District Level-Candidate Data Assessment #4

District Level-Candidate Data Assessment #4
ELCC Assessment #4 (Professional Skills-District) Internship Evaluation/Intern Guidelines
(Modeled after Arkansas State University’s Intern Guidelines – with some portions taken directly from
them.) EDLR 7398 Superintendent Internship
Description of Assessment and its use in the Program:
The Texas Administrative Code requires that educational leadership students in Texas fulfill 160 hour
practicum for superintendent certification. “ For candidates seeking professional certification as a
superintendent, principal, school counselor, school librarian, or an educational diagnostician, each educator
preparation program shall provide a practicum, as defined in §228.2 of this title, for a minimum of 160 clockhours.”
However, the UTB Educational Leadership Program will have candidates participate in a total of 200 hours to
be in compliance with ELCC standards. Candidates in educational leadership will fulfill the requirement
through a semester long capstone internship at the end of the program in which 120 hours are earned and 80
internship field hours embedded throughout the program through prescribed internship activities. Candidates
will earn 80 internship field hours from planned activities specified in course syllabi and embedded throughout
course work.
Beginning in Fall 2011 the program will initiate the implementation of the embedded field activities in
identified courses to assist students in meeting the increased hours.
EDLR 7336 Special Topics in the Superintendency
Field experience hours will be earned by completing NCATE Assessment #3.
EDLR 7338 The Superintendency
Field experience hours will be earned by completing NCATE Assessment #2.
EDLR 7384 Educational, Social, Political Problems for the Superintendency
Field experience hours will be earned by completing NCATE Assessment #5.
EDLR 7389 Texas Public School Finance
Field experience hours will be earned by completing NCATE Assessment #7.
EDLR 7393 Administration of Programs for Special Populations
Field experience hours will be earned by completing NCATE Assessment #6.
EDLR 7398 Internship for the Superintendent (capstone course)
The semester long capstone internship course located at the end of the program will be directed by a
prescriptive syllabus that requires the candidates to implement leadership activities developed cooperatively by
the candidate, site supervisor, and university supervisor, to keep detailed logs of time devoted to the internship
activities; and to submit weekly reflections to the university supervisor during the semester long internship. At
the conclusion/end of the capstone internship, the site supervisor will complete a summative evaluation of the
intern based on ELCC standards.
Training regarding the internship including guidance and comprehensive information is provided to site
supervisors (practicing school leaders) through a handbook regarding internship activities, roles and
responsibilities and timelines for program completion. University internship supervisors are the responsible
persons for the training of the site supervisors.
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Alignment of the assessment with SPA standards
All ELCC standards will be aligned with internship activities
Analysis of Data Findings and Evidence for meeting standards:
Data regarding the internship will be collected beginning the Fall of 2011. The data will then be analyzed for
evidence of candidates meeting standards.
Assessment #4 Internship Guidelines
Candidates for licensure as district level administrators will participate in a six month sustained, ELCC
standards-based internship. Candidates will conduct internship activities in a variety of settings including both
campus based K-12 settings and community agency settings. These activities will be planned cooperatively by
the candidate, site supervisor and university faculty. The internship is based on the Texas Superintendent
Competencies and Texas Administrative Code as well as the Educational Leadership Consortium Council
(ELCC) Standards. The internship experiences are structured to be in compliance with ELCC standard 7.
1. The University of Texas at Brownsville, Texas Administrative Code/State Board for Educator
Certification and the ELCC guidelines require a six month internship in multiple settings. Field
experiences are embedded in five courses and conclude with a one semester internship during the
candidate’s final semester (ELCC 7.1b, 7.2a). Both the field hours and the one semester capstone
experience require direct interaction of the candidate with staff, students, parents and community leaders
(ELCC 7.1a).
2. The candidates will maintain a log of all experiences by activity and setting or level for a total of 200
hours (minimum) throughout the field and capstone internship activities (ELCC 7.2).
3. The candidate maintains a portfolio of internship artifacts to be reviewed and assessed by university
faculty members and site supervisors. This portfolio will be electronic and maintained over the course of
the program to include all documented hours, logs and reflections.
4. The candidate is mentored by a licensed practicing school leader. Candidates’ experiences are planned
cooperatively by the individual, the site supervisor and educational leadership faculty to provide
inclusion of appropriate opportunities to apply skills, knowledge and research contained in the ELCC
standards (ELCC 7.3 a,b and 7.5a,b).
5. Field and internship experiences must be acquired in multiple settings and levels including work with
community organizations (ELCC 7.4 a,b).
6. The site supervisor must be selected upon entry into the program and must be approved by the school
superintendent or designee and the candidate’s university advisor. Site supervisors will be trained
through a handbook designed to guide candidates through the field/internship experiences (ELCC 7.5b).
University faculty is available for site visits and communicates with the site supervisors via email and
telephone as needed.
7. The site supervisor assists the candidate in setting objectives, completing required objectives, identifying
others with whom the candidate may wish to complete a portion of the internship activities, and
identifying settings for other-level experiences including community agencies. (ELCC 7.4a.b).
8. The site supervisor will complete a summative evaluation at the end of the candidate’s capstone
internship experience.
