state of Minnesota five-year professional teaching license or evidence of meeting the requirements for this license. Also, candidates must have at least one year of full-time teaching experience in a K-12 setting. This ensures a context for learning in the program as well as a commitment to the field. The program also requires a GPA of 2.80 in prior coursework.

It is important to note that, although the minimum GPA for M.Ed. professional studies programs and the K- 12 reading licensure program is 2.80, the mean overall admission GPA is 3.339 (2004-05 data). This is further evidence of the strong content knowledge of candidates even as they enter the program. Content knowledge of these candidates is also evidenced by their GPA on graduate coursework at the completion of the program, the mean of which is 3.864 (2004-05 data). To see a table summarizing mean admission and completion GPA’s for this group, go here.

The Graduate Survey, described in Standard 2, provides more evidence of the strength of the content knowledge possessed by candidates in advanced programs for teachers. The following table of data on content-related items summarizes responses of M.Ed. professional studies completers only. (At the time of survey administration, no candidates had completed the reading licensure program.) Respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement on a four-point scale, with 3 representing “tend to agree” and 4 representing “agree.” It is notable that 94.7% of the respondents agreed that they “gained a depth of knowledge of central concepts in my field.”

Table 1.6 Advanced teacher completers’ evaluation of content knowledge preparation

Element 2: Content Knowledge for Other Professional School Personnel

Administrative licensure programs
The candidates in the administrative licensure program have strong content knowledge. The program ensures that applicants to the administrative licensure programs in the Department of Educational Policy and Administration (EdPA) have classroom teaching experience; the principal and superintendent licensure programs require three years, while the director of special education program requires two. Candidates must possess a graduate GPA of at least 3.0, and must have earned at least 60 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree to include a master’s degree. In addition, applicants are required to provide an essay on a current topic in education that, as a licensed administrator, they would like to significantly impact. These requirements help to ensure strong content knowledge among candidates.

The core requirements for preparation of candidates for licenses in educational administration are stipulated in Minnesota Rules Chapter 3512, Qualifications and Licensure of School Personnel. Each candidate must demonstrate the “knowledge, skills, and abilities” for each competency stated in rule. The competencies identified in each licensure area for educational administrators in Minnesota are the product of extensive research and development on a national level. The primary assessment for evalulating candidates’ attainment of the competencies is an electronic portfolio, which is described in Standard 2.

There are 113 competencies in 23 categories. The categories that address content knowledge include the following: leadership, problem analysis, organizational oversight, curriculum design, staff development, measurement and evaluation, oral and nonverbal communications, and written expression.

All competencies must be met in order for the candidate to be recommended for licensure. Competencies are reviewed by a panel made up of two school administrators practicing in the licensure area of the candidate and a representative of the department. The panel meets with the candidate, reviews the electronic portfolio, and makes a decision as to whether each of the competencies are met. More information can be found at the program’s unit approval Web site.

The Graduate Survey is a source of evidence of the content knowledge of candidates in advanced programs. The following table of data on content-related items summarizes responses of other professional school personnel. Respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement on a four-point scale. The candidates responding in the category of other professional school personnel responded at the 97% level that they “gained a depth of knowledge of central concepts in my field.”

Table 1.7 Other professional school personnel completers’ evaluation of content knowledge preparation

Educational administration degree programs
Applicants to the degree programs in educational administration demonstrate strong content knowledge at admission. Reviewers look for evidence that students can take advantage of the program academically and have career goals that match the program. Students in the program demonstrate their ability by meeting the following admission requirements: 3.0 or above undergraduate GPA; 3.5 or above graduate GPA; 500 Verbal, 500 Quantitative and 4.5 Analytical Writing GRE scores (for all students); 550 TOEFL/6.5 IELTS scores (for international students only). The actual admission GPA data show that candidates exceed these requirements; the mean undergraduate admission GPA is 3.369, and the mean GRE scores are 500 Verbal, 537 Quantitative and 4.5 Analytical.

Content knowledge in the educational administration degree programs is ensured through program requirements. M.A. candidates are required to submit a Plan B paper. Candidates must demonstrate familiarity with the tools of research or scholarship in their major field, the ability to work independently, and the ability to present the results of their investigation effectively by completing this paper. Ed.D. candidates are required to complete preliminary examinations, including written and oral exams, as well as a field study/thesis. Through the field study/thesis, candidates develop inquiry skills for identifying and refining topic areas for the project, formulating research questions, reviewing literature, and proposing a research design. Ph.D. candidates demonstrate content knowledge through written and oral preliminary examinations as well as the dissertation and final oral examination. All of these culminating experiences require candidates to synthesize their content knowledge.

