All syllabi have been updated to reflect changes for 2024-2025

B.S. in Elementary

In the B.S. in Elementary Education program, teacher candidates complete general education courses (42 credits) and major concentration courses (25 credits) during their freshman and sophomore years. The general education courses include (a) UNIV 1000 Service to Leadership (1 credit), (b) ENGL 1010 Freshman English I, ENGL 1020 Freshman English II, and COMM 2200 Public Speaking for “Communications (9 credits)”, (c) two Sophomore Literature courses, and either MUSC 1010 Music Appreciation or ART 1010 Art Appreciation for “Humanities and/or Fine Arts” (9 credits). Additionally, they take (d) POLI 2010 American National Government or SOCI 2010 Introduction to Sociology and GEOG 1010 World Regional Geography I or GEOG 1020 World Regional Geography II for “Social and Behavioral Science” (6 credits), (e) HIST 2010 American History I and HIST 2020 American History II or HIST 2030 History of Tennessee for “History” (6 credits), (f) BIOL 1010/1011 Introductory Biology I and Laboratory and CHEM 1030/1031 General Chemistry I and Laboratory for “Natural Science” (8 credits), and (g) MATH 1710 Pre-Calculus Mathematics for “Mathematics” (3 credits). These courses provide the essential content knowledge for teaching English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies in K-5 classrooms.

In addition to general education courses, teacher candidates must complete major concentration courses (25 credits). The major concentration courses include (a) MATH 1410 Structure of Number System I and MATH 1420 Structure of Number System II (6 credits), (b) HIST 2060/2070 World History I/II or HIST 2700 The African American Experience or HIST 4910/4920 Afro-American History I/II for History (3 credits), (c) ASTR 1010 Introduction to Astronomy I for Science (4 credits), (d) HPSS 1510 Health and Wellness or HPSS 2060 First Aid and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation or HPSS 3100 Concepts of Games and Play for Human Performance/Health Science (3 credits), and (e) EDCI 2420 Human Growth and Learning, EDCI 2010 History and Foundations of Education, and EDSE 3330 Education of Exceptional Children for pedagogy (9 credits). These courses enhance content knowledge for teaching English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies in K-5 classrooms while providing pedagogical insights into human development, educational history, and special education.

Once admitted to their Teacher Education Program (TEP), teacher candidates take their Professional Education Core courses alongside their field experience courses each semester.

In the first semester of their junior year (Pre-residency I, Block 1), teacher candidates enroll in EDCI 3110 Classroom Behavior Management, EDCI 3400 Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, EDLI 3500 Methods for Teaching English Language Arts, and EDCI 3500 Instructional Strategies for Elementary Classroom. These courses are linked to a clinical experience in EDCI 2100 Field Study in Education I (60+ hours), where candidates are placed in a K-5 classroom to observe and assist students with daily activities, including supporting the mentor teacher and students during the ELA block and Response to Intervention (RTI) sessions.

In the second semester of their junior year (Pre-residency II, Block 2), teacher candidates take EDLI 4500 Methods for Teaching English Language Arts II, EDCI 4550 Methods in Teaching Elementary Mathematics, EDCI 4600 Methods in Teaching Elementary Science, and EDCI 3300 Foundations of Second Language Acquisition & Teaching English as a Second Language, along with EDCI 2200 Field Study in Education II, their second clinical experience (60+ hours).

Before starting their residency year, candidates must complete the Praxis II Multiple Subjects exam and the Praxis II Teaching Reading exam. In the first semester of their senior year (Residency I, Block 3), candidates enroll in EDCI 4300 Methods and Assessment for ESL and Second Language Learners, EDCI 4190 Technology in the School, and EDCI 3220 Assessment of Student Learning. These courses connect to EDCI 4620 Field Study in Education III (+100 hours). As part of EDCI 4620 Field Study III (6 credits), with the support of mentor teachers and course instructors, undergraduate teacher candidates must plan a learning segment that includes a three-to-five lesson sequence to implement in their field placement, following the guidelines of the Elementary Literacy or Mathematics edTPA® as practice for the edTPA® portfolio required for licensure during their senior year.

In the final semester of their senior year (Residency II, Block 4), teacher candidates begin Residency II, which involves full-time student teaching. They continue in their Residency I clinical placement while taking EDCI 4706 Education Seminar alongside EDCI 4720 Enhanced Student Teaching in the Elementary School (9 credits). Through the educational seminar course, teacher candidates complete and submit their edTPA portfolio to fulfill their Tennessee teacher licensure requirements.

