INSTITUTIONAL REPORT FOR FIRST ACCREDITATION: CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PATHWAY The University of Texas

INSTITUTIONAL REPORT FOR FIRST ACCREDITATION:
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PATHWAY
The University of Texas
at Brownsville
April 14, 2014
Dean Miguel Angel Escotet; Dr. Olivia Rivas, NCATE Coordinator;
Dr. Laura Jewett; & Hector Castillo
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NSTITUTIONAL REPORT FOR FIRST ACCREDITATION:
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PATHWAY
Guidelines for Institutional Report and Exhibits
The Institutional Report (IR) and Exhibits outlined below should be used for the professional education unit
seeking accreditation for the first time with an onsite visit scheduled between Spring 2014 and Fall 2015.
1. Scope of Review
The unit must address in its IR and Exhibits all programs in the institution for the initial and advanced
preparation of teachers and for preparation of other professionals to work in P-12 settings. For clarification of
terms, please refer to NCATE glossary presented in the Professional Standards for the Accreditation of
Teacher Preparation Institutions (Unit Standards).
2. Reporting Requirements



Meeting the Standards. The unit is expected to address in its IR and Exhibits how programs are
meeting the NCATE unit standards. It is critical that the unit uses the rubrics in addressing the
expectations for each of the elements as articulated in the Unit Standards. The unit must show it is
performing at the acceptable level, at least, to meet a standard.
Movement Toward Target. The unit is required to demonstrate performance at the target level on some
aspect or element of at least one standard. The unit is expected to report and provide evidence on the
following:
o How the unit is currently performing at the target level on an aspect/element of the standard.
Clearly specify which aspect/element of the standard are at the target level.
o Summarize activities and their impact on candidate performance and program quality that have
led to target level performance.
o Discuss plans and timelines for attaining and/or sustaining target level performance as described
in the unit standard.
The BOE will review evidence provided for the three prompts above and make a recommendation on
moving toward target in the onsite report:
MOVING TOWARD TARGET
AT TARGET
EMERGING
ATTAINED
NO EVIDENCE
DEVELOPING
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Clear, convincing and
sufficient evidence was
not presented to
demonstrate that the unit
is performing as
described in any aspect
of the target level rubric
for this standard.
Clear, convincing and
sufficient evidence
demonstrates that the unit
is performing as
described in some aspect
of the target level rubric
for this standard.
OR
Clear, convincing and
sufficient evidence
demonstrates that the unit
is performing as
described in some aspect
of the target level of the
rubric for this standard.
AND
Clear, convincing and
sufficient evidence
demonstrates that the unit
is performing as
described in all aspects of
the target level rubric for
this standard.
AND
AND
There are no plans and
timelines for attaining
target level performance
as described in the unit
standard.
There are plans and
timelines for attaining
and/or sustaining target
level performance as
described in the unit
standard.
There are plans and
timelines for attaining
and/or sustaining target
level performance as
described in the unit
standard.
There are plans and
timelines for sustaining
target level performance
as described in the unit
standard.
[BOE specifies which is
present and which is not
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in their findings.]
3. Institutional Report
The unit should submit its report using the Institutional Report and Exhibits for First Accreditation template in
NCATE’s Accreditation Information Management System (AIMS) with prompts and maximum character
limitations for each of the responses.
4. Exhibits
Exhibits are uploaded directly into the AIMS IR template as individual documents in Word, PDF, Docx, or
Excel formats. Documents should be no larger than 2MB. To aid the BOE team members in locating exhibit
evidence, it is recommended that each uploaded document include the exhibit number and an accurate title
describing the content. It is critical that the exhibits are made available at the time of IR submission and prior
to the Offsite Review for use by the Offsite Board of Examiners (BOE) team.
5. Data Expectations
NCATE expects institutions to regularly and systematically collect, compile, aggregate, summarize, analyze,
and use data throughout the full (five to seven years) accreditation cycle between onsite visits. For the
purposes of unit accreditation, a limited number of years of data are required. Data reported on assessments in
the IR for unit accreditation should be for the most recent 12-month period. When the BOE team conducts the
onsite visit, it should find evidence that the institution has two years of data for first accreditation. Institutions
that do not meet this minimum requirement will have an area for improvement (AFI) cited under Standard 2,
indicating that the unit is not regularly and/or systematically collecting and summarizing assessment data.
For programs that were nationally reviewed through Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs) or through
a state process that required the review of assessments and data, units are required to report in the IR only
assessments and data on (1) professional dispositions and (2) proficiencies identified in the unit’s conceptual
framework. No additional assessment data for these programs are required for Standard 1. Assessments and
data collected after the submission of programs for national or state review must be available at the time of the
onsite visit. For programs not reviewed by specialized professional associations (SPAs) and when the state
review process does not require reporting of assessments, scoring guides, and data on candidate outcomes, the
unit is required to provide information listed in the first paragraph under Data Expectations.
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INSTITUTIONAL REPORT FOR FIRST ACCREDITATION:
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PATHWAY
I.
Overview and Conceptual Framework
I.1
Summarize the institution's mission, historical context, and unique characteristics (e.g., land grant,
HBCU or religious). [4,000 characters]
The University of Texas at Brownsville is a Hispanic Serving Institution that has been a member of
The University of Texas System since 1991. UTB serves more than 12,000 students at its campus
located in Brownsville, Texas. UTB now receives nearly $6 million in research funding each year,
has more than 150 undergraduate programs (certificates and associate’s and bachelor’s degrees) and
twenty-three graduate programs, including a doctorate of education in Curriculum and Instruction.
UTB ranks number two nationally in the number of mathematics degrees awarded to Hispanic
students, ranks twentieth nationally in the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanics
students, and ranks fiftieth nationally in the number of master’s degrees awarded to Hispanics.
Located on the lower Texas-Mexico border opposite Matamoros, Mexico, UTB students, staff and
faculty have access to the social, cultural and intellectual richness that a transnational area provides.
Hispanics comprise 93 percent of the student body and approximately 90 percent receive some form
of financial aid. According to U.S. Census figures, Cameron County, with Brownsville as county
seat, is documented as among the poorest counties in the United States. The county has a median
family income of $30,950 compared to $50,049 for the state. Approximately, 34 percent count
residents live below the poverty level to 16 percent of Texas residents. As a result of this dynamic,
students are made aware not only of the opportunities but also—through theory, practice and
experiences working with children and adults representing a host of ethnically, culturally and
linguistically diverse backgrounds—of the complex and profound educational challenges of urban
and rural border settings.
UTB's mission is to draw upon the intersection of cultures and languages at the southern border and
Gulf Coast of the United States to develop knowledgeable citizens and emerging leaders engaged in
the civic lives of their communities. Our mission embraces teaching excellence, active inquiry,
lifelong learning, rigorous scholarship and research in service to the common good. Our institution
promotes the interdisciplinary search for new knowledge that advances social and physical well-
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being and economic development through commercialization while honoring the creative and
environmental heritage of its region.
UTB is committed to excellence. It is dedicated to stewardship, service, openness, accessibility,
efficiency and citizenship. UTB is committed to students, participatory governance, liberal
education, the expansion of the application of knowledge, human dignity, the convening of cultures
and respect for the environment.
I.2
Summarize the professional education unit at your institution, its mission, and its relationship to
other units at the institution that are involved in the preparation of professional educators. [2,000
characters]
The College of Education (CoE) is the primary unit responsible for the preparation of teachers and
other educational professionals at UTB. We have a long history of preparing professional personnel
to meet the diverse educational needs of the Lower Rio Grande Valley and South Texas. The CoE is
one of the university’s nine academic colleges and schools, which are comprised of a diverse and
international faculty. The college is composed of an administrative unit (Office of the Dean), one
research center and four academic departments: Teaching, Learning and Innovation (TLI); Language,
Literacy and Intercultural Studies (LLIS); Health and Human Performance (HPP); and Educational,
Psychology and Leadership Studies (EPLS).
The CoE vision and mission revolve around preparing highly skilled professionals to excel in an
intercultural world. The CoE’s motto, “Teaching, Learning and Scholarly Inquiry for an Intercultural
World,” reciprocally affirms the CoE’s responsiveness to teaching, research and service. Our vision
has evolved from collaborative partnerships among academic colleges and schools and between the
CoE and its P-12 colleagues. CoE programs that prepare teachers and other educational
professionals are central to the university's mission, which is to help students at all levels develop
the skills of critical thinking, quantitative analysis and effective communication. The CoE, with its
openness and respect for others, is committed to excellence, collaboration and the creation of
partnerships. We are dedicated to designing new and creative avenues to support students, staff and
faculty. We value collegiality, professionalism, service and ethical behavior (CoE, 2011). Our unit
aims to build strong theoretical foundations in every student in order to produce teachers capable of
understanding the complexities of diverse societies, so that they might have a positive impact not
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only on student learning but also on the emergent educational, community and professional contexts
and structures within which learning occurs (Dewey, 1938a, p. 35).
I.3
Summarize programs offered at initial and advanced preparation levels (including off-campus,
distance learning, and alternate route programs), status of state approval, national recognition, and
if applicable, findings of other national accreditation associations related to the preparation of
education professionals. [2,000 characters]
Working in cross-disciplinary partnerships with other colleges and schools throughout the institution,
our teacher preparation unit (CoE) offers nineteen undergraduate programs which lead to teacher
certification. Of these programs, four are nationally accredited by NASM and thirteen are
recognized with conditions (RWC) by their Specialized Professional Organizations (SPAs). All
nineteen of these programs are resubmitting (where applicable) for full recognition. We also offer
one post-baccalaureate degree option. Initial programs provide a rigorous, relevant, evidence-based
curriculum designed to prepare candidates for professional practice and pedagogical leadership in
one or more teaching domains.
Our advanced programs prepare practitioners to excel in increased levels of professional and
pedagogical leadership, and prepare emerging scholars to contribute in more nuanced and innovative
ways to their respective academic, research and professional communities. Our teacher preparation
unit offers fifteen active specializations at the master’s level. The Community Counseling and
School Counseling programs are nationally accredited by CACREP. Three of our advanced
programs are nationally recognized by their SPAs. The Master of Educational Technology Program
is nationally recognized by AECT. The Master of Education-Educational Leadership, District Level
Leadership Program and the Master of Education-Educational Leadership, Building Level
Leadership Program are nationally recognized by ELCC. Our three master-level specializations in
special education are recognized with conditions by CEC. The master's bilingual education program
and master’s C&I program (representing six categories of specialization) do not have SPA standards.
These programs have undergone extensive program review and results are included as part of this IR
report demonstrating these programs' continuous improvement.
At the doctoral level, our unit offers an Ed.D in C&I with specializations in the areas of Bilingual
Studies, Educational Leadership, Educational Technology, and Higher Education Teaching. Program
review results for the doctoral program are provided in the IR report. Please see Exhibit I.5.d. for a
complete list of initial and advanced programs for the preparation of teachers and other
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professionals to work in P-12 settings along with the findings of other national accreditation
associations related to the preparation of education professionals and SPA recognition status.
I.4
Summarize the basic tenets of the conceptual framework, institutional standards, and candidate
proficiencies related to expected knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions. [6,000 characters]
Our multilayered conceptual framework revolves around the CoE’s mission to prepare highly skilled
professionals to assume roles and positions in teaching, leadership, counseling, research and other
educational professions. Please see Exhibit I.5.c for the conceptual framework graphic.
Our framework is made up of interrelated, nested circles. Intersecting the framework’s center are
our four guiding principles: pedagogical leadership, inquiry, interculturalism and interrelatedness,
around which the unit develops policies and practices.
Forming the outer perimeter of our framework are arrows labeled “professionalism,” “knowledge in
practice,” “reflection,” “diversity” and “collaboration.” These arrows represent the CoE’s categories
of standards related to knowledge, skills and dispositions that are addressed and assessed across
programs, and which operate in dynamic reciprocity with our four guiding principles. As candidates
matriculate through programs, they are expected to demonstrate key proficiencies and dispositions
associated with these standards. These key proficiencies are expressed as CoE categories of
standards and were developed by CoE faculty in alignment with
our guiding principles as well as with state and national standards.
Guiding Principles
Our guiding principles articulate our educational aims. These principles also represent a set of
dispositions that frame the “habits of mind” (Katz, 1993) from which unit administrators, faculty,
students and graduates draw in order to understand complex educational contexts and processes, and
which we embody as ethical decision makers dedicated to helping all students learn and become
active participants in a democracy.
Pedagogical Leadership
Aligned with national and state standards, our unit works diligently to prepare future teachers and
other professionals with content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, general pedagogical
knowledge and knowledge of learners and their contexts. Toward that end, we expect all students
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and faculty in each of our programs to demonstrate pedagogical leadership as a guiding principle of
their professional practice and as a disposition by:

knowing their content and using appropriate pedagogy to provide all students with the
opportunity to learn.

