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PACE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
ASSESSMENT PLAN
Mission Statement
As stated in the Conceptual Framework, the mission of the Pace University School of Education is as follows:
The highest value for any educational institution must be the teacher teaching and the student learning. Pace University, in its Mission Statement, endorses this value by considering “teaching and learning its highest priorities.” Significantly, these “highest priorities” of the University are the concepts central to the mission of the Pace University School of Education.
Fundamentally, the mission of the School of Education is to expand upon the motto of Pace University: Opportunitas. We accomplish this by seeking to effect quality teaching and learning in public and private P-12 school settings by preparing educators who are reflective professionals who promote justice, create caring classroom and school communities, and enable all students to be successful learners.
Our mission is to advance these “highest priorities” by effecting quality teaching and learning in public and private early childhood, childhood, secondary, and nonschool settings. It is the School of Education that is charged with the responsibility of preparing educators who will embrace and promote teaching and learning as lifelong priorities. Through the service of our faculty and graduates, equipped with sound and rigorous knowledge, skills, dispositions, and practice base, we can prepare professional educators who exemplify the themes expressed in our mission.
Our commitment to lifelong teaching and learning demands an engagement in a study of pedagogy that links the insights of theory and experience to concerns for basic and best practice. Our concerns for practice demand linkages with our colleagues in elementary schools, secondary schools and non-school settings, as well as with our colleagues in other schools of the University. In this way a comprehensive configuration of education is validated and a partnership model of educational preparation is constituted for Pace University students – a model that appropriately attends to a strong foundation in the arts and sciences, the interdependent nature of teaching and learning which fosters human dignity and leadership that enable social change.
The knowledge, skills, and dispositions outcomes that are assessed for each of the four themes in the Conceptual Framework can be found in Appendix A.
Introduction
The Pace University School of Education offers degree and certificate programs that prepare students for initial and advanced teacher certification, as well as to work as administrators or specialists in schools.
The Pace University School of Education Assessment Plan is based on the standards and expectations set forth by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Specialty Professional Associations (SPAs) for each program, New York State, and the goals and objectives of the school as outlined in the Conceptual Framework and Strategic Plan. The systematic collection and analysis of data from student learning outcomes assessments, assessments of candidate performance during field experiences, and feedback from candidates, alumni, faculty, staff, school partners, and employers allows for continuous examination of our programs. The strengths and weaknesses identified by looking at assessment results leads to changes both in the School of Education and within each program, including changes to programs that are offered, curriculum changes, and changes in policies and procedures. This continuous improvement process ensures that the School of Education is fulfilling its mission of preparing graduates to be successful practitioners in accordance with our Strategic Plan and Conceptual Framework.
In an effort to ensure continued data collection and analysis, technology is used whenever possible. For instance, many of the unit and candidate assessments are collected using online forms. All of this data, as well as data that is collected in other ways, is compiled in the School of Education database. This relational database allows for comparisons across measures at the individual, program, and unit-levels. Moreover, assessment information and reports are made available to all members of the School of Education community via a Blackboard site. This promotes examination and use of the results, thereby further building a culture of assessment in the school.
A visual representation of the School of Education assessment system is available in Appendix B.
The assessment schedule is available in Appendix C.
Assessment Checkpoints
Candidates in the School of Education must successfully pass assessment checkpoints at various steps in the program, from admission to program completion. Additionally, attempts are made to continue to monitor graduates throughout their professional careers. This process ensures that the School of Education is producing qualified, effective educators who are in demand in the marketplace.