See Table 1.7 for information on how completers of all other professional school personnel programs rated their content preparation on the Graduate Survey.

School counseling
The school counseling program ensures solid content knowledge among its candidates through stringent admission requirements. To be considered for admission, the candidate must have earned a GPA of 3.0 and must submit GRE scores. The the actual mean admission GPA is 3.484. The mean GRE scores are 496 Verbal, 610 Quantitative and 4.5 Analytical.

The school counseling program is aligned with the Minnesota Standards for School Counselors and the American School Counselor Association Ethical Standards. These standards are included in the program design as well as within the curriculum. The Minnesota standards are placed in courses and the course activities and assignments that are associated with each have been documented by the faculty.

In the 700 hours of required field experiences, practicum supervisors (P-12 counseling practitioners) consult with the candidate to identify expectations for the student’s learning in the practicum setting. These objectives are outlined on the Learning Objectives Contract. On the same form, the candidate describes his or her own learning objectives.

Part of the assessment of candidates’ content knowledge comes through the evaluation of audio or visual tapes of counseling sessions at the practicum site. The tapes are assessed in a group practicum class.

The on-site supervisor in the practicum setting evaluates the candidate using the Evaluation of Practicum Student form. Data from this assessment is not aggregated; it is intended as a tool for candidate self-assessment and an opportunity for the on-site supervisor to provide feedback directly to the candidate. Results are reviewed systematically and candidates who need additional work or have performance issues are identified and a plan for development of skills is identified.

Two years ago, the faculty in the school counseling program developed a new evaluation of the program. Data show that completers rate their preparation high in areas related to individual and adolescent counseling, crisis intervention, and planning guidance programming within the school setting. Areas of concern include human sexuality counseling, understanding approaches to peer helper programs, and conducting psychological testing.

See Table 1.7 for information on how completers of all other professional school personnel programs rated their content preparation on the Graduate Survey. (This group includes school counseling.)

School psychology
Admission to school psychology is competitive, ensuring a strong candidate pool. Applicants are scored on a composite of GPA (3.0 minimum), GRE scores, letters of recommendation, applicant statement/goals, and interview. Applicants must also demonstrate adequate undergraduate preparation in psychology. Though the minimum GPA for school psychology is 3.0, the mean overall admission GPA is 3.848 (2004-05 data). This is further evidence of the strong content knowledge of candidates even as they enter the program. Content knowledge of school psychology candidates is also evidenced by their GPA on graduate coursework at the completion of the program. The mean completion GPA is 3.910 (2004-05 data). To see a table summarizing mean admission and completion GPA’s for this group, go here. Candidates meet all degree requirements for the institution and program including formal oral and written exams and thesis.

The school psychology program prepares candidates to meet the Minnesota Standards for School Psychology. In addition, the program is aligned with the standards of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and certified by NASP.

Candidates themselves perceive they have strong content preparation based on the work in the program. See Table 1.7 for information on how completers of all other professional school personnel programs rated their content preparation on the Graduate Survey.

Element 3: Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teacher Candidates (Initial and Continuing Preparation of Teachers)

Initial teacher preparation
Candidates in the initial licensure program are well prepared in content pedagogy. They receive thorough preparation and are evaluated on content pedagogy through their methods coursework and required field placements. Though program design varies, all candidates take approximately one-third of their education coursework in specific content methods courses. (See program descriptions.) Specifically in terms of pedagogical content knowledge, these courses provide candidates with knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to designing curriculum in their field, planning appropriate instruction, developing assessment tasks, and examining critical issues faced by teachers in their field. Among the MNSEPT embedded in these courses are those that address pedagogical content knowledge – Standard 4: Instructional strategies, Standard 7: Planning Instruction, and Standard 8: Assessment.

In addition to assessments within courses, candidates are assessed by program faculty on their pedagogical content knowledge through the use of two unit-wide assessments: the Standards Rubric and the Evaluation of Student Teaching. The Standards Rubric described in Standard 2 assesses the candidate on all of the MNSEPT, including those that demonstrate pedagogical content knowledge. Table 1.8 summarizes how candidates were rated on content pedagogy in the two years since the instrument was adopted. From these data it is notable that 98% or more of the candidates in 2004-05 were rated at “proficient” or “exemplary” on standards related to content pedagogy.

