AY22/23 Accountability Measures
The UAF School of Education Initial Teaching Licensure Programs (Elementary, Music Education, Secondary & Special Education), and the Advanced Special Education Program hold national accreditation through the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP).
Measure 1: Completer effectiveness and impact on P-12 learning and development
The impact of our graduates on their P-12 students is studied through a robust case-study every other year. Case studies of graduate effectiveness and impact have been completed in 2018, 2020, and 2022. The case study utilizes focus groups, observations, an assessment task for teachers to analyze student learning, and district documentation when available.
In AY2022-23, the UAF School of Education completed a case study of seven alumni (graduation years 2012-2021) that are a part of the Alaska Indigenous Teacher Network, employed in districts across Alaska. A link to the overview of completer effectiveness relative to culturally sustaining core practices, completer effectiveness relative to InTASC standards, and findings on impact of student learning are linked below. The 2024 case study will focus on Secondary Program graduates and data collection is currently underway. For the 2018 and 2020 case studies, the UAF School of Education partnered with the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District (FNSBSD) to investigate the impact of UAF initial licensure graduates in their second year teaching in Fairbanks schools.
A link to the 2022 Summary of findings on preparation in SILKAT Core Practices
A link to the 2022 Summary of findings on CAEP and InTASC preparation areas
A link to the 2022 Case Study Impact on Student Learning
Measure 2: Satisfaction of employers and stakeholder involvement
The UAF School of Education measures satisfaction of employers through a supervisor survey developed by the Network for Excellence in Teaching (NExT - https://www.nexteachers.org/surveys-1). The NExT Supervisor Survey, administered every spring, asks employers of teachers who graduated from UAF School of Education teaching licensure programs (Initial and Advanced) to rate new teacher preparedness across a series of skills.
The NExT Surveys group teacher skills into 4 domains: Instructional Practice (based on 21 skills), Diverse Learners (based on 9 skills), Learning Environment (based on 9 skills), and Professionalism (based on 6 skills). Across these domains, the majority of responding supervisors report satisfaction with new teacher performance, and with the performance of newly endorsed Special Education teachers. Below in Figure 1 are the spring 2023 NExT Supervisor Survey results from 2021/22 alumni (2022/23 first year teachers) from Elementary, Secondary, Special Education, and Music programs.
In addition to soliciting feedback through surveys, the UAF School of Education hosts three program specific External Advisor Committees (EACs) to gather focused feedback on the Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education programs to ensure programs continue to meet district needs. Each EAC meets two times a year. Membership represents school districts from Fairbanks, Southcentral Alaska, and various rural communities. Members include recent alumni, mentor teachers, and administrators. See Figure 2 for examples of topics and actionable items from EAC meetings in AY2022/23.
Measure 3: Candidate competency at program completion
Candidates in their final semester of their program are actively involved in student teaching. To assess candidate skills and dispositions in the classroom, both initial and advanced candidates complete three culminating assessments which are shared across programs. Candidates must meet a proficient level in each shared assessment in order to be recommended for licensure. The three culminating assessments are described in the first table below.
This year, the UAF School of Education looked at average scores in the final semester across the three shared culminating assessments for each graduating candidate across all teaching licensure programs (See Figure 3 below). Each assessment is scored on a scale of 1-Underdeveloped to 4-Distinguished. A score of 3 is considered proficient. The majority of all candidates across programs were assessed at a proficient level.
Measure 4: Ability of completers to be hired in education positions for which they have been prepared
