quality Jeanne M. Burns, Ph.D. Louisiana Board of Regents Qualitative State Research Team Kristin Gansle Louisiana State University and A&M College Value-Added Teacher Preparation Assessment Model Qualitative Research Study Results Board of Regents September 24, 2009

quality Value-Added Teacher Preparation Assessment Model Predict student achievement based on prior achievement, demographics, and attendance. Assess actual student achievement. Calculate degree to which students taught by new teachers met achievement of similar students taught by experienced teachers. Act on results.

quality Carnegie Corporation of New York Grant ( ) Purpose of Study To understand why some teacher preparation programs prepare new teachers who are as effective or more effective than average experienced teachers. $800,000 (Carnegie Corporation of New York) & $1,000,000 (Board of Regents)

quality Assumptions Effective new teachers will: Have higher ACT scores Rate their teacher preparation programs higher Have mentors who rate their teacher preparation programs higher Have higher scores on instruments that measure dispositions Have higher scores on instruments that examine working conditions in schools 10 Research Questions

quality Qualitative State Research Team Lead Researcher: Dr. Jeanne Burns (Board of Regents) Researchers: Faculty members from all 14 public universities, 6 private colleges/universities, 2 private providers, & state personnel Analysts: Dr. George Noell, Dr. Kristin Gansle, Consultants & Researchers Partners: College of Education Deans July 1, 2007 to August 30, 2009

quality Study Participants Post-redesign alternate certification teacher preparation programs Random sample of new teachers with highest and lowest growth in student achievement (All teacher preparation programs participated in the study.)

quality Measures Program Program Structure Audit, Curriculum Audit, Faculty Audit, & Program Completer Audit New Teacher Surveys Teacher Preparation, Dispositions, Working Conditions, & In-depth Questionnaire Mentor Surveys Teacher Preparation & Disposition Checklist Other Documents

quality Value-Added Teacher Preparation Assessment Model (Results from Previous Studies) It is possible for teacher preparation programs to prepare new teachers whose students demonstrate growth in achievement that is comparable to (Level 2) or greater than (Level 1) average experienced teachers. Research Findings: 7 out of 9 alternate teacher preparation programs that have value added results have attained effect estimates at Performance Levels 1 or 2 in one or more content areas. LA CollegeNorthwesternUL-Monroe NichollsSoutheasternLSU-S The New Teacher Project

quality Qualitative Research Finding #1 It is not the pathway that explains the variance between teacher preparation programs; it is what is occurring within the pathway to prepare new teachers in the specific content areas that makes the difference. Research Findings: All three alternate certification pathways were offered at institutions that attained effect estimates at Performance Levels 1 or 2 in one or more content areas. Practitioner ProgramMaster of Arts in Teaching Non-Masters LA CollegeUL-Monroe LSU-S NichollsSoutheastern Northwestern The New Teacher Project

quality Qualitative Research Finding #1 It is not the pathway that explains the variance between teacher preparation programs; it is what is occurring within the pathway to prepare new teachers in the specific content areas that makes the difference. Research Findings: All teacher preparation programs that attained effect estimates at Performance Levels 1 or 2 in one or more content areas also attained effect estimates at Performance Level 3 in one or more content areas. The New Teacher Project Level 1 = Mathematics & Reading (Above experienced teachers) Level 2 = Language Arts & Science (Comparable to experienced teachers) Level 3 = Social Studies (Comparable to new teachers) Grades 1-5 teachers were prepared to teach all five content areas.

quality Qualitative Research Finding #2 Existing data do not support previous state assumptions about the preparation of new teachers. Research Findings: Teachers who complete post-redesign programs in Louisiana and teach for one or two years are now more similar than different. Comparison of teachers with high and low effect estimates:  ACT Scores – Teachers’ scores clustered around  Teacher Preparation Surveys – No significant differences  Mentor Preparation Surveys – No significant differences  Disposition Surveys – No significant differences  Working Conditions Surveys – No significant differences Higher expectations for new teachers to enter and exit alternate programs in Louisiana may be impacting results.

quality Qualitative Research Finding #3 State policies to create more rigorous teacher certification requirements and require all universities to redesign their teacher preparation programs account for more similarities than differences in program structure and curriculum. Research Findings: Similar structures exist within and across alternate certification pathways at all institutions. The delivery mode was the major difference in pathways. Examples:  Passage of Praxis examinations to enter programs  Passage of Praxis examination to exit programs  Curriculum aligned with teacher standards  Curriculum aligned with K-12 content standards  Teachers as the teachers of record and teaching full time in classrooms

quality Qualitative Research Finding #4 Teacher preparation programs are already using scores from the value added assessment to make changes to programs. Research Findings: Two alternate teacher preparation programs attained effect estimates at Level 3 (comparable to new teachers) in four content areas. They each attained effect estimates at a Level 4 (below new teachers) in one content area. They are already using data they collected to identify changes for their programs. University of Louisiana at Lafayette: They decided to use an innovative approach to teach language arts when creating their post-redesign program. Since receiving their effect estimate in language arts, they are returning to a more traditional approach to teaching language arts. Louisiana Resource Center for Educators: They previously relied heavily upon districts to support their teacher candidates in reading. Since receiving their effect estimate in reading, they have hired more staff to support their candidates in reading.

quality Qualitative Research Finding #5 Better retention is being exhibited among teachers who have completed undergraduate and alternate certification programs in Louisiana. Research Findings: Around 84% of teachers from Louisiana-based alternate and undergraduate programs were still teaching by their third year of teaching.

quality Qualitative Research Finding #5 Research Findings: For a cohort of teachers who attained Practitioner Teacher licenses in , only 55.6% were a part of the state teacher database by the third year of teaching and only 35.9% were a part of the state teacher database by the sixth year. The reason for attrition is unknown.

quality Qualitative Research Finding #6 More in-depth research through case studies of effective programs in specific content areas will be needed in the future to acquire the depth of knowledge necessary to identify key factors that impact effective new teachers. Research Findings: This qualitative research study has demonstrated that state assumptions about effective teacher preparation programs are no longer valid in Louisiana. The study has assisted researchers in more clearly defining areas that need to be examined and questions that need to be asked. The study has shifted the focus of future research toward the preparation and support of new teachers in specific content areas and the teachers’ abilities to critically examine their teaching.

quality Next Steps Disseminate information to the public in Louisiana and the nation about the quantitative and qualitative research that is taking place about teacher preparation effectiveness. Continue to have a Qualitative Research Team composed of researchers from every teacher preparation program in Louisiana work collaboratively to conduct research. Attain external funding to support a Quantitative Research Team and Qualitative Research Team to conduct more in- depth research to answer the new research questions generated by the study. To apply the knowledge gained from the research to improve the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs.

quality FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Jeanne M. Burns State Research Team Members Kristin Gansle George Noell