Table 1.8 Evaluation of candidate pedagogical content knowledge by faculty

The Evaluation of Student Teaching (described in Standard 2) completed by University supervisors also includes data that helps to demonstrate that initial licensure candidates are strong in their pedagogical content knowledge. Table 1.9 provides data that 97.3% or more of student teachers in 2004-05 performed satisfactorily or above as assessed by the supervisors on items related to pedagogical content knowledge.

Table 1.9 Evaluation of candidate pedagogical content knowledge by University supervisor

Follow-up surveys also provide a rich source of data about candidates’ pedagogical content knowledge. Data from the How Their Careers Began Survey and the Second-Year Professional Survey related to pedagogical content knowledge are summarized in the following table. Completers were asked to rate their perception of the program based on the stem “How well did the college prepare you to . . .” The data in Table 1.10 demonstrate that completers rated the program “well or very well” on items related to pedagogical content knowledge over 77.7% of the time. The item rated lowest relates to providing feedback on student work. This is an area the unit intends to address.

Table 1.10 Completer evaluation of pedagogical content knowledge preparation

*2002-03 Second-Year Professional Survey data was not available at time of printing this document.

On the Employer Survey, several questions address pedagogical content knowledge and are summarized in Table 1.11. Principals who employ completers were asked to rate the teacher’s preparation on a five-point scale. These data demonstrate that completers are rated highly on specialized materials and knowledge of how to convey a subject to students.

Table 1.11 Evaluation of completer pedagogical content knowledge by employer

Advanced teacher preparation
Candidates in the advanced teacher programs demonstrate strong pedagogical content knowledge. As licensed teachers in the state of Minnesota, they have demonstrated competence related to state licensing and continuing education requirements. More importantly, their experience provides them with a context for learning in the program. The M.Ed. professional studies programs, along with the K-12 reading licensure program, provide instruction on current developments in pedagogy, theory, and research, as well as content-specific teaching methods. As part of these programs, participants collect data from their classrooms, analyze their own teaching practice, and — with faculty and other candidates in the program — reflect on their learning. The candidates choose these programs to extend their knowledge in their area of expertise.

The Graduate Survey, described in Standard 2, provides more evidence of the strength of the pedagogical content knowledge possessed by candidates in advanced programs for teachers. Table 1.12 provides data on items related to pedagogical content knowledge as summarized from the responses of M.Ed. professional studies completers only. (At the time of survey administration, no candidates had completed the reading licensure program.) The data indicate that the candidates agreed that they had opportunities to learn and the faculty had knowledge of current practice.

Table 1.12 Advanced teacher completers’ evaluation of pedagogical content knowledge preparation

Element 4: Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills for Teacher Candidates (Initial and Continuing Preparation of Teachers)

Initial teacher preparation
Initial candidates develop skills and abilities to demonstrate professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills. Through required assignments in foundations coursework, candidates are provided opportunities to learn and demonstrate professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills. Approximately one-third of the coursework in the initial licensure program is taken in foundations courses. Specifically, the following courses focus in this area: EDHD 5001 Learning, Cognition, and Assessment; EDHD 5003 Developmental and Individual Differences in Educational Contexts; EDHD 5005 School and Society; and EDHD 5009 Human Relations – Applied Skills for School and Society. Central topics covered in these courses include cognitive development, child and adolescent development, educational foundations, and diversity. The concepts related to professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills are initially introduced in these foundations courses, and they are reinforced in methods courses. The MNSEPT related to this area include Standard 2: Student Learning; Standard 3: Diverse Learners; Standard 5: Learning Environment; Standard 6: Communication; Standard 9: Reflection and Professional Development; and Standard 10: Collaboration, Ethics, and Relationships.

An additional foundations course, EDHD 5007 Technology for Teaching and Learning, is devoted to providing candidates with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions for incorporating technology in their work with students. The course is offered in separate sections for each of the content areas so that candidates learn how to integrate technology suitable to their discipline.

Performance assessments that address these standards include the Dispositions Assessment (described in Standard 2), the Standards Rubric, and the Evaluation of Student Teaching.

Candidates are assessed by program faculty during the first academic year term (fall or spring semester) using the dispositions assessment. Items from the dispositions assessment that relate specifically to professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills are listed in the table below. This data indicates that 97.5-99.5% of the candidates met all but one of the dispositions in this area in 2004-05. One indicator, “Demonstrates a commitment to working with families” rates below the others. To address this, the Council on Teacher Education (CTE) has provided time for faculty to discuss and revise activities within the program to provide more opportunities for candidates to learn about and apply these skills.