In general, the following checkpoints apply to undergraduate programs:
§ Admission to School of Education
- GPA of 3.0 or greater
- Grade of B or better in TCH 201
- Grades of B- or better in ENG, COM, MAT & CS/TS foundational core courses
- Grades of P in TCH 111 & TCH 211A
- Positive recommendation from TCH 201 professor and 3 Dyson or CSIS professors
§ Entry to Student Teaching
- GPA of 3.0 or greater
- Grades of B or better in Education courses
- Successful completion of each semester of fieldwork
§ Exit from Student Teaching
- Satisfactory student teaching evaluations from clinical supervisors and mentor teachers
§ Program Completion
- Successfully complete Capstone Project
§ For Certification Recommendation
- Complete all degree requirements
- Successfully complete New York State Teacher Certification examinations (LAST, ATS-W, CST)
§ After Program Completion
- Alumni survey
- Employer survey
In general, the following checkpoints apply to initial certification graduate programs:
§ Admission
- A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
- Transcript review for content
§ Entry to Student Teaching
- GPA of 3.0 or greater
- Grades of B or better in Education courses
§ Exit from Student Teaching
- Satisfactory student teaching evaluations from clinical supervisors and mentor teachers
§ Program Completion
- Successfully complete Capstone Project
§ For Certification Recommendation
- Complete all degree requirements
- Successfully complete New York State Teacher Certification examinations (LAST, ATS-W, CST)
§ After Program Completion
- Alumni survey
- Employer survey
In general, the following checkpoints apply to advanced teaching graduate programs:
§ Admission
- Bachelor’s degree or higher with a GPA of 3.0
- New York State classroom teaching certification
- Transcript review for content
§ Program Continuation each Semester
- GPA of 3.0 or greater
- Grades of B or better in Education courses
§ Program Completion
- Successful completion of required coursework with a GPA of 3.0 or better
- Grades of B or better in Education courses
- Successful completion of fieldwork/practicum assignments
§ For Certification Recommendation
- Complete all degree requirements
- Successfully complete appropriate New York State Certification Examination Content Specialty Test (CST)
§ After Program Completion
- Alumni survey
- Employer survey
In addition to the general checkpoints, each program has its own specific checkpoints. The assessment checkpoints for each program are shown in Appendix D.
Unit Assessments
The following unit-wide assessments are conducted as per the assessment schedule.
§ Alumni surveys
§ Course evaluations
§ Employer surveys
§ Enrollment reports
§ Entry surveys
§ Exit surveys
§ Program completer reports
§ Satisfaction surveys
§ Technology surveys
The results of these assessments are shared with administrators, faculty, program coordinators, and the School of Education Assessment Committee. These groups then discuss the results and determine action steps to address areas for growth or improvement. These recommendations are provided to the appropriate groups for approval and implementation.
Surveys, such as the alumni and employer surveys, were developed to measure the abilities of our program completers in relations to the themes of the Conceptual Framework. Additionally, these surveys contain items that measure outcomes of interest in the evaluation of our strategic plan and to accrediting organizations. Therefore, the results of these assessments provide a good indication of how well we are doing in achieving our mission.
Program-Level Assessments
Each program uses the following assessments to evaluate its effectiveness:
§ New York State Teacher Certification Examination scores
§ Fieldwork assessments
§ Capstone project evaluations
§ Candidate grades in select courses
§ Candidate grades on select assignments
Some of these assessments also serve as unit assessments, such as the New York State Teacher Certification exams, fieldwork assessments, and capstone project evaluations.
Passing the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) is a requirement for certification in New York State. Candidates must successfully complete the following examinations: Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), which measures broad skills in multiple content areas; Assessment of Teaching Skills – Written (ATS-W), which measures knowledge of teaching skills; and a Content Specialty Test (CST) in the subject area in which the candidate is seeking certification. Each of these examinations is broken down in to multiple subsections. The scores from these subsections are examined to identify strengths and weaknesses within the unit and programs.
Fieldwork assessments are completed on candidate’s performance by Clinical Supervisors and Mentor Teachers for each placement. The fieldwork assessments encompass seven main categories: General Knowledge, Learner Diversity, Learning Environment, Effective Planning, Instructional/Assessment Strategies, Professional Dispositions, and the Content Area. Additionally, narrative reports are submitted by Clinical Supervisors to the Director of School Partnerships after each observation visit.
