Team Report
Evaluation Form
Chapter 79: Standards for Practitioner Preparation Programs
I. 281-79.10(256) Unit Governance and II. 281-79.10(256) Unit Resources
Concerns/Recommendations
- State Response:
Teacher education faculty members and support staff are eager to institutionalize UTEP as a university-wide presence. This will have to be acted upon as soon as possible so that momentum gained during the preparation for the state accreditation visit is not lost.
Institutional Response:
The University Teacher Education Program has continued to develop under the new structure developed from 2004-2006. Departmental representation on UTEP Committee has worked effectively to set and carry out teacher education policy. Department representatives have indicated that they believe their departments are better represented under the new committee structure. The identification of an Office of Teacher Education under the leadership of the Associate Director has led to effective and efficient processing of teacher education matters. A Teacher Education Program Operations Team meets weekly to coordinate and carry out teacher education program issues. The system has worked effectively to develop a response to the state report. Dean Achterberg has worked to obtain and secure central administration funding for a full time director of teacher education position. All of these factors indicate that the changes initiated prior to and described in our Institutional Report have led to a strong ISU commitment to teacher education and to strong collaboration among the departments and colleges involved in teacher education. They also are indicative of central administration support for teacher education. We believe that the new program structure and the other changes identified represent continuing institutionalization of UTEP as an important University function. They demonstrate the commitment of the institution to teacher education.
The UTEP program and UTEP Committee will continue to strive to enhance the effectiveness and quality of teacher education at ISU. These activities represent the appropriate level of action as requested by the State.
- State Response:
The position of Associate Director should be full time and carry appropriate faculty/administrative designation; the position of Program Coordinator should be maintained at full time. With this change, job descriptions for the UTEP Office Team should be developed.
Institutional Response:
Dean Achterberg has secured a commitment of funding to initiate a search for a Director of Teacher Education. A national search is being opened to hire a full time employee to serve as the Associate Dean in the College of Human Sciences and Director of the University Teacher Education Program. The responsibilities for this person will center on Teacher Education at IowaState. The intent is to complete a hire this spring.
In regards to the job descriptions for the UTEP Office Team, as a part of the hiring process, job descriptions are established for each position (see attached).
State Response:
Appropriate new faculty line(s) should be implemented to support this new organizational structure.
Institutional Response:
The new organizational structure is being supported by a new line for a Director of Teacher Education
Associate Dean in the College of Human Sciences. In addition, the new Office of Teacher Education
with its associated lines were described in the institutional report. This combination of lines and
resources represents a strong commitment to support the new UTEP organizational structure.
- State Response:
College administration is encouraged to employ the expertise and enthusiasm of the UTEPC in successfully implementing the new organization of teacher education at ISU. It is suggested that resources be allocated to support such work.
Institutional Response:
As noted in responses to point 1 and 2, Dean Achterberg emphasized her support of the University Teacher Education Program during the November 28, 2005 UTEPC meeting. She has continued her support by proposing a new Associate Dean for Teacher Education position.
- State Response:
During the process of institutionalizing UTEP and the Teacher Education Office Team, attention should be given to how UTEPC interfaces with the UTEP administration to enhance two-way communication and to set and enact program policy.
Institutional Response:
The Institutional Report, in Chapter 3, details how the University Teacher Program Committee and the UTEP administration engage in “two way communication” and “set and enact program policy.” The UTEP administration, called the Teacher Education Program Operations Team (TEPOT), includes the Associate Director of Teacher Education, the Teacher Education Program Coordinator, the Licensure Analyst, and the Director of Field Experiences. The Associate Dean of College of Human Sciences has been meeting with TEPOT. For this year the Chair of Curriculum and Instruction has also been meeting with TEPOT to promote continuity with last year as the Chair also serve as Co-Associate Director of Teacher Education last year. These individuals also meet with the UTEP Committee. Thus, direct face to face communication is provided for twice a month. In addition, in the performance of their duties, TEPOT members regularly communicate and coordinate with teacher education coordinators and faculty in the respective departments. Moreover, departmental representatives on the UTEP Committee have responsibility for sharing relevant UTEP information with UTEP faculty and other relevant staff (e.g. advisors) in their departments. This is a major reason that the structure of the UTEP Committee was changed to include departmental, as opposed to College, representation. In our view, two way communication among members of the UTEP administration, faculty, and staff communities has increased substantially as a result of that change. Collectively, we will strive to maintain and enhance communication between Teacher Education Program Operations Team (consisting of members of the UTEP Office Team) and University Teacher Education Program Committee members (representatives of the licensure areas). Agendas and minutes for TEPOT, UTEPC, UTEPC Admissions Subcommittee, UTEPC Assessment Subcommittee, UTEPC Field Advisory Subcommittee and UTEPC External Advisory Subcommittee are located on a WebCT site and are accessible to teacher education faculty and staff members. This will provide a more transparent means of communication for teacher education faculty and staff members at IowaState.