Table 1.13 Evaluation of candidate professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills by faculty

The standards rubric, completed at the end of the program by a team of faculty from each of the program areas, has several items related to professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills. Table 1.14 provides data that 98% or more of the candidates in 2004-05 were assessed at proficient or exemplary on items related to this element.

Table 1.14 Evaluation of candidate professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills by faculty

The evaluation of student teaching, completed at the end of the full-time clinical practice by the University supervisor, provides additional evidence of candidates’ professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills. Table 1.15 provides summary data showing that in 2004-05 on items related to this element, 97.7-99.0% of the candidates were rated “performs satisfactorily” or above.

As part of the requirements for licensure recommendation, candidates must take the Praxis II Principles of Teaching and Learning exam. The exam is a required part of the recommendation for licensure in the state of Minnesota. Aggregated data from this assessment demonstrate that candidates possess strong professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills at program completion, with 100% scoring above the state cut score for the two past years of federal Title II reporting (see Table 1.16).

Table 1.15 Evaluation of candidate professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills by University supervisor

Table 1.16 Evaluation of candidate professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills using Praxis II principles of teaching and learning exams

Items on follow-up surveys of initial licensure program completers also demonstrate candidates’ professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills. Completers were asked to rate their perception of the program based on the prompt: “How well did the college prepare you to …” Table 1.17 provides data that indicate that completers perceive the program did prepare them effectively in this area. As mentioned previously, the CTE has placed emphasis in improving in the area of communicating with families and communities.

An additional survey, the Employer Survey, completed by principals or supervisors of new teachers, indicates that they assess completers highly on their professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills, especially on items that address high expectations for students, taking responsibility for student learning, and building professional relationships. Data in Table 1.18 also indicate a need to improve in working with families as a part of the preparation program.

Table 1.17 Completer evaluation of professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills

*2002-03 Second-Year Professional Survey data was not available at time of printing this document.

Table 1.18 Evaluation of completer professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills by employer

Advanced teacher preparation
Candidates in the advanced teacher programs demonstrate their understanding and skills in pedagogical and professional content knowledge through their coursework and through action research. Faculty in the CEHD are well prepared in both content and pedagogical content knowledge. Faculty in advanced programs for teachers value the professional knowledge of their discipline as well as general professional knowledge and pedagogy related to teaching. As such, they are diligent about incorporating the national standards into their programs. These standards are taken up in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, addressing them directly in curriculum, reflecting them in program structure, and including them in assigned readings. Examples of the national standards addressed by advanced programs for teachers are those of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE), National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE), International Reading Association (IRA), and National Staff Development Council (NSDC).

Advanced programs for teachers define their requirements to develop candidates’ knowledge and skills in the particular area of study. In the M.Ed. professional studies programs in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction (C&I), for example, in order to address understandings of general educational issues and broad applications for pedagogy within the teaching field, all candidates are required to take CI 5155 Contemporary Issues in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment and CI 5177 Practical Research.

Items on the Graduate Survey help to illustrate the strength of the professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills possessed by advanced teacher candidates. Respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement on a four-point scale. Table 1.19 provides a summary of the responses with 87.6-91.7% of the respondents agreeing the program provided preparation and support in each of these areas.

Table 1.19 Advanced teacher completers’ evaluation of professional and pedagogical knowledge and skill preparation

Element 5: Professional Knowledge and Skills for Other Professional School Personnel

Administrative licensure programs
All candidates meet all competencies in order for the candidate to be recommended for licensure in administration. Professional knowledge and skills are a central component of the administrative licensure programs. Indeed, the program’s vision is for the “integration of professional wisdom, empirical evidence, and authentic practice in the preparation of educational administrators.” Minnesota Rules Chapter 3512, Qualifications and Licensure of School Personnel, identifies competencies for educational administrators in the state. The competencies that address professional knowledge and skills include the following: information collection, implementation skills, delegation of authority, resource allocation, legal and regulatory applications, policy and political influences, and media and public relations.

The primary means by which candidates demonstrate competencies is through an electronic portfolio. This portfolio is reviewed in a panel presentation. More information can be found at the program’s unit approval Web site. All completers must meet these competencies in order to be recommended for an administrative license.

The Graduate Survey is a source of evidence of the professional knowledge and skills of candidates in advanced programs. Table 1.20 provides data on items related to professional knowledge and skills and summarizes responses of other professional school personnel. Respondents were asked to provide their level of agreement on a four-point scale: Aggregated data show that 88-92.7% of the completers agreed that the program prepared them with professional knowledge and skills.