M.Ed. in Elementary

In the M.Ed. in Elementary Education program, which includes both the post-baccalaureate student teaching program and the post-baccalaureate job-embedded program, teacher candidates must complete five foundational courses (15 credits). These courses are EDCI 5000 Foundations of Education, EDCI 5110 Research and Statistics in Education, PSYC 5430 Advanced Educational Psychology, EDCI 5300 Multicultural Education, and EDSE 5530 Education and Psychology of Exceptional Children. Together, these pedagogy courses enhance the foundational pedagogical knowledge built upon the content knowledge acquired during their bachelor's degree. After completing the required courses, teacher candidates apply to their teacher education program and pass the comprehensive exams.

They then take the concentration courses (21 credits) to deepen their pedagogical knowledge, subject matter expertise, assessment literacy, and educational technology skills. These courses include PSYC 5330 Measurement and Evaluation for the Classroom, EDLI 5610 Methods for Literacy and Instruction (K-5), EDCI 5190 Technology Integration in the Instructional Setting, EDCI 5840 Classroom Management: Creating a Community of Learners, EDCI 5290 Advanced Language Arts, EDCI 5820 Advanced Mathematics in the Elementary School, EDCI 5270 Advanced Social Studies, and EDCI 5830 Advanced Science in the Elementary School.

Teacher candidates must complete the Praxis II Multiple Subjects exam and the Praxis II Teaching Reading exam before starting their student teaching year.

After completing 36 credits, teacher candidates in the traditional post-baccalaureate student teaching program begin their full-time student teaching (EDCI 4720 Enhanced Student Teaching in the Elementary School, 9 credits) while also taking EDCI 4706 Education Seminar. They complete and submit their edTPA portfolio in this seminar course to meet Tennessee teacher licensure requirements.

This process ensures that the Elementary Education programs align with state standards, equipping future teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to teach K-5 students in Tennessee's schools effectively.  Identifying and implementing the correct CAEP, INTASC, Tennessee Literacy and Specialty Area Standards for Educator Preparation (5.505) requires a coordinated effort between program coordinators and faculty members teaching individual courses. Below is a general outline of the process and the roles involved.

Program coordinators are responsible for staying updated on changes to major standards, including state standards. This involves monitoring announcements from the Tennessee Department of Education and professional organizations.

 Faculty members with expertise in elementary and literacy education also keep abreast of the latest research and policy changes by attending professional development workshops, conferences, and other relevant events. They assess how these changes align with current program content and instructional practices.

 The faculty reviews the existing curriculum to identify gaps or areas needing alignment with the new standards. They map out how and where these standards will be integrated into coursework, field experiences, and assessments. Based on this curriculum mapping, they may revise existing courses or develop new ones to ensure the content meets the required standards. This includes updating syllabi, learning outcomes, instructional materials, and assessment methods.  Faculty members responsible for delivering the updated content receive training on the new standards and instructional strategies, which may involve workshops, collaborative planning sessions, or consultations with experts.

• Course Syllabi Folder

1. Elementary Program of Study 

2. Elementary M.Ed Program of Study

The plan was developed based on the 2022-2024 data regarding enrollment and retention.

• Recruitment and Retention Plan [p. 16]

All SAPs within the EPP will provide a clear field and clinical practice description inclusive of all components, including organization, sequence, diversity of placement as related to grade bands and endorsement areas, and how candidates will be supervised and evaluated during those field and clinical experiences.

• • Teacher Education Checkpoints - these are designed to provide the specifics of how candidates progress to clinical experience. 

  • Residency Booklet Revised Residency Handbook for Clinicians and Supervisors (teacher education only).  The purpose was to ensure all clinicians and supervisors have a reference guide after training.  

• Elementary Matrix - Undergraduate Student Teaching Program 

• Elementary Matrix - Post-Baccalaureate Student Teaching and Post-Baccalaureate Job-Embedded Programs 

• Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation Profile [CAEP R3, R4, RA3, RA5]:  The purpose is to analyze and synthesize college enrollment data. This analysis aims to inform strategies for recruiting and retaining students in its programs. The data profile includes tables and figures illustrating enrollment trends over several years, broken down by major, concentration, and student level. This detailed breakdown allows the College of Education to understand the specific areas where enrollment is strong or weak.  Ultimately, the data profile is a tool for the College of Education to make data-driven decisions to improve enrollment and retention outcomes.  