experimenting with pedagogical techniques and critically evaluating the results of their
experimentation.

transforming their own practice through continuous reflection and ongoing professional
development, and sharing this learning with others in the educational community.

advocating for all learners.
Inquiry
Inquiry as an inclusive, dynamic process drives our curricular, pedagogical and scholarly
endeavors. Inquiry is also a “habit of mind,” or disposition (Heidegger, 1977). Toward that end, we
expect all students and faculty in each of our programs to demonstrate inquiry as a guiding principle
of their professional practice and as habit of mind by:

actively inquiring into educational dilemmas and problems to seek resolution that benefit
students.

thinking critically about educational issues.

continuously reflecting on and refining practice to meet the changing needs of learners.

engaging in innovative scholarship that advances the field and related disciplines.
Interculturalism
The notion of interculturalism, nested as it is within discourses of multicultural education, anti-racist
education, human rights education, conflict resolution and multilingual education, helps give shape
to our commitment to diversity as an educational practice that moves beyond passive Coexistence
toward an emergent, sustainable way of living together in an interconnected, global environment.
Toward that end, we expect all students and faculty in each of our programs to demonstrate
interculturalism as a guiding principle of their professional practice and as a disposition by:

demonstrating sensitivity toward, and appreciation of, individual and cultural differences and
having a holistic understanding of the richness of diverse communities.

understanding the importance of global connections, including biliteracy and multilingualism
as tools for intercultural teaching, learning and communication.

focusing on culturally and socially diverse contexts and the opportunities and challenges
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diversity presents.
Interrelatedness
Much educational research regarding best practices of teacher education suggests that teaching
and teacher education cannot be effectively undertaken in isolation. Instead, teacher education and
teaching must be understood as a historical, social, cultural and community-oriented enterprise that
is collaborative by its very nature. Core required courses, program-specific courses and scaffolded
field experiences provide multiple opportunities for teacher candidates and other educational
professionals to apply their knowledge skills and dispositions in collaboration with diverse
communities of practice. Likewise, unit faculty are engaged in a kaleidoscope of collaborative
activity aimed at cultivating the capacity for professional and pedagogical leadership in our local
districts (and region and beyond) through expanding technological innovations that allow us to
collaborate across state, national and transnational contexts. We expect all students and faculty in
each of our programs to demonstrate interrelatedness as a guiding principle of their professional
practice and as a disposition by:

collaborating with other professional educators, families and communities.

becoming actively involved in professional and scholarly organizations and networks.

understanding the importance of engaging in partnerships with schools and communities.

engaging in interdisciplinary/cross-disciplinary activities that ensure breadth and depth of
perspective and knowledge.

applying ethical, social behavior and professional ethical standards.
Technology
We view technology as a key curricular component that allows faculty and future teachers
unparalleled opportunities for collaboration and innovation that can be used to foster student
learning and boost student achievement. We expect all students and faculty in each of our programs
to use technology in their professional practice and as a disposition by:

modeling, supporting, promoting and using technology to facilitate productive technological
experiences that advance student learning, creativity and innovation both face to face and
virtually.


thinking critically about issues related to technology and implications for teaching, learning
and equity.
Engaging in professional growth and development opportunities related to instructional
technology as well as broader issues of technology and education
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I. 5
Exhibits
I.5.a
I.5.b
I.5.c
I.5.d
I.5.e
II.
Pages from catalogs and other printed documents describing general education,
specialty/content studies, and professional studies
Examples of syllabi for professional education courses
Conceptual framework(s)
Findings of other national accreditation associations related to the preparation of education
professionals (e.g., ASHA, NASM, APA, CACREP)
Updated institutional, program, and faculty information under institutional work space in AIMS
Unit Standards and Movement Toward Target
Movement Toward Target
Please indicate the standard(s) on which the unit selected to demonstrate movement toward target:
Initial
Advanced Standards
Standard 1: Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Dispositions
Standard 2: Assessment System and Unit Evaluation
Standard 3: Field Experiences and Clinical Practice
Standard 4: Diversity
Standard 5: Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and Development
Standard 6: Governance and Resources
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Standard 1. Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Dispositions
Candidates preparing to work in schools as teachers or other school professionals know and demonstrate
the content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and skills, pedagogical and professional
knowledge and skills, and professional dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Assessments
indicate that candidates meet professional, state, and institutional standards.
1.1.
Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Dispositions
1.1.a
Content Knowledge for Teacher Candidates
Summarize processes for development and outcomes from key assessments based on candidates’
demonstration of the content knowledge delineated in professional, state, and institutional
standards. [6,000 characters]
Our teacher candidates know the content they plan to teach as described in professional, state and
institutional standards. Candidates have demonstrated solid content knowledge in relation to
national and professional standards.
EC-6 Students are required to take 54 courses aimed at the broad spectrum of content knowledge
elementary teachers need to help all students learn. Additionally, these students also take
specialized content courses aimed at preparing them with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions
elementary teachers need to meet the needs of diverse learners and meet critical local as well as
national areas of need.in critical need impact areas of specialty content in Bilingual Education, ESL
or Special Education as well.
Secondary students are required to take 54 hours of coursework devoted to preparing them with the
content knowledge then need for the subjects they are planning to teach. Students in our newly
integrated Science and Math program UTEACH require 55 credits of content course work, with
several courses being presented using an integrated STEM model. Exhibit 1.3.d Aggregate Data on
Unit Proficiencies and Key Assessments provides the mean percentage of candidates who met
expectations on assessments measuring content knowledge. This assessment data was extracted
from SPA report assessment 2 which measures content knowledge. Our unit mean for our initial
teacher program candidates was 88%. This score does not include the State TExES examination
scores for which our pass rate is a much higher 95%. This suggests that unit faculty develop
rigorous assessments of content knowledge in line with professional standards specific to their
content. All but two of these assessments were part of recognized (with conditions) assessment
plans and demonstrate such rigor. We continue to collaborate with content colleagues to make
program changes that will boost these outcomes and ensure teachers have the content knowledge
they need for effective instruction.
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In relation to professional standards, our 4 undergraduate music programs are nationally accredited
by NASM which has rigorous content standards. All but two of our eleven programs for teacher
preparation have been recognized with conditions by their SPAs. Of these 9 all are resubmitting for
full recognition with no conditions related to content knowledge. Only the Bachelor of Arts in
History (History 8th – 12th Grades) and Bachelor of Arts in History/Social Studies (Social Studies
8th – 12th Grades) programs remain unrecognized. In order to improve teacher candidate outcomes
in these programs the CoE has hired a Social Studies Specialist to modify the curriculum with a
concentration on Social Studies content and pedagogical content knowledge at both EC-6 and
secondary levels. Exhibit I.5.2 provides a listing of these results.
Additionally, our pass rate on state content test certification exams has risen to 95%. This
demonstrates that candidates have mastered the content they need to help all students learn. This
also reveals the rising expectations our unit has concerning content knowledge. In addition to
requiring candidates pass state content and pedagogy exams before student teaching, we have
raised the standards for grades in content area by requiring no grade less than a C in all coursework.
Prior to this change, the grade requirement relied on overall GPA which allowed students to
ameliorate a weakness in one content area through strengths in others. Our unit's rising
expectations complement our institutions change from an open admissions institution to one with
admission requirements that will rise each year until they are comparable with peer institutions. For
detailed information on individual program content assessments please see assessments one and
two in SPA reports available in AIMS. Aggregate data regarding teacher candidate content
knowledge is provided in Exhibit 1.3.d Aggregate Data on Unit Proficiencies Chart.
1.1.b
Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teacher Candidates
Summarize processes for development and outcomes from key assessments based on candidates’
demonstration of the pedagogical content knowledge delineated in professional, state, and
institutional standards. [6,000 characters]
Teacher candidates demonstrate Pedagogical Content Knowledge at several junctures in their fieldbased courses an in clinical teaching. For three years, unit faculty have been redesigning our PPR
sequence to ensure that elementary program candidates have the pedagogical content knowledge
needed to effectively teach in all content areas and that secondary teachers have an in-depth
knowledge of research-based, content-specific teaching methods related to the subjects they plan to
teach. In fall 2013 we rolled out new courses designed to meet this need: 3355 (STEM Knowing
and Learning); EDCI 4327(Elementary Social Studies and English Language Arts); EDSC
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4328(secondary content pedagogy sectioned off by content area). In this way we are better aligning
our curriculum to the P-12 content knowledge our candidates will be required to teach. These
courses are also designed to arm our candidates with the research-based, content-specific methods
of teaching and assessment they need in order to have the positive impact on student learning they
need to demonstrate in their TWS as well as in their future classrooms.
Proficiencies related to Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Skills are evaluated through the
following:

Abbreviated Teacher Work Sample completed in redesigned PPR courses devoted to
pedagogical content knowledge: EDCI 3355 (STEM Knowing and Learning); EDCI 4327Methods in Elementary Social Studies and English Language Arts; EDSC 4328-Secondary
Content Pedagogy (sectioned off by content area). These are new courses. This assessment
was implemented in a general pedagogy course fall 2012 on a limited basis. We are now
implementing it in content pedagogy courses in order to yield more robust data about
pedagogical content knowledge in addition to solid data regarding candidates' professional
and pedagogical knowledge

Student Teaching Observation Assessment: Part I, indicator one makes the explicit link
between content and pedagogical knowledge. One hundred percent of candidates meet
expectation on this standard. In addition, programs have added content-specific addendums
to this assessment in order to meet SPA expectations concerning Content Pedagogy. This
makes these assessments more useful in assessing Pedagogical Content knowledge as well
as Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge

The Teacher Work Sample: Students must score at least "approaching target" in order to
complete clinical teaching. This holistic performance assessment is primarily designed to
assess candidate's impact on student learning. Section 2 (Learning Goals), Section 4(Design
for Instruction) and Section 6 (Analyzing Student Learning) all require that students
demonstrate a certain degree of content knowledge as they plan, implement and assess
content-specific pedagogy geared toward helping all students learn Detailed data and
analysis pertaining to this Assessment can be found in individual SPA reports (section 5) in
AIMS.
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
SPA Assessment 4 in each program demonstrates outcomes concerning professional and
pedagogical responsibilities. Aggregate data on this assessment is provided in the Aggregate
Data on Unit Proficiencies Chart in Exhibit 1.3.d
1.1.c
Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills for Teacher Candidates
Summarize processes for development and outcomes from key assessments based on candidates’
demonstration of the professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills delineated in
professional, state, and institutional standards. [6,000 characters]
Teacher candidates reflect a thorough understanding of professional and pedagogical knowledge
and skills in relation to professional, state, and institutional standards. Candidates take a sequence
of courses designed to build their knowledge skills and dispositions related to pedagogical and
professional responsibilities. This sequence includes EDUC 1301 Introduction to the Teaching
Profession and EDUC 2301 Introduction to Special Populations are the two prerequisites for
admission to teacher education. These two courses require 15 clock hours each of early field
experiences. Candidates are also required to take 6 courses equivalent to 18 credit hours as part of
the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities requirement (PPR block). The PPR block includes
both early field experiences, field-based coursework, and student teaching. EDCI 4322 Human
Development and Instruction, which is one of the courses in the PPR block, requires students to
complete 15 hours of early field experiences. This course is a prerequisite for EDCI 3330
Designing Instruction and Assessment to Promote Student Learning and either EDSC 4328
Implementing & Assessing Effective Secondary Content Pedagogy (Sectioned off by content area)
for secondary candidates or EDCI 4327 Methods of Teaching Elementary Social Studies and ELA
Arts and EDCI 3314 Methods of Teaching Mathematics and Science. Each requires 15 hours of
field-based work in a classroom setting that is more demanding than early field experiences.
Candidates are expected to develop lessons and micro-teach, teach in P-12 classroom settings,
tutor, work with small groups of students, and assess student outcomes in an Abbreviated Teacher
Work Sample.
Course work provides teacher candidates with the critical thinking skills they need in order to
understand the complex impact Hispanic/Latino achievement gaps have on our communities of
practice. Unit coursework also provides teacher candidates the pedagogical and professional
knowledge and skills they need to help close that gap. Field experiences and clinical practice allow
teacher candidates to put these into action to help all students learn.
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Assessment 4 in each SPA report provides compelling evidence that our candidates know how to
facilitate learning among a diversity of learners. The most current results demonstrate an % 97.4
percent pass rate on the State Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities One hundred percent of
our EC-6 and 8-12 program candidates passed this exam. This assessment is aligned with our unit's
conceptual framework's guiding principles of Pedagogical Leadership, Interrelatedness, and
Interculturalism. Exhibit1.3.d Aggregate data on Unit Proficiencies and Key assessments
demonstrate thru assessments geared to measure candidates knowledge, skills and dispositions,
candidate are well prepared in this area. In the area or instructional planning 91% of our candidates
met expectations. In areas relate to putting pedagogical and professional knowledge and skills into
action 99% of candidates met expectation
Our pass-rate on the state Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities exam indicates that
candidates understand key things about how students learn and their professional responsibility
toward that learning. Further, opportunities to hone and demonstrate professional and pedagogical
knowledge are deeply embedded throughout our curriculum as students are encouraged to learn
about learning, in tandem with a careful consideration of intercultural community contexts. Then
candidates are required to transform this into pedagogical action through a scaffolded set of field
experiences interwoven into coursework and service-learning experiences. The following unit
assessments provide evidence related to candidate' professional and pedagogical knowledge and
skills
Key unit assessments that demonstrate teacher candidates; knowledge, skills and responsibilities
include:

Abbreviated Teacher Work Sample ATWS) completed in redesigned PPR courses devoted
to pedagogical content knowledge: EDCI 3355 (U-Teach); EDCI 4327(Elementary Social
Studies and English Language Arts); EDSC 4328(secondary content pedagogy sectioned off
by content area).

