A Successful School District University Partnership Where do we go from here?

Presenters Vickie Beagle, Director Professional Development, Technology and Media Services Santa Rosa School District Robin Largue, Institute for Innovative Community, University of West Florida Linda Longacre, Director of Staff Development and Curriculum Training, Escambia School District

Chronology of Events 2002 the State of Florida required all school districts to adopt the State ACP or create their own. In July 2002 Escambia School District partnered with the University of West Florida to develop and deliver content aligned the FEAP’s for the ACP

Continuing Partnership July 2003 Santa Rosa School District joined the partnership. July 2004 Okaloosa School District joined the partnership the fifth year of the partnership

Identifying Skills and Knowledge What do first year teachers need to know and be able to do to support highest student achievement?

Essential Teacher Performances 30 National Board teachers from 2 school districts worked as a focus group. Using the National Board Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), these teachers identified knowledge and skills essential to success for a first year teacher

E.T.P.’s After the local focus group identified the first draft of ETP’s, National Board teachers throughout the United States were asked to review and refine the ETP’s.

E.T.P.’s From this process, 35 ETP’s were identified. The ETP’s and the indicators for the FEAP’s provided the framework for development of the ACP content.

What makes us different? The Model

Teaching Methods Face to face once or twice a week at a convenient location Web enhanced Peer support with reflection Application and reflection

Our ACP Program: An evolutionary process Began as a 15 graduate credit hour program that transferred into a masters program. Now it is a non-credit program with successful completion and passing scores on the 3 State tests leading to the transfer of 6 graduate credit hours.

Multi-Layered Support 1. Small Group (peers by subject area) 2. University Instructor 3. Portfolio Peer Mentorship

Who are our students?

Demographics Teaching Levels Male 41% Female59% White71% Black21% Other 8% % % % % 60->1% Secondary53% Middle45% Elementary>1%

Previous Careers of Students Manager Federal Government Chemical Analyst Social Worker Real Estate Broker Substitute Teacher Actor Writer Graphic Artist Purchasing Supervisor Musician Lab technician Executive Assistant Homemaker Teacher assistant Customer Service Public Relations Coordinator Food Service Journalist Self employed Bank branch manager Secretary Accountant Recreation Military Forest Resource management Nurse Retail manager Student

Enrollment Growth in ACP students students students students

How do we measure success? Enrollment in masters program  Average 64% enrollment and completion of Comprehensive Masters in Education since 2002 Rehire rate  Average of 96% since 2002 Retention rate  Average of 89% since 2002

Program Evaluation What do students say? “I found our weekly meetings to be therapeutic. It was sort of like a counseling session. We (candidates) bonded so well and I could really empathize with my fellow classmates’ daily struggles and joys.” “I found our weekly meetings to be therapeutic. It was sort of like a counseling session. We (candidates) bonded so well and I could really empathize with my fellow classmates’ daily struggles and joys.”

What do the districts say? Think back to your first encounter with ACP teachers. How did you think the classroom performance of these teachers would compare to traditionally trained teachers?

As we approach year five, based on what you have observed in regard to performance of ACP teachers, how does the classroom performance of ACP teachers compare to traditionally trained teachers?

Consider the number of teachers that have been ACP trained (40 plus for Santa Rosa; 200 plus for Escambia), how many performance problems are you aware of with this group?

What about the ACP program makes it successful?

If you could change one thing about the ACP program, what would it be?

Questions?