ECSE 1
Program Report
For
Early Childhood Special Education
B.S.E. in Special Education
Spring, 2009
Prepared by:
Jerry Neal
Coordinator, Special Education Programs
(660) 543-8497
Gwiok Kim
Assistant Professor
(660) 543-8787
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DESCription of program 3
characteristics of program candidates 7
Table 1: Size of Program 7
Table 2: Demographics of Program 8
Table 3: Candidate Persistence 10
Certification program requirements 10
course list 17
Table 4: Course Offerings 17
matrices 18
description of field experiences 18
diverse classroom 24
description of program assessment system 25
assessment data 27
Table 5: CBASE Scores 28
Table 6: Praxis Scores 30
technology 31
faculty 31
program resources 35
APPENDICES:
Appendix A - Syllabi (in electronic document center) 38
Appendix b - course/competency matrices 39
Table 1: mostep competencies 39
Table 2: cec standards 39
APPENDIX C - 4-year plan 40
appendix D - catalog pages, course descriptions 43
APPENDIX E - program assessments 44
SPECIAL EDUCATION
EARLY CHILDHOOD BIRTH-Grade 3
DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM
The Early Childhood (ECSE) Special Education program is located in the Department of Educational Leadership and Human Development which is one of four departments found in the University of Central Missouri’s College of Education. The major content of the program is taught in the Special Education Program area which includes courses that contain an “EDSP” prefix. Content is also taught in the Nursing Department which is located in the College of Health and Human Services. Courses whose content is largely pedagogical takes place in the Department of Educational Foundation and Literacy (formerly Department of Curriculum and Instruction) and from the Department of Health and Human Performance located in the College of Health and Human Services.
Completers of this initial, stand-alone program, earn a Bachelor of Science in Education degree (BSE) and are recommended for a teaching certificate in Early Childhood, Special Education Birth – 8. The requirements for the degree include: (1) Candidates must complete all required coursework with a 2.5 GPA; (2) minimum GPA of 2.5 in the certification subject area and in all professional education courses; (3) no grade lower than a C in professional education courses, (4) meet all departmental requirements. The degree requires completion of 124 credit hours of course work. Certification in the State of Missouri also requires candidates to pass the PRAXIS examination in their area of certification; however, this is not a requirement for degree completion (as specified by Title II). Most traditional students typically complete the degree in four years if they have followed the program of study designed by their Academic Advisor within the College of Education and their Departmental (faculty) Advisor located in the Department of Educational Leadership and Human Development. In comparison to other programs in the UCM College of Education, the Early Childhood Special Education Program is smaller than many, averaging between 3-5 completers each academic year.
History of the Program
The University of Central Missouri (UCM) was founded in 1871 as a two-year institution called State Normal School #2. Created originally for educator preparation, UCM has evolved into a multi-faceted, multi-college institution serving more than 10,000 students at the undergraduate and graduate level. UCM has an excellent reputation in Missouri and the region for educator preparation and is the longest continuously NCATE-accredited public institution in the state. Since our 2002 NCATE site visit, a number of events have taken place at the state and institutional level that have impacted our Special Education preparation program. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) revised their standards for initial teacher preparation. The Missouri Standards for Teacher Education Programs (MoSTEP Standards) are based on the 10 INTASC standard areas, were revised in 2006 and included the addition of an 11th standard addressing use of technology in the classroom. DESE has also aligned standards in the various certification areas with those of national Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs).
The UCM Special Education Program has also experienced some changes during the past seven years. At the time of the 2002 NCATE review, UCM offered BSE special education programs leading to state certification in Learning Disabilities (K-12), Behavior Disorders (K-12), Mental Retardation (K-12), Early Childhood Special Education (birth-grade 3) and Severe Developmental Disabilities (K-12). An add-on certificate in Gifted Education was available, and most students used the MSE in Special Education to acquire a second area of certification. UCM also offered an EdS degree, primarily designed for individuals interested in becoming administrators of special education. In 2004, DESE moved from categorical special education certification (i.e., LD, BD, MR) to a mild-moderate cross-categorical certificate. This required restructuring of the previously categorical course offerings to correspond to the new state certification requirements. [See attached four-year plan from the 2007 UCM Undergraduate Catalog.] In addition to the BSE degree in cross-categorical special education, UCM participates in the state’s alternative pathways to certification program and offers a cross-categorical minor for elementary education majors. The minors and alternative certification candidates take a modified, reduced set of courses that meet the state’s minimum requirements, but participate in most of the activities and assessments required for special education majors.
