The next generation of NCATE program standards July 6, 2009 Rachelle Bruno, Task Force Chair Emerson Elliott, NCATE Please remember to set-up your audio Go to “tools”, then “audio”, then “audio set-up wizard” For those of you who have a microphone, we will do a “microphone sound check” one by one starting at 1:30 1:30pm – First audio sound check 1:45pm - Second audio sound check 1:55pm - Final audio sound check 2:00pm Webinar will begin 1 1

Orienting you to today’s web-conference format…

Agenda Why a Task Force? What will remain the same? What will change? The principles Formatting changes Questions? Comments?

What NCATE has been told about program standards and program reviews There are too many standards for any specialty area The standards look too different from one specialty to another and cover different kinds of topics The standards were written before NCATE’s shift in program review reports and evidence and do not fit program reviews The review process takes too much time The review process costs more than its value Reviewers reach inconsistent conclusions 5 5

SPA program standards are the basis for program review NCATE concluded in 2007 that guidelines for writing of SPA standards need to be updated and revised Take comments into account Look at the research and knowledge base Take account of the national debate on standards Create a Task Force on Program Standards Rachelle Bruno, Chair, Northern Kentucky University Gene Martin, former Chair of SASB, Texas State University-San Marcos Joe Prus, Executive Board, Winthrop University Gail Dickinson, Chair of SASB P&E Committee, Old Dominion University John Johnston, SASB, University of Memphis Charles Duke, Chair of SASB, Appalachian State University Ron Colbert, SASB, Fitchburg State University Work now ready for a final round of vetting 6

What guidelines remain the same? Standards focus on student learning Standards describe and use the knowledge base and evolution of state and national standards Standards describe what candidates should know and be able to do 7 7

What Guidelines are new? Four Principles to guide standards development Principles draw from current research findings Formatting guidelines to create a common structure Guidelines for evidence limit number of required assessments and limit program decision to “preponderance” of evidence.

The principles, p. 8 Candidates’ knowledge of content they plan to teach or use as other school professionals and their ability to explain important principles and concepts (p. 8). Effective teaching strategies that make the discipline comprehensible to P-12 students (p. 9). Candidates’ ability to apply their knowledge by creating and maintaining safe, supportive, fair, and effective learning environments for all students (p. 13). Candidates knowledge of professional practices in their field and readiness to apply them (p. 15). 9 9

About the principles p. 7 Serve several purposes Structure SPA standards so they will be perceived as more coherent by institutions Create a common expectation that SPAs will apply important research findings to their standards Direct the focus of standards to core areas of knowledge and skills that candidates need for teaching or other professional roles in education Assure alignment with NCATE unit standard 1 Draw directly from the model of “core propositions” or “principles” to guide standards writing that NBPTS and INTASC have followed

Questions or Comments?

Other School Professionals, p. 22 May make a case for adapting the principles Focus on student learning Base on research in the specialized field

About formatting, p. 17 Standards are written around the four principles Standards and elements; elements appear in the language of the standard Numerical limits – 4-7 standards up to 4 elements per standard Program review decisions made on the standard not element level based on preponderance of evidence SPA-specific not generic

Questions or Comments?

Optional features p. 23 SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENT - Elaborated and comprehensive description of good preparation programs. Might include: Curricula Clinical and field experiences Faculty qualifications Technology Assessments Relationship to school partners SPAs may specify up to one additional assessment beyond the five specified by NCATE (Assessment #6) SPAs may have a clinical/field standard when the field requires something different from the institutional norm

Other comments???

Additional opportunities for comment Meetings with SPAs (Emerson Elliott and Margie Crutchfield) Electronic input (www.ncate.org)

THANK YOU!!!