TWS: Students must score at least "approaching target" in order to complete clinical
teaching. This holistic performance assessment is primarily designed to assess candidate's
impact on student learning. Section 2 (Learning Goals), Section 4(Design for Instruction)
and Section 6 (Analyzing Student Learning) all require that students demonstrate a certain
degree of content knowledge as they plan, implement and assess content-specific pedagogy
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geared toward helping all students learn Detailed data and analysis pertaining to this
Assessment can be found in individual SPA reports (section 5) in AIMS. D
Data from Exhibit 1.3.d The Aggregate Data on Unit Proficiencies Chart in Exhibit 1.3.d show
strong teacher candidate performance in this area. Combine that with outcomes related to
candidates' impact on student learning, and it is clear that our candidates have the pedagogical and
professional knowledge to implement and assess effective instruction. More particularly-given the
cultural and linguistic contexts of these field experiences- our teacher candidates demonstrate
culturally relevant knowledge and skills that promote learning among Hispanic/Latino students
which represent the fastest growing minority group in P-12 schools across the U.S.
1.1.d
Student Learning for Teacher Candidates
Summary processes for development and outcomes from key assessments based on candidates’
demonstration of the knowledge, skills, and ability to affect student learning. [6,000 characters]
Our unit adopted the TWS as performance assessment that will allow teacher candidates to
demonstrate valid and reliable evidence regarding their ability to design instruction and facilitate
learning. We use a Teacher Work Sample (TWS) as our primary indicator of candidates' impact on
student learning. The TWS a process that enables teacher candidates to demonstrate teaching
performances directly related to the implementation of a standards-based instructional unit by
planning, instructing and assessing EC-6 student learning. Candidates analyze student learning and
reflect on their teaching effectiveness. The TWS adopted by UTB follows The Renaissance
Teacher Work Sample Model (http://edtech.wku.edu/rubric) and requires teacher candidates to plan
and teach a standards-based unit consisting of seven components: Contextual Factors, Learning
Goals, Assessment Plan, Design for Instruction, Instructional Decision-Making, Analysis of
Student Learning, and Self-Evaluation and Reflection.
The TWS was piloted and validated by a consortium of the following universities: California State
University, Fresno, Eastern Michigan University, Emporia State University, Idaho State University,
Kentucky State University, Longwood University, Millersville University, Pennsylvania, Middle
Tennessee State University, Southeast Missouri State University, University of Northern Iowa, and
Western Kentucky University.
Our unit piloted the Abbreviated Teacher Work Sample (ATWS) in spring 2011 in a course titled
Implementing Effective Instruction (replaced in our newly reconfigured PPR sequence by courses
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that focus on pedagogical content knowledge). We then piloted the full TWS with two cadres of
student teachers (Bilingual Generalist EC-6 and Math 8-12) in fall 2011. Outside consultants from
Sam Houston University led a scoring workshop focusing on the rater process and procedures for
ensuring that scoring procedures and practices were fair and free from bias. Based on data from
these pilots, we conducted a full pilot with all student teachers in spring 2012 and adopted it at a
key unit assessment for all teacher education candidates.
Successful teacher candidates support learning by designing a Teacher Work Sample that employs
a range of strategies and builds on each student's strengths, needs, and prior experiences. Through
this performance assessment, teacher candidates provide credible evidence of their ability to
facilitate learning by meeting the following TWS standards:

The teacher uses information about the learning-teaching context and student individual
differences to set learning goals and plan instruction and assessment.

The teacher sets significant, challenging, varied, and appropriate learning goals.

The teacher uses multiple assessment modes and approaches aligned with learning goals to
assess student learning before, during, and after instruction.

The teacher designs instruction for specific learning goals, student characteristics and needs,
and learning contexts.

The teacher uses regular and systematic evaluations of student learning to make
instructional decisions.

The teacher uses assessment data to profile student learning and communicate information
about student progress and achievement.

The teacher reflects on his or her instruction and student learning in order to improve
teaching practice.
Successful completion of the TWS is indicated by a passing score of 2 to 3 on a 3-point scale. As is
shown in Exhibit 1.3.d, all candidates passed the TWS in fall 2012 and spring 2013. In fall 2012 the
average score for the entire sample 2.29. This rose slightly in spring 2013 with an average overall
score of 2.31. Unit results indicate that candidates from both semesters scored lowest in the
reflection and assessment sections. Aggregate data on our teacher candidates' ability to have a
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positive impact on student learning is available in the Aggregate Data on Unit Proficiencies Chart
in Exhibit 1.3.d. Detailed program-specific data regarding the TWs can be found in SPA
assessment 5 in AIMS. Samples of Teacher Work Samples developed by teacher candidates in
2012 and 2013 are available in Exhibit 1.3g.
1.1.e
Knowledge and Skills for Other School Professionals
Summarize processes for development and outcomes from key assessments based on other school
professionals’ demonstration of the knowledge and skills delineated in professional, state, and
institutional standards. [6,000 characters]
Guided by our conceptual framework, our assessment structure requires that advanced candidates
demonstrate key proficiencies through a variety of formative and summative assessments at
multiple junctures in all programs, as scored by program faculty, clinical faculty and school
partners. Data are compiled and stored through Tk20, analyzed by faculty and assessment staff and
shared with relevant stakeholders, and then used to make program innovations that prepare better
teachers, leaders and other educational professionals. Data are collected at four transition points
detailed in Exhibit 2.3.a.
Key unit assessments at the advanced level require that candidates demonstrate an in-depth
understanding of knowledge in their fields per professional, state and institutional standards.
Assessments conducted in common core courses devoted to diversity, student learning and
cognition, along with the research required of all candidates, measure their capacity to reflect on
their practice in diverse communities, analyze data and use research and technology to support and
improve student learning and other professional outcomes, per state and professional standards and
guided by the CoE conceptual framework. As indicated in Exhibit 1.3.d Aggregate Data on Unit
Proficiencies Chart, all advanced programs assess candidates' knowledge and skills related to 1.
Inquiry; 2. Content Knowledge; 3. Professional Planning; 4. Application in the Field; 5.
Professional Impact. These data demonstrate that advanced candidates are critical thinkers and
pedagogical leaders who can synthesize and use research to have a positive professional impact on
learners and their families in intercultural, real-world settings.
Comprehensive exams at the advanced levels require students to demonstrate general proficiencies
and program-specific content through prompts that demand critical analysis and synthesis.
Assessments related to advanced field and clinical placements show candidates' ability to apply
these proficiencies in diverse settings and bring research to bear on such work. The doctoral
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dissertation assesses Ed.D. candidates' breadth of knowledge concerning the field of Curriculum
and Instruction, in-depth knowledge of specialization areas and proficiencies, and skills related to
conducting educational research. The unit also conducts completer exit surveys and employer
surveys. Programs for which SPA standards exist conduct additional assessments aligned with SPA
standards.
In relation to national standards, our Master of Education-Counseling and Guidance program is
accredited by CACREP. Three of our advanced programs are fully recognized. Our Master of
Education-Educational Leadership District Leadership Level and our Master of EducationEducational Leadership Building Leadership Level Programs are fully recognized by ELCC. Our
Master of Education-Educational Technology program is fully recognized by AECT. Our three
Advanced Special Education programs are recognized with conditions by CEC and have
resubmitted for full recognition.
Our M.Ed's in Bilingual Education, M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, and Ed.D. in Curriculum
and Instruction do not have SPA standards but have conducted comprehensive program reviews.
The results are available in Exhibit 1.3A.
The M.Ed. in Bilingual Education with emphases on bilingual education and ESL focuses on
preparing candidates in second language acquisition, current issues in bilingual/ESL education,
literacy and biliteracy, models of effective practice, professionalism, linguistics, advocacy,
research, and assessment. The bilingual M.Ed. emphasizes the application of knowledge and skills
for bilingual teachers to meet the needs of their bilingual students. All the courses deal with our
Latino population in the Rio Grande Valley and work directly to meet the educational needs of the
students in the area. Graduates from the program have developed the needed competence to serve
as bilingual lead teachers and bilingual supervisors. Candidates' knowledge and skills are
demonstrated through seven assessments aligned with TESOL standards adapted by faculty to
reflect an advanced level of expected proficiency, and to target instruction to meet critical national
needs regarding bilingual educators and leaders. Program standards are aligned with professional
standards and the unit's conceptual framework and are addressed through seven assessments that
demonstrate candidates' knowledge, skills and dispositions (detailed in Exhibit 1.3.a).
The Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction prepares master teachers and graduates
with instructional and curriculum development expertise to be leaders, mentors and peer coaches,
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and the ability to conduct high-quality research in curriculum and pedagogy in their chosen field.
The program was designed in response to South Texas school districts' need for discipline-based
leaders in curriculum and instruction, particularly in math and science. M.Ed. in C&I standards are
addressed through six assessments (detailed in Exhibit 1.3.a).
The Ed.D in C & I program was designed to be a model program in the different specializations it
offers. Current specializations in Bilingual Education, Educational Leadership, Educational
Technology, and Higher Education are designed to meet student needs as well as regional, national
and international expectations. The doctoral program also connects to UTB's mission statement in
that it meets the needs of the region by supporting leadership and professional training as well as
curriculum development. The doctoral program engages in research looking at best practices and
their application to improving curriculum in a structured fashion. The Ed.D. program standards are
aligned with the unit's conceptual framework and are addressed through six assessments (detailed
1.1.f
Student Learning for Other School Professionals
Summarize processes for development and outcomes from key assessments based on other school
professionals’ demonstration of abilities to create and maintain positive environments, as
appropriate to their professional responsibilities, which support student learning in educational
settings. [6,000 characters]
A key feature of all advanced programs is their emphasis on professional praxis in which key
assessments not only measure candidate's knowledge and skills, but also measure the degree to
which candidates are able to apply their emerging expertise to critical educational issues and put
this to use by having a positive impact on teaching and learning and/or their profession. All
advanced programs assess candidates' professional impact (Please see Exhibit 1.3.d Aggregate Data
on Unit Proficiencies Chart. For example, candidates in the Master's in Special Education program
demonstrate their ability to collect information about students' cognitive, behavioral, and
achievement levels of functioning through formal evaluations in which candidates are provided
feedback from certified site supervisors and university faculty with certification in the field.
Candidates in the Master's in Counseling and Guidance demonstrate their ability to develop a
comprehensive developmental school counseling and guidance program for a school district. This
project allows students the opportunity to analyze campus data to help them help others in their role
as school counselor. As part of a key assessment, M.Ed. Bilingual Education candidates work with
small groups of ELLs applying strategies learned in the class. They evaluate the effectiveness of the
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research based strategies by collecting artifacts form the student. They then analyze the effect of the
strategies on student learning. This is compiled and reported in a portfolio.
At the Doctoral level, candidates demonstrate an impact on their community through servicelearning projects that are part of the required sociocultural core-course. This assignment requires
that candidates use data to identify a community issue related to diversity and develop a project that
addresses this issue in a culturally relevant way. Doctoral students demonstrate their capacity to
have a professional and scholarly impact on the field of curriculum through inquiry by developing
and presenting a presentation at a national curriculum conference.
Advanced candidates demonstrate a positive impact on their professional communities of practice
in a myriad of ways addressing a broad spectrum of issues and needs united by central themes of
teaching, leading and learning in linguistically diverse, intercultural contexts. Inquiry plays a key
role in this impact as advanced candidates across all advanced programs are required to
demonstrate their ability to use and conduct research to advance education in terms of theory and
practice. Aggregate Data related to advanced candidates professional impact are available in
Exhibit1.3.d Aggregate Data on Unit Proficiencies Chart. Detailed data regarding advanced
candidates' capacity to apply strategies for improving student learning within the context of their
specific professional context is available in SPA reports in AIMS and in Exhibit 1.3.a.
1.1.g
Professional Dispositions for All Candidates
Summarize processes for development and outcomes from key assessments based on candidates’
demonstration of professional dispositions expected by the unit. [6,000 characters]
Professional Dispositions are evaluated by CoE faculty and professional staff such as the Director
of Field Experiences, and the Associate Dean. The dispositions have been identified as essential
characteristics of a highly skilled professional. The key indicators of and proficiencies related to
professional dispositions are assessed at four major transition points for initial programs: (1)
admission to teacher-education, (2) Coursework in PPR and Core Courses, (3) Admission to
Student Teaching, and (4) Conclusion of Student Teaching.
Likewise, for advance programs there will be for transition points were graduate students will have
their dispositions evaluated: (1) Admission to Graduate School, where program candidates
acknowledge the dispositions, (2) Evaluation by faculty of program candidates in the three core
courses, (3) Key program courses by respective faculty, and (4) Application for Comprehensive
examinations. At this point, faculty will rate students and the students will rate themselves.
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Program areas would be free to assess additional dispositions deemed necessary for the particular
field.
Note, a Dispositional Concern Report may be completed when a concern arises at points other than
the key transition points by faculty and professional staff. In addition, it is recommended to
conduct post-program evaluation of candidate dispositions gathered through employer surveys
The following unit dispositions are adapted (with permission) from Rinaldo V. & Foote, C aligned
with guiding principles of our conceptual framework:

Pedagogical Leadership-The candidate demonstrates a commitment to students and believes
that all students can learn.