Program Integration with Unit Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework of the UCM Teacher Education Program is based on the reflective practitioner model, as summarized in our Belief Statement: The Central educator is a competent, caring, reflective practitioner committed to the premise that all can learn. Special education faculty members have been active participants in the ongoing review, revision and articulation of the UCM conceptual framework. The special education BSE program at the University of Central Missouri is guided by, and aligned with, the conceptual framework of the College of Education, as well as with professional standards and competencies. With the goal of developing reflective practitioners, the program incorporates and values both knowledge and experience throughout its program. The special education faculty acknowledges that neither knowledge nor experience, by itself, will produce an effective special educator. The UCM BSE in special education program incorporates a developmental process that requires intentional expansion of the knowledge base, skills, and dispositions fundamental to the CEC standards and the conceptual framework. Throughout the program, special education candidates are both encouraged and required to (1) think analytically about the knowledge base of special education theory and strategies; (2) think practically about integrating course content into real world situations, applying knowledge to classroom practice; and (3) think creatively about the teaching, learning, and the decision making processes associated with effective instruction. The professional standards and the College’s conceptual framework are successfully blended throughout the program. Special educators must possess a thorough understanding of the research-supported knowledge base, including foundational theories and models of both general and special education. While all courses and program requirements address this component of the conceptual framework to some degree, it is specifically introduced in the three core courses: EDCI 2100 Foundations of Education, EDCI 2240 Educational Psychology, and EDSP 2100 Education of the Exceptional Child. Each of these courses provides students with basic knowledge of how all children learn, effective assessment and instructional practices for all students, characteristics of successful schools and classroom, basic techniques for classroom observation and data collection, and other theory-based aspects of effective instruction.
Candidates are encouraged to think analytically, practically, and creatively, as they complete directed activities in class. However, it is not sufficient for candidates to merely understand and articulate the knowledge base. They must also develop skills in applying their knowledge to real live issues and situations. Structured activities and classroom observations in both core courses and special education courses provide candidates with multiple opportunities to explore relationships between theory and practice. By requiring active participation in planned classroom simulations and field experiences, candidates have the opportunity to apply skills in authentic experiences in individual and group instructional activities, in both general and special education classrooms. Critical thinking and reflective practice are infused into the entire special education program sequence. Classroom activities, field experiences, standards-based portfolio artifacts and reflection statements provide multiple, recursive opportunities for candidates to examine the professional knowledge base, apply empirically-supported strategies in simulated and applied settings, and evaluate impact on P-12 student learning.
Certification Program Alignment
The Early Childhood Special Education Program student outcomes, field experiences and student evaluations are aligned with the Unit’s Conceptual Framework, which forms the foundation for all programs within the UCM College of Education. There is a realization that preparing to become a professional special education teacher is more than merely learning from a textbook, and listening to lectures in classes. Effective teachers of infants and young children with disabilities must possess a thorough understanding of the research-supported knowledge base, including foundational theories and models of education, child development and educational psychology, content, and curriculum related to their area of practice, behavior management and motivation, instructional strategies for all students, and assessment and data-based classroom decision-making. In addition, it is imperative that these teachers possess knowledge related to the special health care needs of this population and strategies and assistive technology required to increase the successful participation of students across all environments. The faculty members in the Special Education Program area are well-versed in theory and practice, come to the classroom with a wealth of diverse experiences in the field of special education, and set high expectations for all candidates in the program.
