1.a Initial Program Common Standards

Specified Common Standard Response

During Initial Program Review, institutions are required to submit the additional information below which is excerpted from the Commission’s Common Standards. This information demonstrates how the proposed new program will integrate into the existing education unit. Please note that a Commission-approved program sponsor will submit a full response to the Common Standards in Year 5 of the accreditation cycle. Institutions may find it helpful to review their full Common Standards submission, and the resources on the Common Standards Review webpage, when composing a response to the excerpts below.

 

Directions: Provide a concise narrative that is 200 words or less responding to the Common Standards elements below as it applies to the proposed program. Links to supporting documentation/evidence must also be included. 

Common Standard 1: Institutional Infrastructure to Support Educator Preparation

Common Standard 1 Elements 

Institution Response 

1a) Provide the unit’s research-based vision. Describe how it is clearly represented in the proposed new educator preparation program and how this vision is consistent with preparing educators for California public schools and the effective implementation of California’s adopted standards and curricular frameworks. 

Santa Clara University’s teacher preparation program is rooted in  research that identifies teachers as the most important factor in student learning (e.g., Bartel et al., 2017; Goldhaber, 2002; Marzano, 2000; RAND, 2012; Tan, 2017). This body of literature compels us to ensure our completers have mastered the pedagogical content knowledge (Shulman, 1986), skills, and dispositions most likely to improve student outcomes for all students, including English Learners and students with identified disabilities. Emphasizing the knowledge, skills, and professional practices presented in the California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) and Mild to Moderate Support Needs Teaching Performance Expectations (MMSN TPEs), our teacher preparation program creates opportunities for credential candidates to enact and engage with these expectations and standards in their classrooms/schools. Aligned with research-based best practices, the education programs facilitate candidates’ productive reflection on the impact of their expectations (Schon, 1988) and standards-based practices on student learning are hallmarks of our preliminary teaching credential programs, and will be the case for the Education Specialist Credential as well. We strive to realize this vision by using California’s professional expectations and standards as the backbone for our course objectives, course content and assignments and teaching practices aligned to CCSS and ULD that are modeled by our instructors (please view our course syllabi matrix for the integration we have made across our courses), and formative and summative assessments (Black & Wiliam, 1998). University coursework and site-based field experiences candidates are assessed in relation to the professional expectations and standards for all programs and will  also be the case for the Education Specialist program (please see sample formative UTPE, formative MMSN, summative UTPE, and summative MMSN assessment tools that demonstrate this integration). 



1b) Describe how the unit monitors the process by which all programs actively involve faculty, instructional personnel, and relevant stakeholders in the organization, coordination, and planning for each program, including the proposed educator preparation program. 

Santa Clara University's Department of Education has ongoing meetings and professional development to ensure active involvement of all stakeholders for the organization, coordination, and planning of the teacher preparation program and will include the education specialist program. Below is a list of events with participating stakeholders and collaborators (see: List of Collaborators) that the Education Specialist constituents will be involved with:

CTC Review Working Groups (as needed): Department faculty, Staff, Administrators

Teacher Education Department Meetings (monthly): Department faculty, School staff and Administrators 

Field Supervisor Meetings (monthly - forthcoming once program is approved): Department faculty, Field Supervisors

Advisory Board Meetings at both the School of Education and Counseling Psychology (SECP) level as well as the Department of Education level housed in SECP 

Strategic Plan Working Groups (as needed): Department faculty

University Program Review Working Groups (as needed): Department faculty, Staff, Administrators

CCTE professional development (2x/year): Department faculty representative(s) 

Special education professional development: Department faculty  (see sample SPED PD materials here) 

1c) Describe, and provide published policy documents of, how the education unit will ensure that faculty and instructional personnel in the proposed program regularly and systematically collaborate with colleagues in P-12 settings, college and university units, and members of the broader educational community to improve educator preparation. 

Faculty also regularly interact with Educational units as part of their service obligation. Please see following link for faculty community engagement 

1d) Describe the recruitment effort to support hiring and retention of faculty who represent and support diversity and excellence for the proposed program. Provide documentation pertaining to recruitment and faculty development activities including strategies that will assist faculty in supporting diversity. 

Recruitment of diverse faculty and faculty development efforts are supported by the university. The Office of Diversity & Inclusion provides training to faculty search committees on inclusive recruitment and hiring processes.