• Praxis Analysis by Program [CAEP R1, RA1, R4, RA5] —The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) reviews program data over the past three years. In instances where data is absent, this indicates that no assessments were administered or that no students were enrolled in the program during that period.

• Observation [CAEP R1, R3, R4, R5] - In response to the previous site visit, the EPP implemented systematic observation data collection in this cycle. This data is now integrated into our comprehensive analysis for enhanced program evaluation. The observation is initial only. The charts supply the analysis. Our review of teacher candidate performance across different majors reveals some clear patterns. Overall, Biology, English, and Special Education candidates demonstrated strong performance across most teaching competencies. However, Music-Instrumental candidates consistently scored less, indicating a need for targeted program review and support. Looking at specific skills, candidates generally performed well in areas like 'Standards and Objectives' and 'Teacher Content Knowledge'. However, we identified potential areas for improvement in 'Questioning,' 'Academic Feedback,' and 'Grouping Students,' as these competencies showed more variability and generally lower scores across majors.

• TVAAS [CAEP R4, RA4]  - While TVAAS data presents limitations due to low values, the team utilizes it to the fullest extent possible to inform program performance analysis. The number of teachers in each effectiveness level has varied over the 3 years from 2021 to 2023. In 2021, there were 4 teachers in Level 5 (Most Effective), 7 in Level 4, 17 in Level 3, 10 in Level 2, and 10 in Level 1. In 2022, the number of teachers in Level 5 remained the same, but the number in Level 4 increased to 11, the number in Level 3 increased to 41, the number in Level 2 decreased to 7, and the number in Level 1 remained at 10. In 2023, there was a significant jump, with 24 teachers in Level 5, 28 in Level 4, 66 in Level 3, 45 in Level 2, and 30 in Level 1.  The data shows an overall positive trend in the effectiveness of EPP teachers at Tennessee State University from 2021 to 2023. The number of teachers in the higher effectiveness levels (Levels 5 and 4) increased, indicating that more teachers demonstrate significant or moderate evidence of their students exceeding expected growth. However, there are some areas for potential improvement. The number of teachers in the lower effectiveness levels (Levels 1 and 2) also increased in 2023, suggesting that a significant portion of teachers are still not meeting the desired standards for student growth. It is important to note that the TVAAS data represents only one aspect of teacher effectiveness. Other factors, such as classroom observations, student feedback, and professional development, should also be considered when evaluating the overall performance of EPP teachers at Tennessee State University. Overall, there has been an increasing trend in the number of teachers in the higher effectiveness levels (Levels 5 and 4) and a general increase in the total number of teachers evaluated over the 3 years.  

  • • Predominance of Level 1: Many educators across subjects and grades, including single-year and multi-year composites, are classified as Level 1. This suggests that a notable proportion of educators might not meet the expected growth targets in student achievement.

    • Limited Representation in Higher Levels: Fewer educators are in Levels 4 and 5, especially in single-year composites. This indicates a smaller pool of consistently high-performing educators who exceed student growth expectations.

    • Subject-Specific Patterns:

      • For Grades 3–8, subjects like English Language Arts and Math show many educators with Level 1 effectiveness.

      • However, Science and Social Studies have slightly more representation in Level 2 and Level 3, hinting at variations in subject-specific teaching effectiveness.

    • Multi-Year Trends:

      • Most multi-year composites (up++ to 3 years and without 2021) for educators remain at Level 1. This reflects consistent challenges in improving growth measures over time.

      • Even educators with Level 5 single-year scores show variability when analyzed through multi-year trends.

• Active Educators [CAEP R4, RA4.1]: The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) initiated a data tracking point in 2022 to analyze educator retention, precisely to determine the proportion of program completers who remain active in the field. This data serves as evidence for CAEP Standard RA4.1, demonstrating the extent to which program completers contribute to P-12 student-learning growth and effectively apply the professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions acquired during their preparation. While this data does not directly measure employer satisfaction, it can be used to infer it; higher retention rates suggest employers are satisfied with the performance of program completers.

  • Reading Specialist: Data analysis reveals a 33.33% decrease in the percentage of active Reading Specialists (Authorization Type Code 486) between 2020-2023 and 2021-2024. This program has historically had low enrollment and is set for closure.

