Advanced Level Programs and NCATE Unit Review

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Advanced Level Programs and NCATE Unit Review

• Antoinette Mitchell
• Vice President, Unit Accreditation

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Advanced Level Programs

• NCATE accreditation covers all programs that
  prepare professionals to work in P-12 settings.
• Exceptions are programs in nursing, physical
  therapy, occupational therapy, and social work.

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Advanced Level Programs

• What is the definition of advanced level
  programs?
• Programs at the post-baccalaureate levels for (1)
  the continuing education of teachers who have
  previously completed initial preparation or (2)
  the preparation of other professional school
  personnelincluding masters, specialists, and
  doctoral degree programs, as well as non-degree
  licensure programs.

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Advanced Level Programs

• Examples of advanced level programs include
  programs for the continuing education of
  teachers, including
• Curriculum and instruction specialists
• Masters degrees in education for teachers
• Examples of advanced level programs also include
  programs for the preparation of
• Superintendents
• School counselors
• School psychologists
• Reading specialists
• Educational technology specialists

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Advanced Level Programs

• Are advanced level programs included in the NCATE
  unit review? In the NCATE program review process?
• Yes, they are included in the NCATE Unit Review
• Yes, they are included in the NCATE Program
  Review if NCATE has standards for those programs
• State protocols will say if ncate program review
  is mandatory
• If the programs are accredited by another agency,
  then they need only be included in the unit
  review for Standard 6. (See NCATE policy on
  Relationships with other Nationally Recognized
  Accrediting Bodies)

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Advanced Level Programs

• Are advanced level programs for educators and
  non-educators included in the NCATE review?
• The answer depends on for whom the program was
  developed and whether the majority of program
  completers go to work in the P-12 school setting.
• When there are questions, contact the NCATE office

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Advanced Level Programs

• How are advanced level programs incorporated into
  the unit review?
• Advanced level programs in the conceptual
  framework
• Mission, goals, philosophy, knowledge base
• Proficiencies
• Dispositions
• Assessment system

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Advanced Level Programs

• In Standard 1, advanced level programs for
  teachers are specifically address in the first 4
  elements
• In Standard 1, specific elements are labeled
  Other Professional School Personnel
• Prof. knowledge and skills for other professional
  school personnel C
• including 80 rule
• Student learning for other professional school
  personnel
• In Standard 1, some elements are for both initial
  and advanced
• Dispositions for all candidates

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Advanced Level Programs

• The elements in Standard 1 for advanced level
  programs are broad (i.e., content and
  professional knowledge) individual advanced
  level programs can address these by using program
  standards
• If there are professional/program standards for a
  given program, then the program should address
  those standards. See NCATE website under Program
  Review for list of program standards
• Programs for the continuing education of teachers
  are encouraged to use the NBPTS propositions
• If there are no program standards, the unit must
  develop them.

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Advanced Level Programs

• In Standard 2, advanced level programs should be
  a part of the unit assessment system.
• Like initial level programs, advanced level
  programs should have
• links to the conceptual framework (candidate
  proficiencies)
• Transition points
• Identified assessment measures
• Proof that assessment measures are accurate,
  consistent, fair, etc.
• Studies of graduates (often means surveys of
  graduates and employers)
• A system for the collecting, summarizing, and
  analyzing data
• Regular use of the data collected and examples

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Advanced Level Programs

• Standard 3
• All programs are expected to have field
  experiences
• Most advanced level programs are expected to have
  a clinical component
• Only advanced level programs for the continuing
  education of teachers are not expected to have a
  clinical component. Usually they have a major
  project that takes place in the candidates
  classroom
• Most field experiences in programs for the
  continuing education of teachers can occur in the
  teachers own classroom
• Programs for the continuing education of teachers
  are expected to expose candidates to diverse
  school settings

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Advanced Level Programs

• Standard 4
• Advanced level programs should assess the units
  proficiencies related to diversity and should be
  able to identify where in their curricula they
  are addressed.
• If the programs have additional or slightly
  different proficiencies, this should be clearly
  stated in the conceptual framework.
• All of the elements on diverse candidates,
  faculty, and P-12 students apply to advanced
  level programs.

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Advanced Level Programs

• Standard 5 and Standard 6
• Advanced level programs should meet these
  standards just as initial level programs do.

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Advanced Level Programs

• How do units work to get advanced level programs
  into the process?
• Help faculty understand accreditation as a means
  of accountability and improvement
• Help faculty clearly understand what is and what
  is not being asked of them.
• Help faculty understand the standards and where
  they fit into the standards.
• Seek input from top administrators