Maintains confidentiality in all matters and student records

Demonstrates enthusiasm toward teaching and/or learning new and or challenging
material.

Believes that all students can learn.

Demonstrates an understanding of, and compliance with laws and policies for teaching
and learning.

Maintains professional/appropriate appearance.

Experiments and evaluates various techniques of professional practices

Demonstrates enthusiasm for innovation

Demonstrates academic honesty.

Maintains high expectations for self and others, attends ongoing professional
development and shares this learning with others.

Models advocacy for all learners.
Interrelatedness-The candidate demonstrates a commitment to the profession and adheres to
the legal and ethical standards in teaching and advanced programs.
•
Collaborates with other professional educators, families, and/or engages the community.
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•
Participates in professional and scholarly organizations and networks.
•
Models ethical and professional social behavior within discipline specific standards.
•
Demonstrates compassion for those experiencing difficulty.
Interculturalism-The candidate demonstrates acceptance of other cultures and viewpoints.
•
Accounts for individual and cultural differences within discipline specific contexts.
•
Uses tools for intercultural interactions.
•
Prepares materials that acknowledge various challenges within discipline specific contexts.
•
Demonstrates patience/flexibility with self or others.
•
Demonstrates behaviors that exemplify recognition and promotion of diverse opinions
and perspectives of individuals and groups.
Inquiry-The candidate demonstrates critical thinking and reflective practices.
•
Demonstrates the ability to think problems through in a critical manner.
•
Engages in critical thinking about educational issues.
•
Participates in scholarly activities
•
Self-assesses personal progress over time.
•
Uses inquiry to reflect and act on educational dilemmas and problems.
We piloted the Candidate Disposition Survey and fall 2012. We have formal processes for making
sure candidate are exposed to our unit's dispositional expectations, procedures for flagging and
responding to areas of concern as well as policy relating to student appeals. As of summer 2013, no
candidate has yet been flagged. Data regarding dispositions can be found in Exhibit 1.3.f.
1.1.h
Follow Up Studies
Summarize results from follow-up studies of graduates and employers regarding your teacher
education graduates' content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and skills, professional
and pedagogical knowledge and skills, ability to help all students learn, and professional
dispositions. [6,000 characters]
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The CoE regularly solicits feedback from students, graduates, and employers of our graduates. We
participate in ongoing research regarding the effectiveness of our programs through the following
exit and follow-up studies:

State Level Follow Up Studies:
o Principal Survey: The purpose of this state survey is to evaluate the effectiveness
of Texas educator preparation program in preparing new teachers. This survey is
populated by individual teacher and made available for principals in May each year.
This data will not be available from the state until mid-fall 2013

Institutional Level:
o UTB Bachelor Degree Information Survey:
http://www.utb.edu/its/olt/SACS/Pages/default.asp
o UTB Graduate Information Survey
http://www.utb.edu/its/olt/SACS/Pages/default.aspx
•Unit Level Exit and Follow Up Studies

Campus Administrator Survey Of UTB College of Education Certified
Teachers: At the end of each calendar year, the Office of Field Experience and
Clinical Practice sends surveys to administrators of schools in which our new
graduates (1-3 years) work. This survey asks 17 questions focusing on the degree to
which our unit prepared candidates with the knowledge, skills and dispositions
teachers need to be effective in today's classrooms.

UTB College of Education Mentor Teacher Survey: P-12 school-based faculty
who serve as mentor teachers are surveyed on a semesterly basis to provide
feedback on the performance of student teachers. The survey consists of 13 likert
and open ended response questions dealing with mentor teachers' perception of
candidate preparedness in key areas such as instructional technology, pedagogy,
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professional responsibility, diversity and capacity for parental involvement. In
general, survey results indicate that mentor candidates were prepared in each area.
o UTB College of Education Student Teacher Survey of Program
Experiences: As they exit our teacher preparation program, candidates are
surveyed through 8 likert and open-ended questions regarding the degree to
which they feel unit programs prepared them for teaching in today's schools.
In general, data indicate that our teacher candidates feel well prepared with
the knowledge skills and dispositions to help all students learn. The survey
indicates they felt slightly less prepared regarding parent involvement.
o UTB College of Education Teacher Candidate Survey of
Program/Practicum Experience: Upon culmination of clinical teaching,
candidates are surveyed about their clinical teaching experience. The survey
consists of 14 likert and open ended response questions dealing with the
degree to which their program prepared them for the professional and
pedagogical responsibilities of student teaching. Data indicate that, in
general, candidates felt well prepared for clinical teaching. Nearly 98% of
candidates responded that they were able to implement and adjust
appropriate instructional strategies that resulted in student learning during
their clinical teaching.

Additional Program- Specific Follow-up and Exit Surveys: Our unit encourages
individual programs to conduct their own follow-up surveys assessing program
effectiveness and gathering other data that informs program decisions. Some
examples include:
o Graduate Survey M.Ed. Bilingual Education: This survey was sent to all
graduates in the last 4 years up to fall 2012. Six out 24 responded. Eighty
three percent of respondents were teachers before entering the program. One
was not working. All respondents strongly agreed that the coursework in the
Master's in Bilingual education prepared them well to use appropriate
strategies when teaching ELLs, advocate for ELLs and their families, and
assess students' knowledge and language abilities. Most of the graduates
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also strongly agreed that the course work helped them develop expertise in
bilingual education, shared their expertise with their peers; create a positive
environment for student learning, and to be more effective in the classroom.
o Counseling and Guidance Employer Survey: The supervisors/employers
of Counseling and Guidance graduates were surveyed March 2013. Fortyfive questions assessed their perception and evaluation of graduates'
knowledge, skills, and attributes. Knowledge and skills were assessed
among the eight common core areas identified by professional standards. In
summary, the results indicate counseling graduates having an above average
level of knowledge and skill in the eight common core areas. Students also
were rated in the above average range in their personal and professional
attributes
o Principal Preparation Alumni Survey: This survey is administered to
alumni from our principal preparation program. The survey consists of 19
likert style questions as well as 1 open ended question that focus on the
degree to which program alumni feel prepared for their role as building-level
leaders. This survey also includes specific questions about the internship
aspect of the program. In general, data from this survey indicate that program
graduates felt the program prepared them well to serve in their role as school
leaders. One hundred percent of those surveyed responded that they felt they
were well prepared to effectively engage and work with parents and to lead
with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner. Likewise, 100% of
candidates reported that the internship provided them significant
opportunities to practice and develop skills learned through coursework.
Follow-up and exit studies concerning the degree to which we prepare teachers and other
educational professionals to have a positive impact on student learning are conducted at the state,
institutional, unit and program level. We survey employers, our school-based and community
partners, and our graduates concerning the effectiveness of their preparation as associated with
proficiencies identified in state and professional standards and research as central to effective
teaching, leadership and other professional outcomes.
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1.2
Moving Toward Target or Continuous Improvement
Please respond to 1.2.a if this is the standard on which the unit is moving to the target level. If it is
not the standard on which you are moving to the target level, respond to 1.2.b.
1.2.a Standard on which the unit is moving to the target level
 Describe areas of the standard at which the unit is currently performing at the target level
for each element of the standard. [12,000 characters]
 Summarize activities and their impact on candidate performance and program quality that
have led to target level performance. [12,000 characters]
 Discuss plans and timelines for attaining and/or sustaining target level performance as
articulated in this standard. [12,000 characters]
1.2.b Continuous Improvement [5,000 characters]
 Discuss plans for sustaining and enhancing performance through continuous improvement
as articulated in this standard.
With the exception of one subject area, all unit programs with SPA standards have been recognized
or recognized with conditions. This indicates that the teachers, leaders, and other educational
professionals we educate demonstrate knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions necessary to
meet professional standards. Plus, our state test scores are on the rise and our expectations for
candidate outcomes are also rising. In order to capitalize on this trend, we are planning to more fully
integrate all student outcome data into our data management system. Doing so, will require working
with the state to draw data concerning follow-up studies and other data about the impact our
teachers, leaders and other educational professionals are having on learners and broader
communities of practice.
Data from clinical teaching observations indicates that candidates are well prepared to have a
positive impact on P-12 student learning. But TWS data indicates that, although all candidates
scored high enough to pass, there is room for improvement in the areas of assessment, data analysis
and reflection. Our undergraduate curriculum is considering this data and redesigning courses to
improve outcomes related to these areas.
Though we have raised our pass rate considerably, we need to apply sustained attention to aligning
our curriculum to the P-12 content knowledge our candidates will be required to teach. For two
years, we have been redesigning our PPR sequence to ensure that elementary program candidates
have the pedagogical content knowledge needed to effectively teach in all content areas and that
secondary teachers have an in depth knowledge of research-based, content-specific teaching
methods related to the subjects they plan to teach. In fall 2013 we rolled out new courses designed
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to meet this need: 3355 (STEM Knowing and Learning); EDCI 4327(Elementary Social Studies and
English Language Arts); EDSC 4328 (secondary content pedagogy sectioned off by content area).
We also believe that these courses will help boost candidate outcomes on TExES content
examinations.
1.3
1.3.a
1.3.b
1.3.c
1.3.d
1.3.e
1.3.f
1.3.g
1.3.h
1.3.i
1.3.j
1.3.k
Exhibits for Standard 1
State program review documents and state findings (Some of these documents may be available
in AIMS.)
Title II reports submitted to the state for the previous three years
Key assessments and scoring guides used for assessing candidate learning against professional
and state standards as well as proficiencies identified in the unit’s conceptual framework (Some
of this information may be accessible for nationally recognized programs in AIMS. Cross
reference as appropriate.)
Aggregate data on key assessments, including proficiencies identified in the unit’s conceptual
framework (Data should be disaggregated by program and level regardless of location or
method of delivery.)
Key assessments and scoring guides used for assessing professional dispositions, including
fairness and the belief that all students can learn
Aggregate data on key assessments of candidates’ professional dispositions (Data should be
disaggregated by program and level regardless of location or method of delivery.)
Examples of candidates’ assessment and analysis of P-12 student learning
Examples of candidates’ work (e.g., portfolios at different proficiency levels) from programs
across the unit
Aggregate data on follow-up studies of graduates
Aggregate data on employer feedback on graduates
Data collected by state and/or national agencies on performance of educator preparation
programs and the effectiveness of their graduates in classrooms and schools, including student
achievement data, when available
Standard 2. Assessment System and Unit Evaluation
The unit has an assessment system that collects and analyzes data on the applicant qualifications, the
candidate and graduate performance, and unit operations to evaluate and improve the unit and its
programs.
2.1
Assessment System and Unit Evaluation
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2.1.a Assessment System
Summarize content, construct, process, and evaluation of the unit assessment system, its key
assessments in relation to professional, state, and institutional standards, and its use in monitoring
candidate performance, program quality, and unit operations. [6,000 characters]
Our unit assessment system provides regular and comprehensive data on program quality, unit
operations, and candidate performance throughout each stage of its programs. Unit assessments
share a common focus on cultivating highly skilled educational professionals based on professional,
state and institutional standards as guided by our conceptual framework. Our assessment structure
requires that initial and advanced candidates demonstrate key proficiencies through a variety of
formative and summative assessments at multiple junctures in all programs, as scored by program
faculty, clinical faculty and school partners. As a part of the continuous improvement process, data
are compiled and stored through Tk20, analyzed by faculty and assessment staff and shared with
relevant stakeholders, and then used to make program innovations that prepare better teachers,
leaders and other educational professionals.
Transition Points:
Both initial and advanced programs are structured by four transition points. Data are collected at
each transition point.
Initial Teacher Education Preparation Transition points
1. Transition Point 1: Admission to Teacher Educations.

