National Council for Accreditation National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Educationof Teacher Education

February 2006

Why Accreditation?Why Accreditation?

Professional Community Commitment to Growing a Professional

Consensus

College of Education is a Professional School: Commitment to Prepare Individuals for Licensure in Field

Measures of SuccessMeasures of Success

• 615 accredited institutions• Approximately 100

candidates/precandidates• 50 State Partners• 33 national professional organizations• 1,200 + volunteers

Measures of SuccessMeasures of Success

A majority of states have adopted or adapted NCATE’s unit standards as their state standards for teacher preparation

NCATE’s 50 state partners have adopted NCATE’s national professional content standards (math, science, etc.) or have aligned state content standards with those standards.

Licensing Assessments in a majority of states are now being aligned with NCATE’s professional standards.

Measures of SuccessMeasures of Success

Teachers prepared at NCATE institutions are well-prepared. These teachers:

-know the subject matter-demonstrate knowledge of effective teaching

strategies-can teach students from different backgrounds-have been supervised by master teachers-can integrate technology into instruction

Measures of SuccessMeasures of Success

NCATE 101NCATE 101February 2006

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

An accrediting body forschools, colleges, and

departments of education recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education and the Commission on Higher

Education Accreditation

The Standard of Excellence In Teacher Preparation

IMPROVEMENTof teacher performance through quality

teacher preparation

ACCOUNTABILITYto children, their parents, and the public at-large for quality teacher

preparation

NCATE’s Constituent MembersNCATE’s Constituent Members

TeachersSpecialized ProfessionalAssociations

State &Local

Policymakers

TeacherEducation

NCATE GOVERNANCENCATE GOVERNANCEExecutive Board

provides overall leadership

Unit Accreditation Board (UAB)

makes accreditation decisions, writes

standards, &oversees Board

of Examiners

Specialty Area Studies Board (SASB)

approves program standards

State Partnership Board (SPB)

approves state partnerships

NCATE StandardsNCATE Standards

• Developed by professional community

• Public process

NCATE StandardsNCATE Standards Candidate Performance

Candidate Knowledge, Skills, & Dispositions Assessment System and Unit Evaluation

Unit Capacity• Field Experiences and Clinical Practice• Diversity• Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and

Development• Unit Governance and Resources

Components of StandardComponents of Standard

• The Standard• Rubrics• Supporting Explanation

Candidate Knowledge,Skills, and Dispositions

Standard 1Standard 1

The Standard The Standard Candidates preparing to work in schools as teachers or other professional school personnel know and demonstrate the content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn.

Assessments indicate that candidates meet professional, state, and institutional standards.

Content Knowledge for Teacher CandidatesContent Knowledge for Teacher Candidates (Initial and Continuing Preparation of Teachers)(Initial and Continuing Preparation of Teachers)

Unacceptable Acceptable Target

Teacher candidates have inadequate knowledge of subject matter that they plan to teach as shown by their inability to give examples of important principles or concepts delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. Fewer than 80 percent of the unit’s program completers pass the academic content examinations in states that require such examinations for licensure.

Teacher candidates know the subject matter that they plan to teach as shown by their ability to explain important principles and concepts delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. Eighty percent or more of the unit’s program completers pass the academic content examinations in states that require such examinations for licensure.

Teacher candidates have in-depth knowledge of the subject matter that they plan to teach as described in professional, state, and institutional standards. They demonstrate their knowledge through inquiry, critical analysis, and synthesis of the subject. All program completers pass the academic content area examinations in states that require such examinations for licensure.

Supporting Explanation:Supporting Explanation:

The public expects that teachers of their children have sufficient knowledge of content to help all students meet standards for P–12 education.

The guiding principle of the teaching profession is that student learning is the goal of teaching. NCATE’s Standard 1 reinforces the importance of this goal by requiring that teacher candidates know their content or subject matter, can teach effectively, and can help all students learn.

All professional school personnel are expected to carry out their work in ways that are supportive of student learning.

Program Reviews as Program Reviews as Evidence of Meeting Standard 1Evidence of Meeting Standard 1

National Reviews by

SPAs (SpecializedProfessional

Associations)

State Reviews by the State

Agency Responsible for Program

Approval

New NCATENew NCATE Program Review Process Program Review Process

5 Sections5 Sections1. 6-page Context Statement

– Course of Study– Number of completers– Brief information about faculty

2. List of assessments, scoring guides, and data tables being submitted

3. Table aligning assessments to SPA standards

4. Discussion of assessments and data– Content knowledge– Pedagogical and professional knowledge,

skills and dispositions– Effects on student learning

5. 3 pages delineating how faculty have used data to improve the program

Data available from nationalData available from national (& sometimes state) (& sometimes state)

program reviewsprogram reviews• State licensure exam for program area

(if available—otherwise another content based assessment)

• Content Assessment• Assessment of Planning (e.g., unit plan)• Student teaching/internship assessment• Assessment of candidate impact on student learning

or providing a supporting learning environment• Other assessment to show SPA standards are met

Alignment of Alignment of Program Review with Standard 1Program Review with Standard 1

• Content

• Professional & Pedagogical Knowledge, Skills, & Dispositions

• P-12 Student Learning

Rubric elements 1-2

Rubric elements 3-5

Rubric elements 6-7

The NCATE ProcessThe NCATE Process

2-3 years before visit

3 semestersbefore visit

1-2 semestersbefore visit

Intent to SeekAccreditation

Preconditions

ProgramReports Due

60 days before visit

30-60 days before visit

Visit Date

InstitutionalReport Due

Previsit withTeam Chair

The On-site Visit

Board of Examiners TeamsBoard of Examiners Teams

TeacherEducation

Teachers

Specialty & Policy

Team ReportTeam Report

• NCATE format for the team report

• State addendum (optional)

Within 52 days after visit

March/April & October

Within 2 weeks after UAB

BOE ReportFinished

UAB Meeting

Notification ofAccreditation

Organizing to Organizing to Determine AccreditationDetermine Accreditation

Audit Committees4-5 Members with 6-9

cases

Joint Audit Committees2 Audit Committees

Full UAB32 Members

Consent Agenda

Recommendations for Denial, Probation, or Revocation

Accreditation Decisions Accreditation Decisions by NCATEby NCATE

• Accreditation

• Accreditation with provisions or conditions

• Accreditation with probation

• Deny or revoke accreditation

First Accreditation VisitFirst Accreditation Visit

Accreditation Provisional Denial

WrittenDocumentation

FocusedVisit

Accreditation Revocation

Within 6 monthsWithin 2 years

Accreditation

Within 12-18 months

State PartnershipsState Partnerships

State PartnershipsState Partnerships

Standards– State Unit &

Program Stds– NCATE Unit &

Program Stds– Combination

• State Program Stds• NCATE Unit Stds

Type of Visit–Joint State &

NCATE Visit

–Concurrent State & NCATE Visit

–NCATE Only Visit

BOE Team Composition BOE Team Composition for Joint Visitsfor Joint Visits

• Voting Members– 3-8 NCATE Board of Examiners members– 2-7 or fewer state representatives

• Non-voting Members– State consultant from the State Agency– Observers from state affiliates of AFT & NEA

How does your state use the NCATE program review and accreditation

decisions in determining state approval?

And Remember Why We Are Doing All of this Work…