The Office of Diversity & Inclusion also provides ongoing support for new faculty through quarterly faculty development opportunities that are offered by the Faculty Development Office at Santa Clara University. These workshops include teaching and funding opportunities for their scholarship through such sessions as “Anti-Racist Teaching” “Faculty Funding Opportunities”. New faculty also receive a one course release during their first year and are assigned a mentor from their department and one outside of their department.

We are currently conducting a search for a faculty member to join the Education Specialist program. Part of the recruitment process requires candidates to submit a statement demonstrating the candidate’s commitment to social justice, anti-racism, and diversity. The search committee also gives preference to candidates that have experience working with diverse and marginalized communities in K-12 settings. 

Common Standard 2: Candidate Recruitment and Support 

Common Standard 2 Elements 

Institution Response 

2a) Provide the admission requirements (via recruitment materials, website, handbook, etc.) for the proposed program that are based on clear criteria that include multiple measures of candidate qualifications. Describe how prospective candidates/applicants will have access to the admission requirements. 

Candidates of the program can learn more about admissions requirements by visiting our Admissions page. Prospective candidates can attend a variety of events to support their interest in the program and their admissions process. Further materials will be housed on the academic program page 

2b) Describe and provide evidence of how and when candidates will receive programmatic and academic information (progress toward completion, deadlines, etc.). 

Candidates are assigned a faculty advisor and with the advisor complete a program plan with assistance from the course sequence document. Candidates also have access to our Student Services Office where they receive guidance regarding credential requirements.


The MATTC Handbook provides further resources and guidance to students completing the program. 


Additional deadlines related to registration, exam deadlines, and graduation / credential requirements can be found through weekly email updates from Student Services.  Student Services also meet with students to complete their credential checklist.


Students are made aware of additional deadlines through the academic year calendar 

2c) Describe how candidates requiring assistance will be identified and receive guidance and support. Provide supporting documentation. 

Candidates requiring assistance are identified by faculty or the field placement coordinator during the academic quarter. Support and guidance may come in the form of individual academic advising,  Multi-tiered  Intervention and Support.

Students that require additional assistance in either their coursework or field experiences are placed on an Educational Professional Review Plan where they receive additional support through meeting time with faculty or additional observation in the field by the Field Placement Coordinator. 

Common Standard 3: Fieldwork and Clinical Practice 

Common Standard 3 Elements 

Institution Response 

3a) Describe how the unit will implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the field experience and clinical practice component of the proposed program. 

Each spring in their Reflective practicum course, candidates are asked to evaluate their placement site, Master Teacher and Field Supervisor. Results of those mentor teacher evaluations are considered in future placement decisions. Effectiveness of the field experience and clinical practice component is also gauged in part by the level of progress made by candidates as documented in their supervisor formative (see formative UTPE and formative MMSN) and summative (summative UTPE and summative MMSN) evaluations of student teachers over the course of the academic year. 

Department-level assessments include surveys of candidates completing programs to obtain feedback on their experiences overall, including this particular element. 

3b) Describe how the institution will ensure that candidates are provided opportunities to experience issues of diversity that affect school climate and that candidates have significant experience in California public schools with diverse student populations. 

By using data from the California School Dashboard and School Accountability Report Cards, designated Field Placement Coordinators select field-experience placement sites that meet the criteria of a diverse school setting in regard to students’ race, ethnicity; socio-economic status; and languages spoken. As described in the Master Teacher expectations, placement sites are also selected in which Master Teachers can provide candidates with experiences in parent meetings, IEP meetings, and SST meetings. 

Common Standard 4: Continuous Improvement 

Common Standard 4 Elements 

Institution Response 

4a) Provide a link to the education unit’s continuous improvement process. Describe how the proposed program will be incorporated into this process. 

Our department engages in an annual Assessment process that is guided and supported by the university’s Office of Educational Assessment. This process feeds into the periodic Program Review process, which our department most recently completed in 2021 (see Program Review Self-Study). The proposed Education Specialist program will be addressed in the annual Assessment Report  alongside all other programs as well as feed into our Continuous Improvement Plan.

4b) Describe how the unit will oversee the effectiveness of the proposed program in relation to the course of study offered, fieldwork and clinical practice, and support services for candidates. 