  • Speech Pathology and Special Education: TNCompass data shows a 33% decrease in the percentage of active Speech Language Teachers (Authorization Type Code 458) between 2020-2023 and 2021-2024. For Special Education, data indicates that 74% of 257 completers who completed the program in its entirety during the Grow Your Own (GYO) initiative remain active in the system.

• Cycle Comparisons [CAEP R1, RA1, R5, RA5] - This analysis compares the 2020-2023 and 2021-2024 data cycles. By examining key performance indicators and trends, we aim to identify areas of strength, weakness, and opportunities for improvement. This analysis will inform strategic decision-making and guide future initiatives to enhance program effectiveness. Through this comparative analysis, we will explore how the program has evolved over the past few years. We will delve into specific metrics, such as student enrollment, retention, graduation rates, and program outcomes, to assess the impact of various interventions and strategies.

• Partnership [CAEP R3, R4, RA2, RA3, RA4.1, R5, RA5]—The EPP Council, a dynamic collaboration of in-college and out-of-college faculty, community partners, and key stakeholders, gathered for its regular meeting. The atmosphere is focused and collaborative, reflecting their shared commitment to program excellence. The recent CAEP site visit highlighted areas needing attention, specifically standards RA4.1, R5, and RA5, making this meeting particularly crucial. The meeting examines candidate assessment data, a core component of standard R5. Partners, bringing valuable real-world perspectives, joined the faculty in analyzing the data. They aren't just passive observers; their insights into candidate performance in field placements and subsequent employment were invaluable.

  • Mentor Teacher Institute [MNPS]

    • Data Report of Partnership

• Candidate Demographics [CAEP R1, R2, RA3, RA4, R5, RA5]- A critical data analysis component involves examining our candidates' demographics and our program's impact on diverse P-12 learners. This focus aligns with the CAEP standards, emphasizing the importance of preparing educators to serve all students effectively. 

  • The Spring 2023 semester saw 123 future educators from Tennessee State University's EPP contribute to 57 school districts across Tennessee, concentrating in Metro Nashville and Shelby County. Many graduates earned the "Beginning Administrator PreK-12" endorsement, demonstrating the program's focus on leadership preparation. The program is noted to impact Tennessee's education system positively. Further granular data regarding the racial demographics of the 123 candidates and the number of each endorsement earned would strengthen this data analysis. Strongpoint includes: 123 future educators participated; Served 57 school districts across Tennessee; Primary districts: Metro Nashville and Shelby County; Range of endorsements earned, including Beginning Administrator PreK-12, Graduates contributing to Tennessee education, with reported positive student impact; and Strong partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools.

• Tennessee State Board Report Card [CAEP R4, RA4, R5, RA5]—The EPP utilizes the annual report card for initial and advanced (instructional leadership)as a critical tool for quality assurance and continuous improvement. The report card offers a comprehensive overview of the EPP's performance across several key domains, including Candidate Profile, Employment, Provider Impact, Candidate Assessment, and Satisfaction.

  • • For example, from 2023, the EPP (initial) can ascertain that the EPP exceeded expectations in the employment domain. A high percentage of graduates found employment in Tennessee public schools within one year (86.4% compared to the state average of 80.3%). Furthermore, the retention rates for these educators in their second and third years of teaching were also strong, with a 100% retention rate for the second year (state average: 93.6%) and 80.6% for the third year (state average: 78.8%).  

    • The Candidate Profile domain was rated as "Meets Expectations." The report card provides data on the number of cohort members over three years (2020-2022) and the cohort's racial diversity (43.2%). The percentage of high-demand endorsements was 11%, below the state average of 16.2%.  

    • In Provider Impact, the EPP exceeded expectations. A very high percentage of cohort members received classroom observation scores of Level 3 or above (96.3%, slightly above the state average of 96%) and Level 4 or above (71%, exceeding the state average of 65.3%). Similarly, the percentage of cohort members with Student Growth (TVAAS) scores of Level 3 or above was 76.5% (significantly higher than the state average of 60.3%). However, the percentage with Level 4 or above was 17.6% (below the state average of 25.1%). The EPP also demonstrated strong results in LOE scores, with 94.3% of cohort members scoring Level 3 or above (state average: 89.5%) and 66% scoring Level 4 or above (state average: 61.1%).  

