The NCATE Journey Kate Steffens St. Cloud State University AACTE/NCATE Orientation - Spring 2008

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Lifting The Fog

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Goals Provide an overview of the NCATE process Discuss strategies for integrating accreditation efforts into daily functions Provide a blueprint for organization in preparation for an NCATE visit

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Challenges Stakes are higher Focus on accountability Increasing competition Increasing demands at the state level Focus on performance-based assessment Regional accreditation agencies

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Challenges Accreditation requires involvement by the entire university and a solid relationship with school partners - shared vision. We can no longer assume that we are preparing good professionals, we must provide evidence of that fact.

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Institutional Context A Starting Point To Consider Land grant institution, state university, private college Where are you in the NCATE process? Initial or continuing accreditation visit Probationary visit or focused visit Expectations at last visit New leadership? New faculty?

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 What Are Your Goals? Continuing or initial accreditation Web-based visit Involvement of more faculty in process Change the attitude toward accreditation Create a culture of assessment and accountability

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 The Question of “Why”? Fundamental Question: Why do we want NCATE accreditation? Why do we do this work? What do we want out of it? Importance of “framing our work” in a context that serves all stakeholders.

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Concept of Self-Study Engage in ongoing accreditation work Annual goals and objectives related to NCATE Develop institutional procedures that promote ongoing self-study Committee structure Budget priorities Annual reports Focused efforts at the program, department, and unit level Ongoing documentation of your work

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Initial Steps Know the standards Know the preconditions Know the program review process Use the NCATE website Develop a work plan and timeline with annual goals and objectives

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Where Do We Begin? NCATE Champion NCATE Coordinator Changing role as the importance of NCATE accreditation has grown Team Approach: Deans, Associate Deans, Assessment Directors, and NCATE Coordinators

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Where Do We Begin? “The Big Picture” Understanding of National and state activities, NCLB, Title II NCATE Standards Program review process, state partnership

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Where Do We Begin? Organizational Structure Leadership structure (NCATE Steering Committee, Standards Committees) Identification of roles and responsibilities Identification of support staff

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Where Do We Begin? Committee Structure NCATE Steering Committee Clinical and Field Experience Committee Assessment Committee Teacher Education Committee Technology and Space Committee Graduate Committee Global Education Committee External Advisory Committees Dean’s Advisory Committees

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Where Do We Begin? Communication Structure Administration Professional Education faculty Arts and Sciences faculty School partners

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Where Do We Begin? Work Plan and Timeline Annual goals and objectives Professional development activities Countdown to NCATE

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Share the Vision Accreditation is the highest priority within the unit Accreditation stands for excellence Accreditation means that our candidates are meeting the highest standards

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Initial Step - Where Are We? NCATE Scan: comprehensive analysis of each element within a standard Individual standard vs. all standards Conducted at the unit, program, department, or leadership team level Serves as a starting point / work plan

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 For Example: Standard 1: Candidate Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions Element A: Content Knowledge What is our current status? What evidence do we have that our candidates have content knowledge? What data can we provide?

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Putting The Pieces Together

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 A Strong Infrastructure The key to a successful NCATE accreditation process is building a strong infrastructure!

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Build Your Foundation Conceptual Framework Assessment System Data System

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Conceptual Framework Critical Questions: “Are we living our conceptual framework?” “Do our candidates completing our programs reflect the conceptual framework?” Need to collect data to answer the critical questions!

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Conceptual Framework Foundation Review of the literature to reflect the new standards Alignment of conceptual framework with professional and state standards Alignment of conceptual framework with course outcomes within programs Determine what data are needed related to the conceptual framework

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Assessment / Data Focus Levels of Assessment / Data Institutional Level Unit Level Program Level Candidate Level

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Example Standard 1: Candidate Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions Content Knowledge Unit Level - Praxis II Data, Clinical Experience Data Program Level - Praxis II Data, Clinical Experience Data, Portfolio Data Candidate Level - Praxis II Data, Clinical Experience Data, Portfolio Data

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Building an Assessment Foundation Alignment of course outcomes with professional standards Identification of key assessments in courses (connecting outcomes with assessments) Development of transition points within programs

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Development and/or refinement of scoring criteria/rubrics Collecting / analyzing/ disseminating data (data system) Using data to make changes

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Goal: Using data to make decisions at all levels: Unit - Example: Praxis Center Program - Example: Follow-up Studies Candidate - Example: Transition Points

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Course Level Analysis Asked faculty to analyze their course outcomes in terms of alignment with : Conceptual Framework INTASC Principles / NBPTS Standards State Standards / Professional Standards Assessments Outcome: Faculty Discussions/Curricular Changes

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Syllabus - Alignment Matrix Course Outcomes (Content Standards) Standards of Effective Practice (Minnesota) INTASC Principles Conceptual Framework Assessment

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Program Level Analysis Conceptual Framework Professional standards / Program competencies Types of assessments

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Data, Data, Data Internal Data External Data Institutional Data Unit Data Department Data Program Data Candidate Data

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Internal Data Candidate work samples (i.e., reflections, essays, lesson plans, course exams, portfolios) Performance data (clinical and field experiences)

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 External Data Follow-up studies Employers Candidates Cooperating Teachers Title II data / Statewide testing

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Building Your Data Infrastructure What data are available? What data are needed but not collected? What are our goals for data collection? How do we use our data? Goal: Comprehensive Data System

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Data Collection Inventory What? Who? When? Data Dissemination Plan Who gets what? When? Use of Data Process How are data used?

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 The Power of Data Data provides the answers to accountability questions. Data is the force behind needed change. Data should guide decisions and changes within programs and the unit.

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 The Impact of Accreditation Work Shift in the context of teaching for faculty Shift in learning for our candidates Move toward a system of providing evidence of what candidates know and are able to do (data- based system) Using data to drive decision-making at the candidate, program, and unit level

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 The NCATE Challenge Present evidence that the institution is meeting each element of the standards at an acceptable level. Build Your Foundation: Conceptual Framework Assessment System Data System

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Streamlined Process Goal of the streamlined process Intensive self-study process: Leads to a stronger infrastructure Analysis of your data system Understand your strengths and areas for improvement Future planning and investment

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Remember The value of accreditation is in the journey toward the visit!

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation AACTE/NCATE - Spring 2008 Have a great conference! Kate Steffens