Declared major

Completion of 60 hours

Completion of EDCI 1301 Introduction to the Teaching Profession & EDFR 2301
Sociocultural Context of Schooling

Writing Skills Test

Cumulative & Major GPA of 2.5

No grade lower than a C in coursework

Completion of Recognition of Professional Disposition Form
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
2. Transition Point 2: Required Teacher Education Course work and Program
Participation:

Required Teacher Preparation Coursework

EDCI 3330 Designing & Assessing Instruction to Promote Student Learning

EDCI 3314 Methods of Teaching Math & Science

EPSY4322 Human Development & Student Learning

EDCI 4327 Methods of Teaching Elementary Social Studies & English Language Arts

EDCI 4328 Implementing & Assessing Effective Secondary Content Pedagogy
(Sectioned by Program Content Area)

*Individual programs have additional course requirements

Professional Disposition Survey Assessment (4)

Completion of Abbreviated TWS (EDCI 4322, EDCI 4327 & EDCI 4328)
3. Transition Point 3: Admission to Student Teaching

Completion of prerequisites & field experience hours

Senior standing (90 semester hours)

Passing score on TExES Content and PPR Exams

Proficient Professional Dispositional Assessments

Cumulative GPA of 2.5

No grade lower than a C in Teacher Preparation
4. Transition Point 4:.Graduation & Recommendation for Certification
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
Successful Student Teaching Evaluations (6)

Successful Completion of TWS

Proficient Exit Professional Disposition Assessment

Completion of Student Teaching Hours

Competent Student Teaching Evaluations

Passing Score on TWS

State Exit Survey

Employer Surveys
Assessments in teacher education course work require candidates to demonstrate content
knowledge, general pedagogical knowledge and skills , knowledge and skills related to contentspecific pedagogy, and professional dispositions, all aligned with our conceptual framework. Upper
level field experiences assess students’ capacity to put this into practice in actual classrooms, and
thru the Abbreviated Teacher Work Sample, measure and reflect upon their impact on student
learning. In order to ensure that candidates are prepared to have a positive impact on student
learning during student teaching, candidates are required to pass TExES Content and PPR Exams
and demonstrate proficiency in each professional disposition assessed by unit faculty through the
Professional Disposition Survey.
During student teaching, candidates demonstrate their ability to apply content knowledge and
pedagogical knowledge to positively influence student learning thru 6 student Teaching Evaluations
modeled after the Texas Professional Development and Appraisal System (PDAS) conducted by
field supervisors and cooperating teachers. The full TWS completed during student teaching
provides a valid and reliable measure of candidate proficiency in all of the preceding areas as well
as candidate’s impact on student learning. In order to monitor the effectiveness of our program and
our graduates, the unit draws from the Candidate Exit Surveys, Principal Surveys administered thru
ASEP as well as other follow-up studies that provide data regarding candidate success in the
classroom and other relevant professional education settings (Please see Exhibits 1.3.1 and 1.3.j)
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Key unit transition points at the advanced level are as follows at follows:
1. Transition Point 1: Admission to Advanced Programs

Master’s:
o Undergraduate GPA of 3.0, or over 3.0 in the last 60 hours of
o undergraduate study
o Applicants whose undergraduate GPA in the last 60 credit hours

is less than 3.0 must submit official Graduate Record
o Examination (GRE) scores above 150 Verbal, 141 Quantitative,

and 4.0 Analytical
o Curriculum Vita or Resume

Ed. D.
o Grad GPA: 3.25
o GRE within last 5 years
o Five years of experience in education or related fields
o
Verification of 3 years teaching experience at accredited institution
o TOEFL passing score of 600 paper test and 100 Internet based

test for foreign applicants from non-English speaking countries
o Professional Statement
o Résumé or curriculum vita
o 3 letters of recommendation

Completion of Recognition of Professional Disposition Form
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
*Additional Requirements vary by program.
2. Transition Point 2: Program Coursework

Master’s:
o EDFR 6300 Foundations of Research in Education
o EPSY 6304 Human Development and Student Learning
o EDFR 6388 Sociocultural Foundations of Education/ Couns. 6364 Multicultural
Counseling

Ed.D.
o EPSY 8318 Advanced Applications of Human Development and Cognition
o EDFR 8322 Advanced Sociocultural Foundations for Education
o EDFR 8300 Research Methods in Education

Professional Disposition Survey(4)
3. Transition Point 3: Comprehensive Exam and/or Transition into Internship

Completion of prerequisite coursework

Field experience hours where applicable.

Proficient Level Professional Disposition Assessment

Program Specific Internship Requirement

Ed.D.: Pass Comprehensive Exam
4. Transition Point 4:.Compleion/Graduation

Meet all degree requirements

Masters: Pass Comprehensive Exam
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
Ed.D: Successfully defend dissertation

Employer Surveys

Completer Surveys
Key unit assessments at the advanced level require that candidates demonstrate an in-depth
understanding of knowledge in their fields as delineated in professional, state, and institutional
standards. Additionally, all advanced candidates are required to demonstrate their belief that all
students can learn as well as a commitment to fairness and other dispositions aligned with relevant
professional standards thru the Professional Disposition Survey, which is administered at multiple
junctures throughout programs by multiple faculty members.
Assessments conducted in common core courses devoted to diversity, student learning and cognition,
and research that is required of all master’s and doctoral level candidates, measure candidates'
capacity to analyze data related to their work, reflect on practice and use research and technology to
support and improve student learning and other professional outcomes, as aligned with state and
professional standards and guided by the CoE conceptual framework.
Comprehensive exams at the master’s and doctoral levels require students to demonstrate these
proficiencies as well as program-specific content through prompts that demand critical analysis and
synthesis. Assessments related to advanced field and clinical placements measure candidates’ ability
to apply these proficiencies in relevant professional settings as well as candidates' ability to bring
research to bear on such work (Please see Exhibit 3.3.f). The Doctoral Dissertation assesses
advanced candidates breadth of knowledge concerning the field of Curriculum & Instruction, indepth knowledge of their specialization area and proficiencies and skills related to conducting
original research aimed at educational improvement and/or innovation. Completer exit surveys and
employer surveys are also conducted.
Additionally, all initial programs and advanced programs for which SPA standards exist conduct
additional assessments aligned with relevant SPA standards. Data from unit and program
assessments are regularly and systematically compiled, aggregated, summarized, analyzed and
shared publicly on our website, through our advisory groups, and through semesterly data summits.
This is then used to make improvements in candidate performance, program quality and unit
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operations. Our multi-tiered assessment committee structure reviews and refines unit assessments to
establish the fairness, accuracy and consistency, and to combat bias.
2.1.b Data Collection, Analysis, and Evaluation
Summarize processes, timelines, and outcomes of data collection, analysis, and evaluation of
candidate performance, program quality, and unit operations. [8,000 characters]
Our current assessment system operates across three interrelated levels: assessment of candidates,
assessment of programs and unit operations assessment. In accordance with the policies, procedures
and schedule described in Exhibit 2.3.d., these data are regularly and systematically compiled,
aggregated, summarized, analyzed and shared with the public with the aim of boosting candidate
performance and improving program quality and unit operations.
Candidate Performance Data
Our unit regularly compiles, aggregates, summarizes and analyzes data concerning candidate
progress through a variety of key unit assessments that measure candidate proficiencies aligned with
our conceptual framework and state and professional standards. Our assessment system also
consists of course-level assessments such as work samples, micro-teaching, research papers, case
study analysis, performance-based projects, examinations and reflective writing, used to assess
candidate progress between transition points and beyond key assessments. This is reflected in syllabi
in Exhibit 1.5.b which show how professional education courses and their assessments align with
our conceptual framework and relevant professional standards.
Candidate performance data are collected, stored and summarized primarily through Tk20. This
data-management system also integrates data such as enrollment and GPA from institutional
databases such as DATATEL with course-related and faculty-performance data from Blackboard
Outcomes. Tk20 is coordinated by the CoE Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Development
(OIED), which oversees and monitors the collection, compilation, aggregation and disaggregation of
unit and program-assessment data. OIED also works with the Office of Teacher Preparation and
Accountability to facilitate state reporting (such as Title II reports) regarding candidate performance.
Data from our assessment system is shared with CoE faculty and relevant CLA and CSMT faculty at
data summits held at the start of each semester. Data is shared with our school partners and with the
broader community through the Teacher Education Council, the Lower Rio Grande Valley Teacher
Education Advisory Council, student and community advisory committees and our website. Each of
these venues provides academic and administrative units feedback on academic programs, activities
and other key issues related to the effectiveness of our unit.
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Program Data
Program-level data are regularly compiled, summarized, aggregated and analyzed, and are used to
make program modifications primarily through the process of external (SPA) and internal program
review as well as state review where relevant. Our unit offers nineteen initial programs leading to
teacher certification. Of these programs, four are nationally accredited by NASM and thirteen are
recognized with conditions (RWC) by their (SPAs), and are resubmitting for full recognition.
At the advanced level, our master-level counseling programs are nationally accredited by CACREP.
The Master of Educational Technology program is fully recognized by AECT. The Master of
Education-Educational Leadership at both the district and building levels are fully recognized by
ELCC. Our three master's-level specializations in Special Education are RWC by CEC. The master’s
Bilingual Education program and master’s C & I program do not have SPA standards, and neither
does the Ed.D. in C&I. These programs adhere to the same policies, practices and schedule of
rigorous program review, thus ensuring that credible data are consistently compiled analyzed, shared
and used to improve programs across our unit.
Unit Operation Data
The CoE OIED and the dean’s leadership team work together to coordinate data collection related to
unit operations. Together they collect, organize, maintain and analyze institutional and other data
used to support college strategic planning, decision making, and management and institutional
evaluation. Currently our unit evaluation plan is built on assessment of administrator and faculty
effectiveness and productivity, departmental assessments, program-level assessment, and summative
assessment regarding candidate proficiencies. Data gathered toward this end include: regional
accreditation data, demographic analysis, general retention data, credit-hour production data,
external fund reports, resource-allocation data, annual faculty review, dean evaluation, department
chair evaluation, faculty workload and program-improvement plans. The unit then uses this
assessment data to make improvements in mission-critical areas—especially teaching and
learning—but also for critical areas of institutional improvement, faculty enhancement, accreditation
and accountability.
A Culture of Assessment
Faculty play a central role in tending to the unit’s assessment system and fostering the unit’s
emerging culture of assessment. In addition to designing, refining and conducting many of the
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assessments upon which the unit-assessment system relies, faculty provide leadership to guide unit
assessment and in the data-driven decisions that result. The unit has established three faculty-led
assessment committees. The Unit Assessment Committee (UAC) established in Fall 2013 meets twice a
semester and is composed of faculty representatives from the CoE, College of Liberal Arts (CLA), and the
College of Science, Mathematics and Technology (CSMT). It is responsible for overseeing, coordinating and
evaluating unit- assessment policies and procedures. This includes reviewing procedures and practices
for managing student complaints. Our unit has two complaint policies. With each, complaints are
addressed first by either the departmental chairs or the CoE associate dean, and then by the CoE
dean, who maintains confidential files concerning complaints and their resolution. The CoE has a
general appeal policy and one specifically for dispositions. The latter also involves an ad hoc
committee deployed specifically for dispositional concerns. These work in tandem with UTB’s
general appeals policy. The policies are available in Exhibit 2.3.e.
The CoE Assessment Committee is led by and composed of CoE faculty (who also serve as departmental
assessment committee chairs) and relevant resource people. This committee meets at least twice monthly to
review and analyze unit, program and candidate assessments, and to strategize ways to improve CoE
assessment practices. It also plays a pivotal role in planning semesterly data summits devoted to sharing and
further analyzing data from unit and program assessments and then considering program changes in response
to those data. The four departmental assessment committees meet as needed to monitor data collection and
provide ongoing technical assistance regarding assessment to faculty in their relevant departments.
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These committees collaborate with faculty and the professional community to regularly evaluate the
capacity and effectiveness of the assessment system.
Much of our work to ensure fairness and reduce bias is done through building a culture of
assessment that meets student, program and unit needs, and is guided by the American Association
of Higher Education-sponsored publication Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student
Learning (1991). Toward that end, the unit works to make course expectations clear through syllabi
that state outcomes and include rubrics to measure them. Upon entrance into a program, students are
introduced to program expectations and our unit dispositions, and are assessed multiple times by a
multiplicity of raters over the course of the program. Unit expectations and the processes for academic
and non-academic appeals are available in the CoE Student Handbook, Teacher Candidate Handbook, CoE
Doctoral Handbook, Principalship Handbook, Counseling Handbook and the. Additionally, the CoE has
student grievance procedures specific to teacher education and dispositional concerns (Please see Exhibit
2.3.e.).
Each assessment committee, along with OIED, plays a pivotal role in monitoring the quality of assessments
in terms of fairness, accuracy, consistency and bias. The UAC is in charge of regularly reviewing
assessment policies and practices for fairness, accuracy and bias, as well as the impact of our unit
assessments on our diverse pool of teacher and other educational profession candidates. The CoE
assessment committee provides ongoing examination and feedback regarding the accuracy of
rubrics and fairness of raters along with the data generated through these instruments and
evaluations. The committee reviews proposed assessment changes and offers recommendations for
additional modification that might improve fairness and accuracy and eliminate bias, while also
evaluating instruments in terms of their accuracy, validity and utility.
Beyond these committees, it is a growing unit-wide expectation that the CoE leadership team and
program faculty meet regularly to discuss key assessments, evaluate that work, and develop and
eventually conduct research about the fairness, validity and reliability of program assessments.
2.1.c Use of Data for Program Improvement
Summarize processes, timelines, activities, and outcomes derived from use of data for program
improvement of candidate performance, program quality, and unit operations. [8,000 characters]
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Data-Driven Processes and Activities Aimed at Continuous Improvement
Our unit regularly and systematically uses data to improve the effectiveness of its programs and unit
operations and to ensure that we are generating highly skilled professionals poised to help all
students learn. The figure below provides a summary of our unit’s continuous improvement process
through which—guided by our conceptual framework—we assess, evaluate and improve programs
and unit operations as well as the unit assessment system itself.
Our process for continuous improvement is guided by our conceptual framework, which in turn is
reciprocally influenced by the process of continuous improvement itself. Through the process of
program review guided by SPAs, we currently use results from candidate assessments to evaluate
and make program and unit improvements on a semesterly-basis, while simultaneously using such
results to evaluate and modify individual assessments at the unit and program level and evaluate and
adjust the assessment system as a whole.
Our unit assessment system has grown significantly more systematic with the adoption of Tk20 in
fall 2011. Housed in OIED, this electronic data-management system now includes a broad array of
formative and summative program assessments linked with professional, state and unit standards. A
unit priority is to increase the functionality of Tk20 and build the capacity of students, faculty, staff
and the professional community to use it to reflect on performance, evaluate programs, make
improvements and generate studies that explore the effects of this change. Tk20 training for faculty
and staff is offered each semester, while ongoing technical assistance is offered to faculty, staff,
students and relevant professional community partners by OIED staff as well as through
Departmental Assessment Committees.
In order to begin better utilizing Tk20 for shared, data-guided decision making and providing
opportunities for sharing data across programs and departments, we began having data summits at
the start of each semester. In fall 2012, our first data summit—guided by external consultant Dean
Charles Love—focused on dispositional data and resulted in the development and implementation of
our Professional Dispositions Survey.. Subsequent summits held spring 2013 and fall 2013 focused
on external assessments such as the TExES exams scores and internal assessments regarding field
and clinical experiences. These required data summits utilize internally Tk20-generated reports
along with additional external data, and provide all faculty regular opportunities to review data and
develop plans for improvement based on data. Summit participants are encouraged to complete Use
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of Assessment Data Forms in Tk20 and schedule additional program-level meetings (two per
semester) to continue their search for stronger relationships among assessment data and performance,
and to refine plans for improvement based on this data.
Examples of Data-driven Improvements
As our assessment system is becoming more comprehensive, improvements and outcomes derived
from use of data for improvement of candidate performance, program quality and unit operations are
becoming more evident. Specific examples of program changes made in response to data are in SPA
reports available in AIMs as well as in Exhibit 2.3.g program-level changes are available in Aims
SPA reports and internal review of program without SPA standards. Analysis of external and internal
data has yielded other important unit improvements as well.
TExES Pass-Rate Increase
In spring 2011, trend data concerning completer pass rates of TExES content and EC-12 PPR exams,
combined with changes in state reporting processes, did not bode well for our completer pass rate.
During the summer of 2011, the Office of Teacher Preparation and Accountability worked with
OIED to develop a new curricular trajectory that would require initial candidates to pass exams
before student teaching, and ensure that candidates were fully prepared to have a positive effect on
student learning during their clinical teaching experience. During fall 2011 this new trajectory was
presented to faculty and advisory panels for discussion. It was implemented in fall 2012. Our pass
rate is steadily on the rise as a result. Please see Exhibit 2.3.g for a full diagram of this change as
well as a description of other data-driven program changes.
Content Pedagogy Knowledge and Skills Although our pass rate is steadily rising, TExES content
tests still pose a real challenge for many of our students. In response, we drew from research on best
practices of teacher education that demonstrate a positive relationship among instruction in contentspecific pedagogy and candidates' level of content knowledge as well as their ability to integrate this
into effective instruction. We created two new field-based content pedagogy courses taught by
qualified faculty and instructors. Now all initial candidates are required to take field-based courses
in content pedagogy as well as general pedagogy courses. Elementary candidates take contentspecific pedagogy courses in Math and Science (EDCI 3314) and Social Studies and Language Arts
(EDCI 4327). Secondary candidates take a field-based secondary content pedagogy course (EDCI
4328), which is sectioned out to allow students to focus on implementing and assessing content
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pedagogy in their area of certification. This change included developing a position, recruiting and
hiring a new tenure-track assistant professor of C&I specializing in Social Studies Education.
Impact on Student Learning
Student-teaching evaluation data have consistently demonstrated a high level of candidate
proficiency in knowledge, skills and dispositions across domains of planning and preparation:
nurturing a positive classroom environment; designing, implementing and assessing instruction; and
professional responsibilities. Yet these evaluations do not provide an adequate assessment of our
candidates' impact on student learning during clinical teaching. In response to this dearth of data, we
piloted the Teacher Work Sample in fall 2011 with two cadres of student teachers. The TWS is a
performance-based assessment through which teacher candidates demonstrate proficiencies related
to planning and implementing standards-based instruction, while also assessing and reflecting on the
candidates' impact on student learning during clinical teaching.
The completion of the TWS was made a required part of clinical teaching in fall 2012. Students
receive TWS training as part of their student-teaching orientation session. Additional training
coordinated by the Office of Field and Clinical Experience, which coaches students through specific
aspects of the TWS, occur throughout the semester of clinical teaching. University supervisors also
provide ongoing TWS assistance. CoE faculty, university supervisors, school-based mentors and
other professional partners serve as raters. All raters receive general TWS training and specialized
rater calibration aimed at bias amelioration prior to each scoring session, a process coordinated by
the CoE assessment committee.
Results from TWS administered in 2012 indicated consistent weaknesses related to assessment of
student learning and data analysis as well as inconsistent performance in the contextual factors,
design for instruction and reflection sections. As a result, an abbreviated TWS (ATWS) assignment
was integrated first into required a field-based course. Starting in fall 2013, the ATWS is required as
part of content pedagogy courses. The ATWS also serves as a formative, unit-based assessment used
to evaluate candidate knowledge and skills related to planning, implementing and assessing effective
instruction prior to clinical teaching. This new unit-wide emphasis on a consistent approach to
designing and differentiating instruction as measured in the ATWS better prepares candidates to
have a positive impact on student learning during their clinical teaching and beyond.
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Interrelatedness
One of the four guiding principles of our conceptual framework is interrelatedness. As we began the
process of external program review, it became clear that while our program assessments were strong,
our curriculum needed some connective tissue across programs and across undergraduate, master’s
and doctoral levels in order to sculpt a set of unit-wide assessments that provided evidence of
common knowledge, skills and dispositions among programs as well as within them.. In response to
these results, and guided by our conceptual framework, in spring 2012 a faculty-led curriculum
committee developed a set of foundational courses at initial and advanced levels, focusing on
student learning and cognition, intercultural foundations and inquiry.