9. The internship is guided by the suggested activities listed below.
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10. Candidates earn 3 credit hours for the capstone internship experience (ELCC 7.6)
Internship activities
Types of Internship experiences completed in these courses include, but are not limited to: developing a school
communications plan; leading a curriculum review or implementation process; participating in budget planning;
chairing a school improvement committee; serving as administrative designee for special education IEP
meetings; participating in personnel interviews; planning and implementing professional development;
conducting pre- and post-observation conferences and formal observations with classroom teachers; assisting in
the development of the Comprehensive Local Education Plan; observing, analyzing, and critiquing
administrative styles of practicing administrators; participating in student discipline hearings.
ELCC standard 5 should be evident in all activities. Standard 5 reads: Candidates who complete the program
are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success for al students by acting
with integrity, fairly and in an ethical manner. (ELCC 5.1, 5.2. 5.3).
Suggested Activities for Capstone Experience (modeled after Arkansas State University)
The following activities may be modified by the site supervisor to meet the conditions and needs of the
candidate (ELCC 7.3b). The purpose of the activities is to prepare the candidate for a school leadership position.
Additional activities may be selected, modified or created to better prepare the intern for leadership with the
approval of site supervisor, candidate and university faculty.
1. Create a plan to increase the involvement of community members in district improvement efforts and to
communicate the vision of the district with all members of the community (ELCC 1.5a).
2. Assist the school administration in analyzing state required assessment (AEIS report) results for the
school during the previous 3 years utilizing technology systems to disaggregate the information and
work with that person to develop a plan for improving instructional practices and student achievement
(ELCC 2.2b,c).
3. Assist a campus or department with analyzing state required assessment results for the campus or
department and make recommendations for improvement (ELCC 2.2c).
4. Follow up with school principals to monitor campus instructional practices and provide assistance as
needed for improvement (ELCC 2.2c).
5. Participate in the special education referral process, IEP, section 504, Gifted and Talented, and LPAC
(language proficiency assessment committee) processes in the school to assess and meet the diverse
needs of individual students (ELCC 2.3b).
6. Develop and pilot or implement a staff professional development program based on the assessed needs
of the district and based on the district vision and goals. (ELCC 2.4a).
7. Using the state adopted policy for professional staff evaluation conduct a district wide comprehensive
performance evaluation training for all principals and faculty members including pre and post
observation conferences, observations, and individual growth plans (ELCC 2.4b,c).
8. Assist with the opening and or closing of school district campuses including plans for organizing
district-wide faculty and classroom space and preparing the district’s schedule for the following year
using available computer software as applicable (ELCC 3.1a, b, c).
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9. Evaluate custodial operations and maintenance procedures for the district and make recommendations
for improvement (ELCC 3.1b).
10. Write or revise a plan for vehicular traffic control and parking on district property. The plan should
emphasize safe and prompt movement of students, staff and visitors. If such a plan exists, evaluate the
plan and make recommendations for change, if needed (ELCC 3.1b).
11. Through completion of a district budget analysis, faculty members will be to determine the strength of
candidate’s understanding, skills, and approaches in regards to school finance and resource
management. University faculty will also be able to ascertain the depth of candidate’s knowledge in
regards to utilization of financial and additional resources equitably, effectively, and efficiently in
creating the most advantageous school learning environment for all students (ELCC 3.1b,c,; 3.2a; 3.3a;
5.3a; 6.d.,e)
12. Review the district’s emergency management systems and make recommendations for improving the
procedures for handling emergencies to provide a safe learning environment for students and faculty
(ELCC 3.1e)
13. Conduct and evaluate district campuses school emergency drills; i.e. fire, tornado, lockdown (ELCC
3.1e).
14. Work with the district administrator to develop a budget aligning human and material resources, focused
on teaching and learning for the district (ELCC 3.3b). Review the district’s accounting procedures,
including the current technology systems used for financial and student management systems (ELCC
3.3d).
15. Plan a community relations activity to bring together family members and the community (ELCC 4.1a,
4.1e), develop methods of outreach aimed at the business, religious, political and service organizations
(ELCC 4.1f) including plans for working with the media as part of the community relations activity
(ELCC 4.1b).
16. Identify potential diversity issues in the district that have the potential to be problematic and develop a
plan for resolving the issues that involves community members (ELCC 4.2c)
17. Review federal and state laws, rules and regulations covering children with disabilities served in special
education programs. Evaluate the district’s compliance and make recommendations for improvements
in local policies and procedures (ELCC 4.2d, 6.1c)
18. Observe in a community agency and meet with the leadership of the agency. Determine how the school
and agency work together to serve the community (ELCC 4.3b).
19. Describe other collaborative relations in which the agency is engaged and how the community agency
works with children and families. Make recommendations as to how the district could strengthen the
partnership with the agency (ELCC 4.3b, 4.1f).
20. Review the district legal requirements for the interviewing and hiring new staff members (ELCC 6.1c)
and participate in the interviewing/hiring process.
21. Attend at least one school board meeting and record actions taken and reasons for the actions including
policies and regulations that affect individual schools or improve educational and social opportunities
for students (ELCC 6.1c).
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