The Capstone project evaluates the candidate’s effect on student learning. The Capstone project consists of three instruction and assessment cycles prepared by the candidate as part of student teaching and a reflection on this process that aligns with the Pace Conceptual Framework. The instructional material can include unit and/or lesson plans and assessments of the effectiveness of these plans after looking at student work. Collectively, these documents demonstrate the growing competency of the candidate in planning instruction and learning activities, carrying out plans, assessing student work, and utilizing those assessments to reflect upon and improve teaching practices.
Each program has selected courses in which either the course grades or performance on specific assignments is monitored in order to assess candidate performance on the program’s student learning outcomes and also satisfy the requirements of accreditors.
The relationship between our unit-wide and program-level assessments and Conceptual Framework themes are shown in the table below.
Assessment / Conceptual Framework Theme(s) AddressedKnowledge Outcomes / Skills Outcomes / Dispositions Outcomes
Alumni surveys
Course evaluations
Employer surveys
Enrollment reports
Entry surveys
Exit surveys
Program completer reports
Satisfaction surveys
Technology surveys
New York State Teacher Certification exams
Fieldwork assessments
Capstone project evaluations
Candidate grades in select courses
Candidate grades on select assignments
Closing the Loop
Assessment data is collected and analyzed by the Coordinator of Assessment, and the information is shared with/presented to the stakeholders (i.e. student teaching assessment data is shared with administrators and program coordinators). Additionally, information from assessment results is shared with the School of Education Assessment Committee, which is comprised of School of Education administrators and faculty, as well as the institution’s Assistant Vice President for Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research. Assessment results are shared and discussed in the Assessment Committee meetings based on a schedule that is developed at the beginning of each academic year (see Appendix E). After the results are shared and discussed, the Assessment Committee develops questions that are then sent to the appropriate individuals or committee in the School of Education. These questions address issues that the individuals or committee discuss, and then action plans are developed to make changes based on the assessment results. These action plans are then returned to the Assessment Committee, which discusses the proposed changes and follows up with the individuals or committee responsible for the changes to ensure that they occur.
The feedback loop system detailed above is used to make informed decisions about the School of Education’s programs and policies using our assessment results.
Assessment of Operations
Operations are assessed at the University level the Operations Committee, comprised of the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Senior Vice President and Chief Administration Officer, the Vice President for Enrollment and Management, the Chief of Staff for the President’s Office, Associate for Strategy and Analysis, the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, the Senior vice President for Finance and Treasurer, the Provost, and Deans. Monthly meetings review all aspects of University-wide operations, with periodic focus on individual units as they relate to the whole and in terms of the University’s Strategic Plan 2010-2015.
At the unit level, the School of Education employs a collaborative process involving all faculty and staff to identify key strategic goals and objectives. The SOE Strategic Plan is aligned with the University-wide Strategic Plan and addresses goals for development, including infrastructure needs, and provides metrics for measurement of progress toward unit goals. Biannual meetings of faculty and staff provide a forum for identifying programmatic and operational priorities, reviewing progress toward stated goals, and identifying promising opportunities for increased enrollment, quality improvement, and personnel and other resources needed to achieve desired outcomes.
Appendix A - Knowledge, skills, and dispositions outcomes for each of the four themes in the Conceptual Framework
Candidate Proficiencies: The knowledge, skills and dispositional proficiencies used to assess candidates on each of the four themes of our conceptual framework are listed below.
Theme 1: Reflective Professionalism
Knowledge Outcomes:
1. Educators understand methods of inquiry that provide them with a variety of self-assessment and problem-solving strategies for reflecting on their practice, their students’ learning and the interactions between them.
2. Educators demonstrate knowledge of major areas of research on teaching and of resources available for professional learning.
3. Educators understand the legal and ethical responsibilities of their profession.
Skills Outcomes:
1. Educators use classroom observation, information about students and research as sources for evaluating the outcomes of teaching and learning.