Candidates in the Education Specialist program will be taught and supervised in their coursework and field experiences with the same rigor and levels of support currently afforded to candidates in our Master of Arts in Teaching + Teaching Credential (MATTC) program. Careful attention will be paid by the Coordinator of the Education Specialist program (new position) to the field experiences of the candidates, to ensure that the Cooperating Teachers are clear about SCU’s expectations and the need to work closely with the Field Supervisors SCU will provide to each of our candidates. For example, candidates in the Education Specialist program will have a four-course sequence of field supervised field experience, starting in the Summer II session (five weeks, August-September) and continuing through Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters (September to June). The program’s Coordinator will be in charge of identifying partner districts, selecting Cooperating Teachers, and recruitment and assignment of Field Supervisors. Similar to the General Education teacher preparation program, candidates will be observed and evaluated up to four times per quarter by both the Cooperating Teacher and the Field Supervisor. Thus, the program Coordinator will have multiple sources of information to assess the progress of every candidate in the program. In collaboration with the department’s Assessment coordinator, the Coordinator of the Education Specialist program review the following: (1) mid-quarter and end-quarter narrative student feedback on each of the 4 core courses in the program; (2) review the SET (Student Evaluations of Teaching) scores in each course; (3) evaluate the field practicum operations and student performance via feedback from Cooperating Teachers and Field Supervisors.



Common Standard 5: Program Impact 

Common Standard 5 Element 

Institution Response 

5a) Describe how the unit will include the proposed program in its evaluation and demonstration that its programs are having a positive impact on candidate learning and competence and on teaching and learning in schools that serve California’s students. 

Department-level assessments to gauge program effectiveness will include student (1) survey, (2) signature assignments, (3) TPA, and (4) formative/summative observations (for examples, see: formative UTPE, formative MMSN, summative UTPE and summative MMSN evaluation forms) of field experience. These four tools will gauge a candidate's sense of efficacy, knowledge, and practice of the MMSN and universal TPEs that guide our efforts to serve California’s students. 

Faculty in the Department of Education will have multiple sources of data to assess the degree to which candidates for the Education Specialist authorization are meeting the program's expectations and demonstrate the desired learning outcomes. The following list presents the sources of data/evidence and how they will be used to assess students' progress and the program's impact on the communities served:

The first decision point is at the conclusion of Fall quarter. Candidates participate in a 3-way Benchmark conference with their cooperating teacher and field supervisor to determine their readiness to advance from observation and assistance to student teaching. The Education Specialist Program Director (SCU faculty member) may also be present at this meeting. There are three possible outcomes: Advancement to Student Teaching, Delayed Advancement to Student Teaching, and Denied Advancement to Student Teaching.  

At the conclusion of Winter quarter, credential candidates participate in a mid-program Benchmark Review conference with the Cooperating Teacher(s) and Field Supervisor to secure approval to continue in student teaching. The Education Specialist Program Director (SCU faculty member) may also be present at this meeting. There are two possible outcomes: Continuation in Student Teaching, and Continuation in Student Teaching with Concerns. All credential candidates are required to complete and file a copy of the Mid-Program Review/Continuation in Reflective Practice Student Teaching Form before the start of Spring quarter.

At the conclusion of Spring quarter, candidates participate in a collaborative Benchmark Review conference with the Cooperating Teacher(s) and Field Supervisor to assess whether they have satisfied all field experience requirements. The Education Specialist Program Director (SCU faculty member) may also be present at this meeting. There are two possible outcomes: Successful Completion of Field Experience Requirements, and Unsuccessful Completion of Field Experience Requirements. Candidates who receive this rating may not be eligible for our recommendation for an Education Specialist authorization.

Impact on the Communities our Graduates Serve: The education Specialist Program Coordinator, a tenured or tenure-stream faculty member of the Department of Education, will be in regular contact with our partner School Districts to collect relevant information about our graduates' performance in the schools where they practice. In addition, the members of our Department of Education Advisory Board will also provide information and insights about the impact that our graduates are having in the schools and districts they work in.

All of the above assessment activities will be in place if/when the Education Specialist program launches in Fall 2023 and be implemented in the 23-24 academic year. The current Five-Year Assessment Plan for the Department of Education also includes the following actions for subsequent years:

Data from these tools will feed our department’s Continuous Improvement Plan.