    • The Candidate Assessment domain was rated as "Meets Expectations". The pass rate for the pedagogical assessment was 96.7% (slightly below the state average of 97.2%). The content assessment pass rate was 84.3% (below the state average of 88.6%). The first-time pass rate for the literacy assessment was 77.8%, also below the state average of 82.3%.  

    • Finally, the Satisfaction domain revealed that while a majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their clinical experience prepared them for teaching (75%) and would recommend the program (41.7%), there were fewer who agreed or strongly agreed that their coursework prepared them (16.7%). The survey response rate for Tennessee State University was 18.5%, lower than the state average of 35.5%.

• Employer Survey [CAEP R4, RA4]—Provides data that can be used for program review, continuous improvement, and potentially accreditation requirements. In contrast, the survey did successfully identify potential areas for program improvement. The primary weakness of the survey itself as a data source is the low response rate, which affects the reliability and generalizability of the findings. 

  • Direct measures of employer satisfaction are currently limited due to a low survey response rate (n=5). However, the qualitative data from these responses is positive, indicating satisfaction with completer collaboration, professionalism, and overall strength, supported by anecdotal hiring evidence. These positive, albeit limited, direct findings are triangulated with stronger indirect evidence from high initial employment and retention rates and documented, active employer involvement in EPP governance and feedback processes. The EPP recognizes the need to implement strategies to increase employer survey participation for future cycles to obtain more robust, generalizable, direct evidence of satisfaction.

• EPP Candidate Survey [CAEP R5, RA5] - Initial surveys, comprising 79 questions, revealed a predominantly White female respondent base. However, subsequent surveys, notably those from 2022 to 2024, indicated a significant demographic shift, marked by a substantial increase in Black female respondents, reflecting the college's evolving student population. Recognizing the limitations of the lengthy initial surveys and the resultant reduced response rates, the college implemented a revised 26-question survey with skip logic, enhancing response efficiency.

  • Further analysis of neutral responses prompted consideration for their removal to improve data granularity. Graduate rates demonstrated a modest positive trend, rising from 28% in the first three-year cycle to 34% in the subsequent cycle. Notably, fall-to-fall retention rates significantly improved, escalating from 0% in Fall 20-21 to 38% in Fall 21-22, and reaching 64% by Fall 22-23, indicating enhanced student support and program efficacy. 

  • Program-specific performance variations were observed, with teaching licensure students exhibiting lower average performance scores in 2023-2024, while instructional leadership and clinical roles demonstrated consistently higher scores. Students in the "Other" program category maintained a consistent moderate score. 

  • The transition from primarily in-seat and online delivery to a hybrid model correlated with increased student satisfaction. A critical focus on improving survey response rates by 15% was identified as essential for ensuring data reliability and generalizability.

• Data Profile—The profile provides a detailed quantitative look at student enrollment, retention, graduation, and Praxis trends within the College of Education's programs over three years, alongside the college and program-level plans designed to address these areas.

M.Ed. in Elementary

• Enrollment Fluctuations: There is a fluctuation in enrollment numbers, particularly in the summer semesters.

• Graduation Rate: The overall graduation rate is around 28% for the Elementary Education GR program.

• Retention Rate: The retention rate varies from 43-57% year to year, indicating potential challenges in student persistence.

2020-2023/2021-2024

• Similar Graduation Rates: Both cycles show a similar graduation rate of around 26-28%.

• Fluctuating Enrollment: Both cycles exhibit fluctuations in enrollment numbers, especially in the summer semesters.

• Retention Rate: The retention rates seem comparable between the two cycles, with some variations across semesters.

B.S. in Elementary

1. Fluctuating Enrollment: The raw number of students enrolled fluctuates significantly from semester to semester.

2. Low Retention Rates: The retention rates from Fall to Fall are relatively low, indicating that many students are not persisting in the program. This could be attributed to various reasons, such as academic challenges, personal circumstances, or dissatisfaction with the program.

3. Improving Graduation Rate: While the overall graduation rate is 46%, it has steadily improved over the past few years. This suggests the program is trying to enhance student support and improve academic outcomes.

Fall 2020 to Summer 2023

• A total of 85 unique students enrolled.

• 39 students graduated, resulting in a 46% graduation rate.

• Retention rates varied, with some semesters showing higher retention than others.

Fall 2021 to Spring 2024

• A total of 55 unique students enrolled.

• 29 students graduated, resulting in a 53% graduation rate.

• Retention rates were like the previous period, fluctuating from semester to semester.