Commission on Teacher Credentialing Ensuring Educator Excellence Nuts & Bolts: How to plan for a CTC Accreditation Visit October 2008

Commission on Teacher Credentialing When do we begin planning for an accreditation visit? You already are! You already are! Biennial Reports and Program Assessment are parts of the accreditation system and will be used by the site visit team. Biennial Reports and Program Assessment are parts of the accreditation system and will be used by the site visit team. About two years prior to the actual site visit for the logistics. About two years prior to the actual site visit for the logistics.

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Yellow Cohort How do we get dates for the Visit? Yellow Cohort Letter with possible dates Letter with possible dates Indicate top 3 preferences Indicate top 3 preferences Consider Consider –Vacations—institution and public schools –Testing schedule in K-12 –Faculty availability

Commission on Teacher Credentialing When will we be assigned a CTC Consultant? About 18 months prior to the site visit. (Yellow Cohort--now) About 18 months prior to the site visit. (Yellow Cohort--now) Letter from Dr. Birch to the Dean/Director of the institution Letter from Dr. Birch to the Dean/Director of the institution

Commission on Teacher Credentialing What will the Consultant do? Conduct a Year-Out Pre-visit Conduct a Year-Out Pre-visit Advise the Accreditation Coordinator Advise the Accreditation Coordinator –Hotel –Transportation –Planning meals –Document Room set-up –Interview Schedule Provide feedback on Common Standards Response--Self-Study (IR for NCATE) Provide feedback on Common Standards Response--Self-Study (IR for NCATE) Team Lead pre-visit (2 months prior to visit) Team Lead pre-visit (2 months prior to visit) Facilitate the site visit Facilitate the site visit Handout #1: General Timeline

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Who pays for what? What are the state limits on lodging and meals? The CTC pays for the travel, lodging, meals and per diem for all California team members and CTC staff The CTC pays for the travel, lodging, meals and per diem for all California team members and CTC staff There are limits based on state regulations There are limits based on state regulations Talk to your assigned CTC consultant if any questions Talk to your assigned CTC consultant if any questions Handout #2: Hotel/Meal Planning

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Contract between CTC and Institution Lodging—consultant (s) and all CA Team Members Lodging—consultant (s) and all CA Team Members Meals— Breakfasts— hotel or campus Meals— Breakfasts— hotel or campus Lunches— campus Dinners— campus or dinner * *All may not be in your contract Contract needs to be signed 2 months prior to the visit. Institution submits a bill to CTC ASAP after the visit.

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Where should the team stay? Who makes arrangements with the hotel? When? A hotel with conference/meeting rooms and a restaurant. Close to the institution (consider airport) Fees are within state rate—or very close. Safe environment.

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Will the team need a meeting room at the hotel? Yes! The CTC will pay for the meeting room. The room needs to be on a ‘24 hour’ hold from Sunday afternoon through Wednesday am. Many times the meeting room will be comp’ed if we are renting enough sleeping rooms.

Commission on Teacher Credentialing How are the team’s meals & snacks arranged? Who pays for these? CTC pays for team member meals (CA only). CTC pays for team member meals (CA only). Where meals are served depends on the specific lodging and institution…work with your assigned consultant. Where meals are served depends on the specific lodging and institution…work with your assigned consultant. Institution usually provides snacks at the institution. Institution usually provides snacks at the institution.

Commission on Teacher Credentialing What are the team’s technology needs—on 1) campus and at the 2) hotel? Computer (s) and printer (s) Computer (s) and printer (s) Copy machine Copy machine Shredder Shredder Internet/Wireless capability Internet/Wireless capability Paper, pens, post-its, highlighters Paper, pens, post-its, highlighters Talk to your CTC consultant!

Commission on Teacher Credentialing What is the ‘Year-Out Pre-visit’? How do we schedule it? Schedule with your assigned CTC Consultant—by phone or . Provide a couple of dates that work for you. Arrange with the consultant on a date—The consultant will be able to spend a full day with you. The consultant can present to faculty/staff, program coordinators, accreditation team or ?

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Year-Out Pre-visit Overview of the accreditation system Overview of the accreditation system What is expected, when What is expected, when Plan logistics—hotel, document room, transportation Plan logistics—hotel, document room, transportation Present to faculty/staff about accreditation process Present to faculty/staff about accreditation process How to prepare documents How to prepare documents Handout #3: Detailed Timeline

Commission on Teacher Credentialing What is the Preconditions Report (Preliminary Report) ? When is it due? 3 part document— 3 part document— –Context of the institution—matrix of programs, candidates, and completers –Standard options –Response to the Preconditions Six months to One year prior to the site visit Six months to One year prior to the site visit Handout # 4: Precondition Report

Commission on Teacher Credentialing What is the ‘2 Month Out Pre-visit’ and when should it take place? Approximately 2 months prior to the site visit Team Lead and CTC consultant will spend a day with the institution leadership (If NCATE—also NCATE Co-Chair) Review interview schedule, transportation plans, meal plans Provide feedback on the self-study

Commission on Teacher Credentialing What is the Self-Study? (IR for NCATE Institutions) The institution’s response to the Commission’s The institution’s response to the Commission’s 1) Common Standards and 2) Response to all the approved program’s Program Standards (08-09 ONLY) Due a minimum of 60 days prior to the site visit Due a minimum of 60 days prior to the site visit

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Who transports the team during the visit? CTC is responsible for getting team members to the hotel at the beginning of the visit. CTC is responsible for getting team members to the hotel at the beginning of the visit. The institution is responsible for transportation from the hotel to the institution and back during the visit. The institution is responsible for transportation from the hotel to the institution and back during the visit. Talk to your CTC consultant! Talk to your CTC consultant!

