Standard 5.2

As an institution, the School of Education at Mills College at Northeastern University is dedicated to ensuring that credential candidates have the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively educate and support all P-12 students in meeting state-adopted academic standards. To achieve this, we have developed rigorous program standards that not only align with but also build on the competency requirements set forth by the California Commission for Teaching Credentialing. Our program standards are designed to ensure that our candidates are well-prepared to serve as professional school personnel and can meet the diverse needs of all students. 

To assess whether our candidates are meeting these standards, we use a variety of assessment tools and strategies that are designed to measure the knowledge and skills that our candidates have acquired through their coursework and fieldwork experiences. By carefully analyzing the results of these assessments, we can determine whether our candidates are meeting the Commission's competency requirements and are prepared to serve as effective educators in the classroom.  

The School of Education evaluates and demonstrates the positive impact of its programs on candidate learning and competence, as well as teaching and learning in schools serving California's students, through the following methods: 

• Program standards alignment: Our program standards are aligned with the competency requirements set by the Commission, ensuring that our candidates are well-prepared to serve as effective educators in the classroom. We assess candidates each term and track their growth to ensure they are prepared to assume full teaching responsibilities when recommended as educators. 

• Assessments and evaluations: We use a variety of assessment tools and strategies to evaluate the knowledge and skills of our candidates and determine whether they are meeting the Commission's competency requirements. This includes the admission and enrollment data and student achievement data included here. In addition, Northeastern University Office of Institutional Assessment and Evaluation provides scaffolding for a continuous improvement of programmatic assessment processes.  

• Graduate tracking: We track the progress of our credential graduates over three-year cycles relying on an annual Alumni Survey & Community Partners Survey to understand how they develop as educators and leaders and impact the education community. Additionally, Northeastern University Alumni Relations Offices provide support with tracking School of Education program graduates.  

• Classroom research: Credential program alumni who return to Mills College at Northeastern University to complete Master's degrees in Education or Educational Leadership, and Doctorate degrees in Educational Leadership conduct classroom research or research located in school settings, addressing relevant and complex problems. Findings from these projects inform not only the practice of educators completing the research but also practices and policies in schools.  

• Leadership development: Our programs aim to develop leadership capacities in our candidates, as demonstrated through interviews with program alumni and their dispositional changes in support of their capacity to lead, key highlights include:  

1. Capacity for critical thinking: Our programs aim to develop candidates' ability to think critically, including their openness to differences, receptivity to alternative viewpoints, and willingness to consider issues from multiple perspectives. They also encourage candidates to ask deeper questions and demand evidence and rationale for positions advanced. 

2. Commitment to continued learning: Our programs aim to foster a strong commitment to continued learning in our candidates, including an enthusiasm for reading professional literature and conducting action research and inquiry. 

3. Reflexivity: Our programs aim to develop candidates' capacity for reflection, including seeking meditative calm and taking the time to reflect on what's going on before speaking or acting. A majority of our candidates also report increased capacity for personal reflection as a result of their participation in our programs. 

• Community partnerships: We form partnerships with the community through various opportunities, such as Lead by Learning, TRIO Programs, Community Schools for Creative Education, Girls’ Leadership, Teaching Well, Civic Design Studio, and YR Media contributing to the development and improvement of our organizations. All these projects engage in research in education that embodies an inquiry stance toward practice and is guided by an indefatigable concern for social justice in education.