Core Courses
Initial Level:
o Sociocultural Foundations: EDFR 2301 Intercultural Contexts of Schooling
o Student Learning: EPSY 4322 Human Development and Student Learning
o Research: Clinical Teaching
Master’s:
o Sociocultural Foundations : EDFR 6388 Sociocultural Foundations of
Education/Couns. 6364 Multicultural Counseling
o Student Learning: EPSY 6304 Human Development and Student Learning
o Research: EDFR 6300 Foundations of Research in Education
Doctoral
o Sociocultural Foundations: EDFR 8322 Advanced Sociocultural Foundations for
Education
o Student Learning: EPSY 8318 Advanced Applications of Human Development and
Cognition
o Research: EDFR 8300 Research Methods in Education
These courses were added to the programs of study in fall of 2012. This set of courses serves as a
sort of curricular commons where CoE students from across programs interact and exchange
disciplinary expertise while gaining knowledge, skills and dispositions in key foundational areas
central to being highly skilled professionals in the field of education. Each of these courses is
working with the CoE assessment committee to develop and/or modify common assessments across
sections that might provide unit-level assessment data linked across programs and levels.
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2.2
Moving Toward Target or Continuous Improvement
Please respond to 2.2.a if this is the standard on which the unit is moving to the target level. If it is
not the standard on which you are moving to the target level, respond to 2.2.b.
2.2.a Standard on which the unit is moving to the target level
 Describe areas of the standard at which the unit is currently performing at the target level
for each element of the standard. [12,000 characters]
 Summarize activities and their impact on candidate performance and program quality that
have led to target level performance. [12,000 characters]
 Discuss plans and timelines for attaining and/or sustaining target level performance as
articulated in this standard. [12,000 characters]
2.2.b Continuous Improvement [5,000 characters]
 Discuss plans for sustaining and enhancing performance through continuous improvement
as articulated in this standard.
At the heart of our assessment system is rigorous program review. All programs and nearly every
faculty member who is part of these programs that prepare teachers and other educational
professionals has been directly engaged in a rigorous, data-driven study of their strengths and
challenges related to candidate performance. Assessment is now part of the rhythm of professional
life for our unit. As the capacity and effectiveness of our assessment system matures, we have
identified several key areas for sustaining continuous improvement and enhancing performance.
Sustaining and Expanding Tk20
Tk20 has been central to our increasingly systematic collection, compilation, aggregation and
summarization of data and has greatly improved the unit’s ability to analyze and use data to improve
candidate performance, program quality and unit operations. So far we have mostly utilized Tk20 to
manage data related to assessments and scoring guides that form foundation NCATE’s process of
program review. Additionally, we will be seeking ways to connect data from our assessment system
with those of the state, and/or our school partners’ performance data in order to better evaluate the
effectiveness of the highly skilled teachers and other professionals we generate and thus improve
outcomes. Finally, Tk20 has functionalities that pertain to advisement and field and clinical
experiences. Our Office of Field and Clinical Experience and student-teaching staff as well as some
advisers have begun training in these functionalities. By expanding our use of Tk20 to include its
broad range of functionalities, we increase the coherence and utility of our assessment system as a
whole while increasing the accessibility of relevant data for students, school partners and the
broader professional community with whom we collaborate.
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Expanding Procedures to Ensure Fairness, Consistency, Accuracy and Avoidance of Bias
One of the keys to strengthening the relationship between performance assessments and candidate
success in our program, and later in professional contexts, is the regular evaluation and modification
of our key assessments. Our assessment committee structure (unit, CoE, departmental) lends itself to
such evaluation. Since all but three of our programs have been through SPA review and all but two
have been fully recognized or recognized with conditions, and given our adherence to basic
principles of quality assessment, our assessment committees have proceeded with measured
confidence in the relationship between our assessments and performance. Going forward, however,
these committees are continually searching for stronger relationships in our evaluation of our
assessments and the system as a whole. Most immediately, we are expanding efforts toward
ensuring fairness and accuracy of our capstone assessments. In spring 2014 the CoE assessment
committee is planning to launch inter-rater reliability studies of TWS data and data related to
comprehensive exams and portfolios at advanced levels. Additional ways of continuously improving
our assessment system that we are exploring include:

developing guidelines for constructing rubrics and other new, unit-wide tools for use in the
evaluation of key assessments.

collaborating with partner schools and other professional communities to develop a series of
mutual professional development opportunities designed to improve assessment reliability, validity,
fairness and utility.