Directions to access the WebCT site:
1. Click on the following link:
2. Click on the button on the left titled “Login to WebCT”
3. Type the following information:
Username: w.utep1
Password: utep
In addition, for further clarification, a UTEP organizational chart is appended.
- State Response:
The budget for UTEP is currently in a developmental stage. Operational expenses for the Program are somewhat fixed and have been historically funded by Curriculum and Instruction, student fees, and the Provost’s Office. This would be a good time for the entire Teacher Education Faculty to identify time and resources they are expending to shepherd candidates through the Program. These should be brought to the attention of those who will be establishing the UTEP budget from a university-wide perspective.
Institutional Response:
The 2006-2007 proposed budget accurately reflecting UTEP as an individual, university based program has been presented to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education.
- State Response:
The UTEPC members desire for teacher preparation to be recognized as a university-wide committee and should, therefore, become visible to the university by establishing a written mission, policies, and procedures for conducting business. The resulting documents will be a tool for connecting the UTEP with upper administration and the ISU community. This will make UTEPC more active in their policy-making role within their already collegial structure.
Institutional Response:
The mission of the teacher education program remains what it has always been: To prepare effective teachers for birth through grade 12 teacher licensure in the areas in which ISU offers teacher preparation. This mission is implicit in the conceptual foundations statement provided in the Institutional Report. The policies and governance of the UTEP serves this mission. However, policies regarding teacher education are provided in the University Catalogue and on the UTEP Web page and were available for the team. Web pages serve as more easily updated repositories of mission statements, A revised policies and procedures manual is under development. Once approved by UTEPC, the manual will be available online on the University Teacher Education Program website. Policy related forms are appended.
- State Response:
UTEPC may wish to consider establishing shared professional development as a major role of the UTEPC so that the spirit of collegiality remains a critical component. Representation to UTEPC may need to be re-examined (again) to ensure representation of all secondary majors.
Institutional Response:
This response has two components. The first deals with UTEPC involvement in professional development, presumably for faculty employed by UTEP departments. As the IR points out, there is considerable support available for professional development for faculty. UTEPC will discuss this issue and determine if professional development opportunities need to be increased and if so, will try to develop a professional development plan. However, the Institutional Report provides explicit details about professional development options for teacher education faculty.
The second component involves composition of UTEPC. Each of the teacher preparation areas is represented in UTEPC.
- State Response:
Student involvement in teacher education governance should be explored beyond the inclusion of the two student positions already on UTEPC. Possibilities include a student government body or organization that has its own newsletters and community-building activities for candidates throughout the program.
Institutional Response:
Seven teacher education related organizations for candidates presently exist:
1. Education Club: for all candidates interested in education; Faculty Advisor is Ellen Fairchild
2. Alpha Upsilon: Reading Honor Society (more information); Faculty Advisor is Donna Merkley
3. Council for Exceptional Children (professional organization also has a Division of Early Childhood);
Faculty Advisor is Geoffrey Abelson
4. IAEYC: Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children International; Faculty Advisor is
Carol Phillips
5. Kappa Delta Pi: National Honor Society in Education to recognize excellence in education; Faculty
Advisor is Al Campbell
6. TECC: for candidates interested in educational computing
7. Best Buddies: Faculty Advisor is Geoffrey Abelson and Denise Schmidt
- State Response:
An advisory committee to the UTEP comprised of a variety of stakeholders needs to be established and meet.
Institutional Response:
An External Advisory Subcommittee has been established. The first meeting is tentatively scheduled for the middle of April. A list of nominations, draft invitation letter and draft agenda are attached.
- State Response:
All Teacher Education Faculty members are encouraged to become aware of the services available to them as members of UTEP, regardless of the location of the service.
Institutional Response:
TEPOT has created a list of available resources for all UTEP faculty/staff including access to licensure, field experiences, career services, and the CTLT. A UTEP Resources sheet is attached. This sheet was distributed to UTEPC members. It will be posted on the Teacher Education website. A reminder email will be sent to all UTEP faculty near the beginning of each academic year.
- State Response:
Music education needs more resources in materials, state-of-the art rehearsal areas, and secretarial support for the music education advisor.
Institutional Response:
The Chair of the Music Department and the Coordinator of Music Education met February 9, 2006.
