STANDARD 2 –MOVING TOWARD TARGET LEVEL

Element 2a: Assessment System

Target Level / Indicators of Target Level (Existing or moving toward)
Unit, with involvement of professional community, regularly evaluates the capacity and effectiveness of assessment system. /
  • Graduate level - Dept Chair meetings with Dean
  • Administrative Council Meetings (Chairs/Dean/Other COE faculty)
  • Field Experience Advisory Council Meetings (COE/Superintendents/Principals/Cooperating Teachers)

Assessment system reflects Conceptual Framework and incorporates candidate proficiencies outlined in professional and state standards. /
  • Syllabi periodically upgraded to reflect changes in standards
  • Initial Programs: Supplemental Program Assessment is utilized for each program and is directly aligned with the national standards for each program.
  • New Jersey Professional Teaching Standards are addressed in initial field experience assessments
  • Advanced Programs: Graduate programs address standards in their capstone courses.

Unit regularly examines the validity and utility of data. /
  • Through the program reporting process, the unit regularly examines the validity and utility of data.
  • Reporting formats are reviewed and updated to best reflect usage of data.
  • Through meetings within departments and with dean.
  • Examples:
  • Comprehensive exams - Timed test - not measuring what Early Childhood wanted - changed to project-based assessments
  • Same instruments used consistently
  • Multiple assessments measuring same thing
  • Initial Level:
  • Content: Praxis I & II Exams, Field Experience Competency Assessments, Video Analysis
  • Advanced:
  • Programs all use unit assessments as part of their ongoing program evaluation.
    Principal praxis scores are examined on a regular basis
  • Field students take a department examination to determine weak areas in program or delivery of ISLLC Standards embedded in program courses of study

Unit makes modifications to keep abreast of changes in assessment technology. /
  • Continued use of scanning to extract data
  • Continued use of computer software to analyze data: SPSS
  • Initiating use of internet capabilities to submit assessments, collect and analyze data: Checkbox, Qualtrics

Unit makes modifications to keep abreast of changes in professional standards. /
  • Syllabi upgraded
  • Inservice - Staff developments
  • Newest editions of textbooks utilized

Decisions about candidate performance are based on multiple assessments at multiple points. /
  • Initial Programs:
  • Field Experience Performance & TWS Assessments
  • Introductory Level
  • Preprofessional Level
  • Internship Level
  • Praxis II exam(s)
  • Advanced Programs:
  • Portfolio requirement of Field Students for each semester is reviewed and graded based on a comprehensive rubric of indicators based on the ISLLC standards/activities developed by the department
  • Field study students are visited onsite by professors of Ed Leadership to ensure appropriate activities are provided by onsite mentors.

Data show a strong relationship of performance assessments to candidate success throughout their programs and later in classrooms and schools. /
  • Initial Programs:
  • Field Experience Performance & TWS Assessments
  • Introductory Level
  • Preprofessional Level
  • Internship Level
  • Praxis II exam(s)
  • Advanced Programs:
  • Principal's Praxis scores
  • Field Study experience and Portfolio with Artifacts provide data supporting success as principal candidates
  • Follow-up Studies - Completer surveys, Employer Surveys

Unit conducts thorough studies to establish fairness, accuracy and consistency of its assessment procedures and unit operations. /
  • Assessment Committee
  • Programs meet to find similar strands across coursework and rework assessments as needed
  • Initial:
  • COE meets with all new admits and transfer students to advise about assessments and unit operations/requirements
  • TPC meets with students at beginning of each field experience to advise about assessments and requirements
  • Programs offer advisement sessions/seminars concerning assessments and requirements.
  • Advanced:
  • Field study examination data is reviewed to determine if there are flaws in administration.
  • Orientation meetings with field study candidates is held each semester.
  • Two seminars are held each semester inviting field study candidates to discuss issues and listen to principle speakers who have exited the program.

Unit makes changes in its practices consistent with results of these studies. /
  • Programs rework coursework assessments

Element 2b. Data Collection, Analysis and Evaluation

The assessment system provides regular and comprehensive data on program quality, unit operations and candidate performance at each stage of its programs, extending into the first years of completers' practice. /
  • As outlined in COE Assessment System Graphic

Assessment data from candidates, graduates, faculty and other members of the professional community are based on multiple assessments from both internal and external sources that are systematically collected as candidates progress through the system. /
  • As outlined in Transitions Point Grid in Standard 2, Exhibit #1.

Data are disaggregated by program when candidates are in alternate, off-campus and distance learning programs. /
  • Data disaggregated by campus

Data are regularly and systematically compiled, aggregated, summarized, analyzed and reported publicly for the purpose of improving candidate performance, program quality and unit operations. /
  • Initial program data from field assessments, TWS and Praxis II are regularly compiled, aggregated and reported on COE NCATE website.
  • Advanced program data is compiled by the individual departments and reported back to the dean.

The unit has a system for effectively maintaining records of formal candidate complaints and their resolution. /
  • The dean maintains a paper file of student correspondence, and another paper file of student concerns/complaints. In addition, the dean keeps an electronic file of any students concerns/issues that have come to her via email. She also keeps a Word processing file of all responses to students from the dean's office. The Executive Assistant to the Dean maintains a file of all student dismissals and reinstatements.
  • Responsiveness of the Dean and her staff to identify ways in which the system can be flexible in order to enable students to meet academic requirements and succeed.

The unit is developing and testing different information technologies to improve its assessment system. /
  • Initiating use of internet capabilities to submit assessments, collect and analyze data: Checkbox, Qualtrics
  • Adding a database to collect information about faculty qualifications
  • Utilizing email to request use of surveys
  • Utilizing Facebook to connect with past teacher candidates and increase responses for follow-up data
  • Program and Unit data are available for download on the College of Education NCATE website

Element 2c: Use of Data for Program Improvement

Unit has fully developed evaluations and continuously searches for stronger relationships in the evaluations, revising both the underlying data systems and analytic techniques as necessary. /
  • Three years into the implementation of TWS, fully developed, inclusive of program standards and content
  • Completer surveys have been revised yearly to provide more targeted analysis.

The unit not only makes changes based on the data, but also systematically studies the effects of any changes to assure that programs are strengthened without adverse consequences. /
  • Change from MAPP to Praxis I
  • Praxis I more aligned with Praxis II exam
  • Use of Plato Learning Program to analyze success rates of students taking Praxis I/II

Candidates and faculty review data on theirperformance regularly and develop plans for improvement based on the data. /
  • Advisement
  • Post-observation field meetings