NCATE Program Review Process

1. NCATE Program Review Process Margaret D. Crutchfield April, 2008 margie@ncate.org

2. A brief review…. • Unit = School, College, or Department of Education plus other entities on campus that prepare school personnel • Program = Specific Discipline Area

4. SPA = Specialized Professional Association

6. NCATE has standards for the following programs • Early Childhood Education • Educational Technology and School Media Specialists • Educational Computing and Technology • Educational Leadership • Elementary Education (Initial) • English as Second Language Education (Initial) • English Language Arts Education (Initial) • Foreign Languages Education (Initial) • Gifted Education • Health Education (Initial) • Mathematics Education (Initial) • Middle School Education • Physical Education • Reading Education • School Library Media • School Psychology • Science Education (Initial) • Social Studies Education (Initial) • Special Education • Technology Education (Initial) Initial = standards are for programs leading to first teaching license

7. Special Cases • What if……

8. What if it is a new or redesigned program? • New Programs: A unit can voluntarily submit a program report for a new program anytime between on-site visits if the program has been approved by the state. It must submit a program report for the new program as part of its scheduled program review cycle whether or not candidates have graduated from the program. • Redesigned Programs: If a program is undergoing a major program redesign, it may request a delay of its submission of the program report. The delay request must be submitted to NCATE with a detailed explanation of the redesign and its timeline. A delay will be granted if the redesign requires major changes in the program and if the appropriate state agency agrees to the delay.

9. What if it is a really small program? • Small Programs: A program report must be completed if the program at least one candidate in the pipeline. However, the 80% pass rate requirement does not apply to programs that do not have 10 completers over a three year period.

10. What if the program is accredited by another organization? • Programs accredited by other accrediting organizations: NCATE recognizes the following specialized accrediting organizations and, therefore, does not review programs in these areas: • American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) • American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AACS) • American Library Association ( ALA) • American Psychological Association (APA) • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) • Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) • National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) • National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD) • National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) • National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST)

11. Programs accredited by one of these organizations are not required to be submitted to NCATE for program review. Please see the NCATE Handbook for Accreditation Visits for information on NCATE requirements for these programs for the unit review.

12. What if there are no candidates in the program? • Dormant Programs: If no candidates are in the pipeline and no one has graduated from the program in the past three years, a program report is not required. When the dormant program is reactivated by admitting candidates, a program report may be voluntarily submitted at that time. • Reactivated Programs: If a dormant program is reactivated by admitting candidates, the program may voluntarily submit a program report at that point. However, the unit must submit a program report for a reactivated program as part of its scheduled program review cycle whether or not candidates have graduated from the program.

13. Timeframe for submitting reports • One year before the NCATE visit • Allowed to submit up to two years prior to visit • Can stagger submissions over more than one semester • Deadline is always 9/15 and 2/1

14. Must notify NCATE at least one month prior to submission which programs you are planning to submit • Chart is on web site • We can prepare your submission site up to one year prior to submission • But can’t move submission text to a different semester if you change your mind

15. Policies are outlined in: Guidelines and Procedures for the NCATE Web Based Program Review System NCATE web site under Program Review Resources

16. How Do Program Reports Fit into the Unit Accreditation Review? • Program recognition reports are important part of evidence for meeting NCATE Standard 1 • A unit can be accredited without receiving national recognition for all programs

17. Purpose of the Program Review • Determine whether or not the program has in place a limited number (6-8) of comprehensive assessments that demonstrate candidate mastery of the SPAstandards. • Candidate performance on these assessmentsis appropriate to demonstrate mastery. • Provide information for unit to use to respond to Unit Standard #1

18. NCATE Unit Standard 1: • Candidates preparing to work in schools as teachers or other school personnel know and demonstrate, the content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and skills, pedagogical and professional knowledge and skills, and professional dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Assessments indicate that candidates meet professional, state, and institutional standards.

19. Required Assessments • State licensure exam for program area (if available—otherwise another content based assessment) • Content Assessment • Assessment of Planning (e.g., unit plan) • Student teaching/internship assessment • Assessment of candidate impact on student learning or providing a supporting learning environment • A 6th assessment is required, type is optional

20. Required program assessments Content: • State licensure exam for program area (if available—otherwise another content based assessment) • Content Assessment Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge Skills and Dispositions: • Assessment of Planning (e.g., unit plan) • Student teaching/internship assessment

21. P – 12 Student Learning: • Assessment of candidate impact on student learning or providing a supporting learning environment Program is required to have at least one more assessment, can have a maximum of 8 to demonstrate candidate mastery of SPA standards

22. How Much Data? • For program reports being submitted in fall 2008 and spring 2009, two years of data • Three years of data are optimal – not necessary to provide more • Remember: If you do not have required amount of data, provide an explanation!

23. Major Change in Recognition Decisions • Make program review process more formative and less punitive • Give programs time to make changes before they are in jeopardy • Make program process consistent with unit process

24. For programs going through review for the first time • Will have at least three opportunities to submit in an 18 month period before they can receive a “not recognized” decision • National recognition • Conditional national recognition • Further development required

25. For programs recognized during the previous cycle • Will have at least three opportunities to submit in an 18 month period before they will lose their recognized status and receive a “not recognized” decision • National Recognition • National Recognition with Conditions • National Recognition with Probation • Program status will continue to be Nationally Recognized throughout this 18 month period

26. Grades Policy • All SPAs will accept course grades as one content assessment • Expectations for documenting grades are the same for all SPAs • A chart listing courses and which SPA standards are addressed in the course with either course title or brief (1-3 sentence) description of the course • Course grades—means and ranges • Guidelines are on NCATE web site

27. Who to Contact at NCATE For questions related to overall process, submission requirements, etc. • Margie Crutchfield, margie@ncate.org • Sabata Morris, deidre@ncate.org • Robin Minor, robin@ncate.org • Technical problems: Cora Mak, cora@ncate.org

28. Who to Contact at SPAs For questions related to the standards and what are appropriate assessments for a particular discipline: SPA Program Review Coordinators http://www.ncate.org/programreview/spacontact.asp?ch=88

29. Resources on NCATE web site • www.ncate.org, click on Institutions, click on Program Reviews • Program Report Forms, Guidelines, Program Report Examples, Mini-Videos, Archived Web Seminars • www.ncate.org, click on Program Reviewers • All training materials for program reviewers