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Activities during the Site Visit Document Review Document Review Class visits—current candidates Class visits—current candidates K-12 School Site Visits K-12 School Site Visits Interviews Interviews

Commission on Teacher Credentialing How should we organize the Document Room? Paper or electronic? It is the institution’s decision Can be a blend of paper and electronic Organized/Tabbed Examples:

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Class Visits at the Institution For current students—candidates— class visits can be very productive. For current students—candidates— class visits can be very productive. Prepare instructors that the team member will ask the instructor to leave the room for 15 minutes or so. Prepare instructors that the team member will ask the instructor to leave the room for 15 minutes or so. Provide a complete class list for the Monday-Tuesday the team is on site.

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Purpose of K-12 school visits Some team members may go to a school…selection criteria includes Some team members may go to a school…selection criteria includes –Proximity to institution –Traffic and travel time –Number of candidates, graduates, employers, master teachers at the site Purpose is to interview candidates, graduates, supervisors or employers Purpose is to interview candidates, graduates, supervisors or employers Maximize the benefit of the travel! Maximize the benefit of the travel!

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Length & Size of Interviews? Depends on the stakeholder group— For example-- –Program Coordinators: 1-1 –Faculty: 1-1 or 1-small group –Current students in a class and in small groups (4-8) Interviews should probably be scheduled for minutes depending on size of group

Commission on Teacher Credentialing What should the Interview Schedule look like? Green Cohort and other Cohorts On Monday? On Tuesday? –Candidates –Program Completers –Employers –Faculty and staff –Advisory Groups –Administration at the institution Handout # 5: Interview Schedule

Commission on Teacher Credentialing What do we plan for on Sunday? Orientation! Document room & Campus Orientation! Document room & Campus –CTC Visits: A poster session or reception is acceptable if it makes sense for the institution –NCATE: Poster Session Purpose: To allow all the institution and its programs to give an orientation to team members Purpose: To allow all the institution and its programs to give an orientation to team members

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Monday Move team members to the institution (7:30 am -8:00 am) Interviews Interviews School visits/Class visits School visits/Class visits Time in the Document Room Time in the Document Room Lunch Lunch Leave campus around 5-6 pm Leave campus around 5-6 pm

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Tuesday Move team members to the institution (7:30 am -8:00 am) Interviews Interviews School visits/Class visits School visits/Class visits Time in the Document Room Time in the Document Room Lunch Lunch Leave campus around 4-5 pm (NCATE team leaves around noon) Leave campus around 4-5 pm (NCATE team leaves around noon)

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Mid Visit Report Team Lead and CTC Consultant (s) meet with the Dean/Director on Tuesday morning to 1) ask for additional information and 2) provide a status report on what the team is finding 2) provide a status report on what the team is finding

Commission on Teacher Credentialing What do we plan for on Wednesday? Exit Report—Time to be determined. Usually sometime between 11 am and 2 pm—decision about time is usually made on Tuesday. DRAFT report on the Common Standards and all Programs is left at the institution Dean/Director decides who to invite to the Exit Report

Commission on Teacher Credentialing What happens after the visit? Accreditation Report goes to the COA, usually about 2 months after the visit Team has made Decisions on all Common and Program Standard Accreditation Recommendation, including DRAFT Stipulations, if appropriate NCATE—separate process!

Commission on Teacher Credentialing California Accreditation Decisions Accreditation Accreditation Accreditation with Stipulations Accreditation with Stipulations Denial of Accreditation Denial of Accreditation Stipulations may be further delineated as  Stipulations  Major Stipulations  Probationary

Commission on Teacher Credentialing COA Meeting Present to the COA –CTC Consultant –Team Lead –Institution COA asks questions of the team lead and the institution COA makes the accreditation decision

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Follow-up after the COA Decision Address all Address all –Stipulation –Questions –Concerns If required, submit a 7 yr Follow-Up Report the year after the visit addressing all issues.

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Re-Visit If the Accreditation decision is Major Stipulations or Probationary Stipulations, a Re-visit will take place ONE year after the site visit. If the Accreditation decision is Major Stipulations or Probationary Stipulations, a Re-visit will take place ONE year after the site visit. Re-visit focuses on the stipulations, questions or concerns raised by the COA. Re-visit focuses on the stipulations, questions or concerns raised by the COA. Institution will continue to work with the CTC Consultant for the Re-Visit. Institution will continue to work with the CTC Consultant for the Re-Visit.

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Accreditation Handbook Draft is available NOW! Chapter 7: Planning for the Visit New Chapter: COA Decisions and Activities after the Decision Chapter 10: Articulation with National Accreditation-NCATE and Professional Associations

Commission on Teacher Credentialing Additional Information Accreditation Framework Accreditation Framework Accreditation Web page: prep/program-accred.html Accreditation Web page: prep/program-accred.html prep/program-accred.html prep/program-accred.html CTC Staff: CTC Staff: Teri Clark Teri Ackerman Lori Gonzales