Table 1.20 Completers’ evaluation of professional knowledge and skill preparation

Educational administration degree programs
Individuals who earn degrees in educational administration provide leadership in the operation of educational institutions and are skilled in applying scholarly research within the school setting. The degree programs in educational administration (M.A., Ed.D., and Ph.D.) emphasize professional knowledge and skills related to education policy, general administration, finance and budgeting, and personnel administration.

Each candidate’s program is designed by the student together with a faculty adviser. This format allows the student to identify key aspects of professional knowledge and skills on which to focus. The candidate’s program is then approved by the Department of Educational Policy and Administration as well as the Graduate School, ensuring a rigorous program that addresses essential knowledge and skills.

Throughout the program candidates engage in advanced study of policies, practices, and critical issues involving P-12 educational leadership. All candidates take EDPA 5001 Formal Organizations in Education. In this course, candidates learn the characteristics of educational organizations. In addition they study leadership, communication, and conflict — all of which help to build their professional knowledge and skills. The Graduate Survey provides data on how candidates rate their preparation in this area (see Table 1.20).

School counseling
Candidates in the school counseling program possess a depth of professional knowledge and skills. This knowledge and skill base is the foundation of coursework in the program and is also reflected in practicum experiences. School counseling faculty apply the national standards of the American School Counselor Association. The key assessment for professional knowledge and skills is the Evaluation of Practicum Student.

School psychology
In the school psychology program, candidates develop and demonstrate their professional knowledge and skills through coursework that stresses the following:

• Psychological and educational assessment.
• Standardized tests of intelligence, achievement, socio-emotional functioning, perception, reading, mathematics, adaptive behavior, and language.
• Principles and procedures of interdisciplinary practice, and skills for collaborating with others through interagency coordination.
• Ethical principles and state/federal laws governing educational practices, especially how they apply to both general and special populations.

Candidates are assessed on their professional knowledge and skills within coursework and also in field experiences through the Evaluation of Trainee form.

Also, school psychology candidates are given an exit survey as they graduate from the program. Candidates rate their preparation on several factors related to professional knowledge and skills, including the role and function of school psychologists, basic skills used by school psychologists, interpersonal communication, collaboration, and consultation, planning and implementing interventions, using technology, working with diverse students, working with parents and families, and legal/ethical practices in school psychology. Faculty review these data annually.

Element 6: Dispositions for All Candidates

Candidates at all levels demonstrate the dispositions associated with the central themes of the conceptual framework. The initial program faculty have articulated these dispositions and related them to the standards for licensure. The advanced teacher program areas use these themes as the core of dispositions for their candidates in their programs; and the programs that prepare other professional school personnel align these dispositional expectations with the dispositions in particular content standards. (See Standard 2.)

Initial programs
Throughout the program initial licensure candidates are introduced to the essential dispositions of professional educators. The expectations for professional dispositions defined by the unit incorporate standards drawn from the MNSEPT. These particular standards relate to behaviors indicative of positive dispositions toward learning and teaching. The Dispositions Assessment (see Standard 2) developed by the CTE sub-committee on assessment and approved by the CTE is introduced to candidates at spring orientation. The Dispositions Assessment is aligned with the MNSEPT and conceptual framework. Throughout the program, these dispositions are emphasized in coursework and clinical experiences.

Table 1.21 Evaluation of candidate dispositions by faculty

A Dispositions Assessment is completed on each initial licensure candidate by the program faculty prior to the final student teaching experience. In the two years since this assessment was initiated, data in Table 1.21 show that every item but two is rated “meets expectations” for over 94% of candidates before they enter student teaching. The exceptions are: first, “demonstrates a commitment to working with families;” and second, “responds appropriately to issues of bias….” Both are rated as “meets expectations” for over 88% of candidates. (Note-the candidate is assessed on a two-point scale, “meets expectations” and “falls below expectations”). The CTE steering committee discussed the importance of addressing controversial topics with students and is examining how to imbed more opportunities for candidates to develop additional skills. The CTE is addressing the issue of how to improve preparation in working with families. Discussions regarding best practices in each of the programs have provided increased attention to this area.   

Candidates are assessed on dispositions at the end of the full-time clinical experience by the University supervisor via the Evaluation of Student Teaching, also described in Standard 2. Table 1.22 provides three-year summary data for items related to dispositions. These data indicate that over 98% of the candidates perform satisfactorily or above in 2004-05.

Table 1.22 Evaluation of candidate dispositions by University supervisor