Below is a summary of their conversation regarding the progress in the identified areas of improvement
needed for Music Education:
1.Room 2 (where all music education classes are held) will be undergoing a "refurbishing" in the
Summer of 2006:
- new carpeting
- new white boards (with music lines and plain)
- room painted
- plugs in working order for overhead projector
2. The Music Department has been given a significant donation ($1,000,000) and we are meeting as a
faculty to discuss use of the money based on our shared vision and specific needs. The Chair has
suggested that the Coordinator put together a proposal to include needs for Music Education in terms
of instruments, series books and records (used in public school settings), and other materials necessary
to update materials so that we are able to appropriately prepare our candidates for what they need in
their future classrooms (and for what they will have to do when they student teach).
3. The Chair has allocated secretarial assistance for Music Education.Space has been identified space
where old files can be stored in a secure location. One of the current secretaries stated that she
would have time in her schedule to add a few tasks - especially those related to admittance to Teacher
Education and practica/student teaching placements and maintaining all the files related to those
tasks. Since this would be additional work, it has to be figured out officially whether or not she is able
to add these specific duties and how much time she would have to devote to this.
- State Response:
Teacher Education Faculty perceive teacher education to be undervalued at ISU as evidenced by insufficient staffing resources in some programs as well as in some clinical practice supervision. The UTEP should take a close look at the use of clinicians, lecturers, and graduate students in critical teaching areas, especially in elementary education and secondary mathematics. New faculty lines should be considered.
Institutional Response:
If a written response is requested, please provide clarification. If intent is to increase the number of tenure-track faculty, the Dean and Department Chairs will need to take the lead.
- State Response:
Due to funding constraints, student teaching supervision in some programs had been reduced (number of visits per placement). It is the understanding of the team that an appropriate number of visits is currently being supported. The team urges continued support of this critical aspect of the program.
Institutional Response:
We have experienced cutbacks, but the number of visits and number of hours of supervision is comparable and superior to other institutions. Based on the responses from the field, cooperating teachers and school personnel appreciate the quality of supervision that is provided.
- Items that must be Addressed Prior to State Board Action:
State Response:
Convene an advisory committee. UTEP is to submit to the state a roster of members and a date for the first meeting prior to approval. Minutes of meetings should be submitted to the state for the first two years of the committee’s existence.
Institutional Response:
In compliance of “79.10(2) Unit faculty shall collaborate with members of the professional community, including the unit’s advisory committee, to design, deliver, and evaluate programs to prepare school personnel,” UTEPC has established an External Advisory Subcommittee. Attached are the following: a list of nominations, draft invitation, and draft agenda for the proposed April 19th meeting.
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Team Report
Evaluation Form
III. 281-79.11(256) Diversity
Concerns/Recommendations
Institutional Response:
Response to 15, 16, and 17: We are continuing our efforts to support recruitment and retention by devising a meeting with key parties to discuss a plan of action. Individuals who will be involved in this discussion include the Dean, Recruitment and Retention Officer, Minority Liaison Officers, Director and Coordinator.
- State Response:
Although the percentage of students and faculty of color has increased, the percentage in UTEP remains lower than those campus-wide.
Institutional Response:
As a land-grant university based program, we remain committed to the principles of equal access and opportunity. We are constantly challenged by our efforts to expand the diversity of faculty represented in teacher education. We see the recruitment and retention of outstanding diverse faculty as part of our core values and themes depicted within the mission at IowaStateUniversity. UTEP will continue to recruit, admit, and retain high quality and diverse candidates.
- State Response:
While the focus on international placement for field experiences and recruitment of UTEP students from outside the U.S. is commendable, these efforts should not be at the expense of field experiences in diverse settings domestically or continued efforts to increase students of color from domestic populations.
Institutional Response:
Student teaching experiences are available in diverse settings such as Perry, Marshalltown, Des Moines, Omaha, Kansas City, Texas, and Puerto Rico.
- State Response:
It will be important not to rely on the George Washington Carver Program to be the major or only mechanism for increasing diversity.
Institutional Response:
The UTEP Coordinator and College of Human Sciences Recruitment and Retention Officer, Darlene Fratzke, are investigating ways to recruit teacher education candidates. We have significantly increased the visibility of University Teacher Education Program staff at recruitment related events such as fairs and ExperienceIowaState days. In addition, the Coordinator will partake in a recruitment tool created by ISU Admissions. Scheduling virtual meeting dates for recruitment-related online chat rooms that are major-specific are underway. The information sheets used at recruitment events that provide detailed information on UTEP is appended. In addition, Curriculum and Instruction is developing 2+2 agreements with community colleges that will provide additional pathways for recruitment of candidates of color.
- State Response:
The College should consider the effects of the loss of the Assistant Dean for Student and Minority Affairs on recruitment and climate.
Institutional Response:
These resources were allocated to establishing UTEP administration, thus, this charge will rest with the Associate Director of UTEP (Associate Dean of UTEP, in the future).
- State Response:
UTEP should consider the percentage of faculty and students of color who are being retained, not just the percentage of increase, a statistic that might mask the attrition of faculty and students of color.