The Early Childhood Special Education Program at UCM is authorized through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and adheres to all certification requirements set forth by this agency. Internally, at the University and College level, the Early Childhood Special Education program operates in compliance with the College of Education’s Teacher Education Council. The Teacher Education Council (TEC) is the Executive Board of the PEF and functions to study, review, and recommend policy, programs, and curricular matters relating to teacher education; to act as an advisory committee and review board for matters relating to student programs in teacher education and matters relating to teacher certification; and to advise the University’s official representative for teacher education. The TEC reports to the dean of the College of Education and Human Services in his/her capacity as the University’s official representative for teacher education. Externally, a Special Education Advisory Council was established in 2004, for the purpose of providing an on-going dialogue between the UCM program faculty and students and the school districts in the west central part of the State of Missouri. This Council consists of representatives from a diverse constituency including parents of children with special needs, special education teachers and administrators, UCM undergraduate and graduate students, and at least one representative from the Regional Professional Development Center which is housed on the UCM campus. This body has proven very valuable to the program by providing input, advice, criticism and serving as a sounding board for ideas and innovations being considered by faculty members and the Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Human Development which houses all Special Education Programs at UCM.
Recent Changes and Revisions to the Program
The Special Education Programs at UCM are dynamic, ever-evolving to meet the needs of our students and the school districts that employ them as professional educators. Change is the one constant, and several changes have occurred since the last time that DESE has inspected the Special Education Programs in 2002. Since our 2002 site visit, a number of events have taken place at the state and institutional level that have impacted our educator preparation program. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education revised their standards for initial teacher preparation. The Missouri Standards for Teacher Education Programs (MoSTEP Standards) are based on the 10 INTASC standard areas, with the addition of an 11th standard addressing use of technology in the classroom. DESE has also aligned standards in the various certification areas with those of national Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs).
At the time of the 2002 NCATE/DESE review, UCM offered BSE special education programs leading to state certification in Learning Disabilities (K-12), Behavior Disorders (K-12), Mental Retardation (K-12), Early Childhood Special Education (birth-grade 3) and Severe Developmental Disabilities (K-12). In 2004, DESE moved from categorical special education certification (i.e., LD, BD, MR) to a mild-moderate cross-categorical certificate. This required restructuring of the previously categorical course offerings to correspond to the new state certification requirements [See the 2008 UCM Undergraduate Catalog.]. In 2003 the EDSP 4140 Counseling Parents of Exceptional Children went through a substantive change that entailed two revisions. First, the name of the course was changed to “Collaborating with Families of Exceptional Children,” bringing the course more into alignment with trends in the special education field which emphasize collaborative efforts between schools and families. Second, the course was changed from a 2 credit hour course to a 3 credit hour course, allowing for greater depth of coverage of information in this critical area of working with families of special needs children. Finally, NUR 4060 Physical and Health Needs of the Medically Fragile Child was developed and will replaced HED 1350 Responding to Emergencies in Fall 2007.
In 2004, all of the UCM undergraduate program course syllabi and assessments were reviewed and realigned with the fifth edition of the CEC Standards published in 2003. The curriculum changes were made with the advice and consent of the Special Education Advisory Council, which includes current and former students, parents, and representatives of area public schools.
National Recognition of the Program
The Early Childhood Special education program adheres to all of the standards as set forth by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) which is the Specialized Professional Association (SPA) for this and all special education programs at UCM. The program went through a rigorous review process entailing detailed reports concerning how the program operates and prepares professional special educators. Submitting this report to CEC in February 2008, the Special Education Program Coordinator was notified officially on July 5th of that year that the ECSE Program had earned the “Nationally Recognized with Conditions” ranking. The primary concern of the NCATE evaluators related to lack of data aggregation in the initial report. Given this input, the report was revised to include data for UCM students seeking certification in the area of Early Childhood Special Education and to provide a comparison of these students with their non-ECSE counterparts. The revised report was resubmitted in September 2008, and the Early Childhood Special Education Program earned the distinction of being “Nationally Recognized” in January of 2009. The entire set of CEC SPA Reports for ECSE is located in the Electronic Document Center.