exploring the feasibility of conducting collaborative research with peer institutions to
evaluate and improve assessment practices and the strength of their relationship to outcomes.
Utilizing Data to Improve and Innovate
Program review data from all of our programs demonstrates that we regularly assess candidates’
content knowledge, planning, skills demonstrated during clinical practice and their impact on
student learning. Important outcomes of clinical practice of other school professionals are also
regularly assessed. Similarly, program reviews provide data demonstrating that all of our
programs have used data to inform decisions regarding curriculum, instruction, faculty
assignments and candidate performance. Less prevalent is data regarding the way our new
disposition assessment has led to program changes. This is an area all assessment committee
members agree needs further study. Likewise, while we have used data from program
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assessments measuring what students know and can do to make program decisions, we have not
yet had the opportunity to take a comprehensive look at the impact of these changes and identify
unintended consequences. This process is central to our continuous improvement. As our
assessment system matures, studying unintended as well as intended consequences will become
a twin feature of program modification and innovation.
2.3
Exhibits for Standard 2
2.3.a
2.3.b
2.3.c
2.3.d
2.3.e
2.3.f
2.3.g
Description of the unit’s assessment system including the requirements and key assessments
used at transition points
Admission criteria and data from key assessments used for entry to programs
Policies, procedures, and practices for ensuring that key assessments of candidate performance
and evaluations of program quality and unit operations are fair, accurate, consistent, and free of
bias
Policies, procedures, and practices for ensuring that data are regularly collected, compiled,
aggregated, summarized, analyzed, and used for continuous improvement
Policies, procedures and practices for managing candidate complaints
File of candidate complaints and the unit’s responses and resolutions (This information should
be available during the onsite visit)
Examples of significant changes made to courses, programs, and the unit in response to data
gathered from the assessment system
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Standard 3. Field Experiences and Clinical Practice
The unit and its school partners design, implement, and evaluate field experiences and clinical practice
so that teacher candidates and other school professionals develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills,
and professional dispositions necessary to help all students learn.
3.1
Field Experiences and Clinical Practice
3.1.a Collaboration Between Unit and School Partners
Summarize processes and outcomes of collaboration between unit and school partners in the design,
delivery, and evaluation of field and clinical experiences, and in sharing of responsibilities,
resources, and expertise. [6,000 characters]
Field experience and clinical practice play an integral role in preparing teachers, leaders and other
highly skilled educational professionals ready to help all students learn. The UTB Office of Field
Experience and Clinical Practice (OFECP) relies on a diverse network of school and community
partnerships to support a constellation of purposeful field experiences requiring initial and advanced
candidates to observe, assist and participate in service-learning projects; and instruct, assess and
conduct research in a variety of settings as part of their coursework throughout their program. Guided
by our conceptual framework, strong clinical collaborations between the unit and school partners help
us work together to transform P-12 classrooms and other educational settings into intercultural
laboratories for democracy, where candidates are fully immersed in relevant learning communities and
have an opportunity to put their knowledge, skills and dispositions—chief among them the belief that
all students can learn—into action improving student outcomes.
The undergraduate initial teacher preparation program includes extensive field and clinical
experiences culminating in fourteen weeks of clinical teaching in an accredited EC-12 program. Preservice candidates are placed in any of fifteen partnership districts to complete required field
experiences outlined in the Teacher Candidate Handbook. Likewise, field experiences in advanced
programs include coursework that require candidates to participate in a variety of capacities, often in
their own classrooms or schools. Clinical experiences for leaders and other school professionals
engage advanced candidate in closely supervised, sustained practicums and internships that allow
candidates to assume the professional role for which they are preparing.
Instructors of courses that include field observations and field experience request assistance from
the OFECP to obtain placements. Each campus has a designated contact person with whom our unit
works closely to assure the most appropriate classroom placements, including placements for other
educational professionals. Unit faculty and campus administrators have a strong history of working
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together effectively to provide initial candidates with a variety of experiences that help them
develop competence necessary to begin careers as teachers. Such collaborations provide candidates
in advanced programs opportunities to deepen their understanding of education, hone professional
skills and broaden their ability to apply these skills assessing and improving student-learning
outcomes. These partnerships also help support doctoral candidates design and conduct research in
real-world settings. Additionally, clinical faculty work closely with school-based faculty and
administrators to jointly supervise initial and advanced field and clinical experiences.
The OFECP works to sustain long-standing partnerships while cultivating new ones. As indicated
above, the CoE has a long tradition of collaborating with school districts across the Lower Rio
Grande Valley. In order to deepen these partnerships through a codified set of shared expectations,
we have developed MOUs with fifteen partner districts.
Please see exhibit 3.3.a for a listing of our partners and sample MOUs. These MOUs work to clarify
the roles and responsibilities of UTB candidates, clinical faculty and mentor teachers, while helping
foster shared expectations and outcomes. For example, these MOUs outline the qualifications
necessary to serve as a mentor teacher. Using this document as a guide, the director of Field
Experiences and Clinical Practice, our associate dean/certification officer and advanced program
faculty (where applicable) work with school district partners to identify mentor teachers and other
professionals who will provide the best possible field experiences for teacher candidates, as well as
for candidates from programs for other educational professionals.
In addition to these school-based partnerships, our unit collaborates with colleagues from other
colleges across our institution and broader communities of practice through the Teacher Advisory
Council (TEC) and the Lower Rio Grande Valley Teacher Education Advisory Council. These
collaborative groups provide valuable input regarding the design, implantation and evaluation of our
professional programs and field and clinical experiences. They also help identify shared professional
development needs and opportunities. The TEC, meeting a minimum of four times a year, evaluates
and recommends curriculum changes, and formulates and establishes policies and procedures related
to program design and initial placement of teacher candidates in clinical and field experience. The
TEC also oversees CoE admission processes, considers and recommends curricular changes, and
reviews our teacher preparation program’s TEA accreditation status.
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The Lower Rio Grande Valley Teacher Education Advisory Board helps to identify the knowledge
and dispositions most desired in a novice teacher to meet the needs of our diverse population of
students, and lends assistance with recommendations for modifying and improving the teacher
education program. Using TEA data about the performance of teachers in their first three years of
employment, along with data collected from clinical faculty and mentor teachers, the LRGV Teacher
Education Advisory Council and the TEC explore ways to modify our programs and field and
clinical experiences so that they better prepare teachers, leaders and other educational professionals
to excel in a variety of capacities. The unit and these groups also work together to identify and
prioritize local educational challenges and find ways to leverage our combined strengths and
resources to meet these challenges in innovative and effective ways.
3.1.b Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Field Experiences and Clinical Practices
Summarize the design, implementation, and evaluation of field experiences and clinical practices;
expectations for mentors and supervisors; and outcomes of candidates in meeting proficiencies
outlined in the unit's conceptual framework, state standards, and professional standards during their
field and clinical experiences. [8,000 characters]
Guided by our conceptual framework, unit field and clinical experiences allow initial and advanced
candidates to apply and reflect upon content, pedagogical and professional knowledge in a variety of
capacities in a diversity of fruitful settings. Expectations for candidates, university supervisors
(clinical faculty) and mentor teachers (school-based faculty) are aligned with professional and state
standards; developed and evaluated in collaboration with our local communities of practice; and
clearly articulated and updated regularly in policy handbooks and reinforced through professional
development. These expectations are rigorous, relevant and geared to our candidates’ positive impact
on P-12 outcomes.
Initial Programs
In initial programs, field experience begins as soon as teacher candidates are accepted into the CoE.
All candidates complete rigorous field observations, field experience and field-based courses. Three
courses early in the PPR sequence require students to conduct a minimum of ten hours of observation
in a classroom setting. Upper-level field experience courses require a minimum of fifteen hours per
course in a classroom setting. These experiences provide candidates a multiplicity of opportunities to
apply and reflect on their content, professional and pedagogical knowledge through a scaffolded set of
activities, including observation, assisting with classroom tasks, tutoring, test preparation, servicelearning activities and micro-teaching and action research. During the field experiences prior to the
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clinical teaching, candidates are observed and evaluated by instructors at least once per course.
More observations are conducted if the candidate does not approach standards. Also, each candidate
completes an abbreviated TWS in which they provide evidence of their ability to plan, implement,
differentiate and assess their own instruction and analyze its impact on student learning.
The use of technology is a fundamental requirement in these pedagogy courses. Based on individual
program requirements, candidates receive training in EDUCU 2303, which provides them with
experiences in the use of computer applications to improve student learning. Hardware such as
laptops, clickers, projectors and Smart Boards and relevant software are available to be used during
field experiences for lesson preparation and implementation.
This sequence of scaffolded field experiences culminates in clinical teaching, which consists of 560
hours teaching in a TEA-accredited district, charter or private school. Details regarding the entrance
and exit requirements for clinical teaching can be found in Exhibit 3.3.g and in the Teacher Candidate
Handbook. Candidates collaborate with, and are evaluated by, mentor teachers throughout clinical
teaching. Mentor teachers must hold a Texas Teaching Certificate in the content area they are
teaching, be recommended by the principal and approved by the director of Field Experience and
Clinical Practice. Additional qualifications for school-based faculty include:

Minimum of three years classroom teaching experience

Recognition as a masterful teacher

Record of positive impact on student achievement

Willingness to work with student teacher

Completion of district and UTB mentor training
The unit provides mentor training and other mentor-specific information on the Office of Field
Experience and Clinical Practice Mentor Page.
In addition to teachers, candidates are supervised by a clinical faculty supervisor with a minimum of a
master’s degree, with Texas State certification in teaching and a minimum of three years of classroom
teaching experience in a P-12 setting. Field-based specialists and university supervisors are educators
with advanced degrees and teaching experience. The university-level clinical faculty members
(student teacher supervisors) are accomplished school professionals with doctoral or master’s
degrees. Adjunct student teacher supervisors are certified teachers and must have a master’s degree.
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Candidates receive formative and summative evaluations of their clinical work throughout the
program. During clinical teaching, candidates are observed a total of eight times by supervisors and
mentor teachers. Observers provide timely feedback to candidates through joint, reflective
conferences. Mid term, formative and summative conferences are held with the candidate, the field
supervisor and mentor teacher. These are documented in the Teacher Candidate Supervisor/Mentor
Observation Documentation, the Mentor/Intern Conference Record, and in the Supervisor and
Mentor Final Report forms. Candidates rate supervisors’ ability to provide useful feedback for
continuous improvement.
Advanced Level
Field and clinical experiences in advanced programs participate in field experiences that require them
to connect theory to practice through critical reflection on their own practice and evaluation of the
educational practice of others with whom they collaborate and conduct research. Clinical practice at
the advanced level requires candidates to design, implement and evaluate projects related to the
professional roles for which they are preparing. Master’s candidates in counseling perform twenty
hours of clinical practice at a school, twenty hours at the university’s Community Counseling Clinic
and sixty additional counseling hours. This is conducted during the required practicum course and two
required internship courses.
The master’s in Educational Leadership culminates with clinical practice in the form of an internship
as an assistant principal or curriculum specialist in a school district, charter or private school. This
practicum requires 160 graduate hours in the field, closely supervised by full-time school personnel
and a university supervisor. The internship includes three-way conferences, reflections and graded
assignments, similar to those of the student teaching practicum but with the higher expectations
regarding critical analysis and research. A related program is the Superintendency Certificate, offered
to degree candidates in Educational Leadership upon completion of five additional courses, including
an additional internship in a superintendent setting.
The Special Education master’s programs also require clinical practice. Candidates can choose to
either volunteer or work in an educational setting or agency that supports students with
exceptionalities. The professor provides extensive supervision during systematic data collection.
Candidates “conduct field-based functional behavior analysis and provide recommendations for
interventions” to improve behavioral outcomes. Candidates are required to discuss and assess their
own work in light of research. Site supervisors for advanced counseling and guidance candidates
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must hold a master’s degree and a school counselor certification, and have a minimum of two years
professional experience. School-based supervisors for advanced candidates in Special Education are
certified with a minimum of two years of classroom experience. In advanced leadership programs,
mentors for principal interns are practicing principals with Texas teaching and principal certification.
Mentors for the superintendentcy hold Texas superintendent certification and are superintendents in
the districts where the candidates intern.
Other advanced programs, such as the master's in C&I, the master's in Ed. Tech, and the master's in
Bilingual Ed. embed field experiences, often including action research, in discipline-specific courses
coordinated by individual faculty. With direct supervision from dissertation advisors, Ed.D. candidates
conduct field-based research that explores real-world problems and solutions related to teaching and
learning in intercultural contexts.
3.1.c Candidates’ Development and Demonstration of Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Dispositions
to Help All Students Learn
Summarize proficiency expectations and processes for development during field experiences and
clinical practices; and outcomes based on demonstration of knowledge, skills, and professional
dispositions to help all students learn. [8,000 characters]
Candidates in field and clinical experiences demonstrate mastery of the content, pedagogical and
professional knowledge and skills they need to help promote learning among all students. Per our
conceptual framework, learner diversity and interculturalism is a focus of programs at initial and
advance levels.
Enrollment data for the last four semesters indicate that the CoE has an average of ninety-seven
teacher candidates per semester with 97 percent completing their clinical placements. In terms of
advanced programs, master’s candidates engage in clinical practice during their final semester as
dictated by their respective programs of study. Enrollment data for the last three semesters indicate
that the CoE has an average of forty-six advanced students engaged in clinical practice. Data include
only advanced programs related to certification areas. Data from SPA reports in AIMS (master’s in
Ed. Tech) and in the master's of C & I, Bilingual Education and Ed.D program reviews included in
Exhibit 1. 3a indicate that more advanced candidates actually engage in course-based field
experiences coordinated by individual faculty. Among the forty-six advanced clinical participants,
there is a 100 percent completion rate in the courses identified for clinical practice, i.e., practicum
and internships.
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Teacher candidates enrolled in the initial teacher-education courses are required to demonstrate
knowledge, skills and professional dispositions through a variety of data sources designed to assist
students by completing a variety of field experience activities, including the planning and delivering
of lessons while completing assignments in the field. This includes observations and field placements
designed to provide opportunities for the students to work in a variety of classroom situations, such
as working with students one on one and small/large group instruction. Instruction/practice for
developing a TWS is outlined and presented in the PPR classes (EDCI 3355 (U-Teach); EDCI 4327
(elementary); and EDSC 4328 (secondary) prior to enrolling in Clinical Teaching. In addition,
evidence of knowledge and skills linked to field experiences can be found in the TExES Standards
Alignment Matrices for Initial Teacher Certification Programs.
Formative and summative assessments of initial candidates enrolled in student teaching are
accomplished using the Teacher Candidate Supervisor/Mentor Observation Report. Four main
clusters are assessed for each candidate: (1) Planning and Preparation for Instruction, (2) The
Classroom Environment, (3)) Instruction, and (4) Professional Responsibilities. A measure of
content/pedagogical knowledge and the effect on student learning is assessed through the use of the
Teacher Work Sample. Teacher candidates complete a performance assessment (Teacher Work
Sample) that provides a reliable and valid measure of candidates’ impact on student learning The
Teacher Work Sample contains seven teaching processes identified by research and best practice as
integral to improving student learning. Professional dispositions are assessed at different transition
points in the program.
CoE advanced programs have comprehensive plans to assess for knowledge, skills and dispositions.
The capstone clinical experience for principals provides students with log forms to reflect about their
learning and experiences. Logs are submitted to the university supervisor and campus principal on a
weekly basis. The weekly logs and reflection forms require each intern to reflect on the weekly
assignments and activities. In addition, students complete seven common assessments, which provide
data for program evaluation and help guide curricular changes. Assessments consist of three contentbased assessments and four professional-skills assessments across each program (principal and
superintendent). Assessments are placed strategically in specific courses and are part of the course
requirements. The capstone clinical superintendent experience also follows a similar format and
process. The assessments provide data for program evaluation and help guide curricular changes.
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Assessments are placed strategically in specific courses and are part of the course requirements. For
advanced special education, candidates' data is available from multiple sources. Data are specifically
gathered from standardized licensure exams (TExES exam), yearly comprehensive exams and case
studies from clinical practice. Other graduates (Behavioral Specialists, for example) are required to
conduct additional activities within the practicum to demonstrate proficiency. In the School
Counseling Program, data from specific items include “goodness of fit” review, mid- and final
evaluations completed by site supervisors and faculty, Counseling Session Skills Scale, employers
surveys, live observations and campus visits. these all combine to demonstrate candidates’ knowledge,
skills and professional dispositions for helping all students learn.
Reflection and feedback is encouraged throughout initial and advanced clinical experiences.
Candidates are encouraged to be reflective learners. Students evaluate their own performance and are
evaluated by their mentor and university supervisor. Initial candidates are required to self-reflect four
times during clinical teaching using the Teacher Candidate Supervisor/Mentor Observation
Documentation form. University supervisors, mentor teachers and candidates reflect jointly twice
during the clinical teaching experience via required three-way conferences that occur at midway and
at the end of the semester. Students also participate in mandatory workshops, TWS training sessions,
licensure review exams and school district trainings.
Reflection is emphasized at the advanced level as well. Principal/superintendent: Interns are asked to
reflect and receive feedback in a weekly log that is submitted to the campus/district and university
supervisor. Additionally, interns complete the Principal/Superintendent Internship Plan with campus
internship/university supervisors. Principals complete a Building Level Licensure Internship
Evaluation Form. Counseling and Guidance candidates complete a total of 700 field hours over the
course of three semesters of practicum and internships: COUN 6365, COUN 6369, and COUN 6372.
Candidates complete activity logs, self-assessments and bi-weekly journal reflections, and participate
in weekly 90-minute group supervision and hour-long individual/triadic supervision meetings during
clinical practice. At these meetings, candidates receive peer and clinical faculty feedback and reflect
on their progress as related to expected clinical practice competencies. Continuous feedback is also
provided by a skills assessment and a mid and final evaluation of students completed by university
faculty.
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Field experiences with diverse populations such as refugee, immigrant, religious minority, gay and
lesbian, bilingual, second language learner and low socioeconomic children and families offer our
students the opportunity to develop proficiencies that support the learning of all students. Various
assignments require candidates to respond to the diversity in these P-12 classrooms and demonstrate
proficiencies related to adapting instruction to help all students learn. Feedback from field supervisors
and evaluations incorporate understandings of diversity.
3.2
Moving Toward Target or Continuous Improvement
Please respond to 4.2.a if this is the standard on which the unit is moving to the target level. If it is
not the standard on which you are moving to the target level, respond to 4.2.b.
3.2.a Standard on which the unit is moving to the target level
 Describe areas of the standard at which the unit is currently performing at the target level
for each element of the standard. [12,000 characters]
 Summarize activities and their impact on candidate performance and program quality that
have led to target level performance. [12,000 characters]
 Discuss plans and timelines for attaining and/or sustaining target level performance as
articulated in this standard. [12,000 characters]
The collaboration between the unit and school partners is strong. School partners welcome our
clinical practicing students as well as students fulfilling the required field experience hours. Mentor
teachers assigned to our clinical-teaching students provide guidance and support in helping our
students to strengthen their professional skills. Although on target, we are working on refining our
placement procedures, working closely with school site principals and the human resource
departments in each of our partner districts.
In fall 2012, the CoE implemented the requirement that students seeking admission into the teaching
practicum (student teaching) had to have passed their state required exams. This initially caused the
number of applicants to drop a bit, but with each semester the numbers are steadily increasing. The
increase in quality of the teacher candidates is noticeable, which affirms that the decision that was
made was the right choice. Students demonstrate a higher level of professionalism and a greater
sense of self efficacy. School site administrators, mentor teachers, and the unit supervisors have all
commented on the changes they have witnessed. The implementation of the Teacher Work Sample
(TWS) in spring 2012 is another activity that has helped to strengthen the skills of our students.
Each semester the delivery of information and the results of each students work show continuous
growth.
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In response to unit operation data, and in order to enhance unit performance and candidate outcomes
related to field experiences and clinical practice, we have restructured our field experience office.
The former charge of the Office of Student Teaching and Field Experiences included coordinating
field experiences and clinical practice; implementing and monitoring teacher-education admission
and advising processes; and receiving, reviewing and validating certification eligibility, including
that of advanced candidates. This office has also been responsible for reporting duties such as Title
II, TEA and Texas Legislative Budget Board Reporting. Current best practices relevant to the
preparation of teachers, leaders and other education professionals clearly demonstrate the centrality
that well-coordinated, purposeful and plentiful field experience and clinical practice play in educator
effectiveness. Through our self-study process, analysis of unit operations data indicated that this
office was already too disproportionally engaged in processes central to teacher preparation and
certification to effectively expand and enhance the depth of existing practice related to field and
clinical experiences to the degree the unit is striving for. As a result, in summer 2013 faculty from
the NCATE Executive Council (NEC) made the recommendation that the Office of Field
Experience and Clinical Practice be restructured as a stand-alone office. This proposed restructuring
was accepted by the institution. The new office dedicated to enhancing field and clinical practice
across programs at the initial and advance levels is being established fall 2013.
We are also actively working to redesign existing collaborative professional development efforts
into a more systematic approach that leverages the expertise as well as meets the needs of the school
partners with whom we work through field and clinical experiences. Our CoE technology committee
is actively engaged in identifying ways in which technology can help us build a more agile network
of shared professional development.
Starting in fall 2013, plans to initiate contact with each of our participating school district's
superintendents and key human resource personnel, in order to explore and identify refinement
strategies in our placement procedures for both clinical teaching and field experience students, will
be our primary focus. We plan to begin setting up these meetings during fall 2013.Our timeline
shows that by fall 2014 our placement procedures will be showing a positive change, reflecting a
deeper level of collaboration. We will also discuss the selection of high-quality mentor teachers.
School-site administration will have earlier access to information of our CoE placement needs well
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in advance, so that they have the time to identify, select and confirm the mentors for teacher
candidates one semester prior to official placements. Our unit will conduct mentor training, and with
this in place we will be able to see a higher quality of mentoring taking place for our teacher
candidates. The undergraduate curriculum committee will be working on the revision of our
documents, which include the observation forms for teacher candidates and interns. Handbooks for
teacher candidates, mentor teachers, supervisors and interns are another task for the committee to
address. It is anticipated that by fall 2014 the above documents should have been updated.
Our timeline is as follows:
3.2.b Continuous Improvement [5,000 characters]
 Discuss plans for sustaining and enhancing performance through continuous improvement
as articulated in this standard.
3.3
Exhibits for Standard 3
3.3.a
3.3.b
3.3.c
3.3.d
3.3.e
Examples across programs of collaborative activities between unit and P-12 schools to support
the design, implementation, and evaluation of field experiences and clinical practice, including
memoranda of understanding
Aggregate data on candidate placement in field experiences and clinical practice (Data should
be disaggregated by program and level regardless of location or method of delivery.)
Criteria for the selection of clinical faculty, which includes both higher education and P–12
school faculty
Examples of support and evaluation of clinical faculty across programs
Guidelines/ handbooks on field experiences and clinical practice for candidates, and clinical
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3.3.f
3.3.g
faculty, including support provided by the unit and opportunities for feedback and reflection
Assessment instruments and scoring guides used for and data collected from field experiences
and clinical practice for all programs, including use of technology for teaching and learning
(These assessments may be included in program review documents or the exhibits for Standard
1. Cross reference as appropriate.)
Aggregate data on candidates entering and exiting from clinical practice for all programs (These
assessments may be included in program review documents or the exhibits for Standard 1.
Cross reference as appropriate.)
Standard 4. Diversity
The unit designs, implements, and evaluates curriculum and provides experiences for candidates to
acquire and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions necessary to help all
students learn. Assessments indicate that candidates can demonstrate and apply proficiencies related to
diversity. Experiences provided for candidates include working with diverse populations, including
higher education and P-12 school faculty; candidates; and students in P-12 schools.
4.1
Diversity
4.1.a Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Curriculum and Experiences
Summarize the design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum and experiences; descriptions
of and processes for development of diversity proficiencies; and the outcomes based on key
assessments. [8,000 characters]
Diversity is an explicit part of the vision and mission statements of our institution, our programs of
study and our syllabi. English language learners and students with exceptionalities are primary areas
of attention at our institution. UTB is a Hispanic Serving Institution, a mission that influences our
programs and will continue to do so, as we learn to even better serve our diverse community. In
2010, UTB conducted an extensive investigation of diversity within the first year of college as part of
the Foundations of Excellence Report, a project with the Gardner Institute for Excellence in
Undergraduate Education. Based on numerous surveys, interviews and focus groups, the report finds a
strong foundation for diversity within curricular and extra-curricular activities. For report details, see
Foundations of Excellence Report. The university’s general-education core curriculum requires a
selection of courses that are designed to expose first-year university students to diverse subjects,
people and ideas. For details, see Gen. Ed, Core.
Diversity is apparent across the course catalog of professional education courses at initial and
advanced levels. It infuses faculty and doctoral student research. Our conceptual framework is based
in four core guiding principles of interculturalism, interrelatedness, inquiry and pedagogical leadership.
Diversity in teaching and learning is promoted through each principle. A key unit aim is to help our
linguistically and culturally diverse students develop into teachers, leaders and other educational
professionals who can apply their knowledge and skills related to diversity to help all students learn.
Throughout coursework, candidates demonstrate their ability to respond to diverse populations.
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Undergraduate and graduate courses include capstone courses, internships and practicums working
with diverse populations. These diverse populations include refugee, immigrant, bilingual, special
military populations and low socioeconomic families in colonias. In education coursework, faculty
consistently emphasize the need to be cognizant of diverse backgrounds and cultures different from
the candidates’ own.
Diversity within curriculum was assessed by comparing a) the official descriptions and learning
objectives of the courses; b) faculty-submitted official syllabi; and c) faculty-created assignments
which promote understanding of diversity (see Table 1, below, and appendix A). We found that
diversity is an emphasis within programs at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels, spread
across many areas of curriculum. We are generally satisfied with the effectiveness of our diversity
curriculum, especially in relation to English learners and students with exceptionalities. In the faculty
survey of diversity assignments (although not all courses have been documented; we received surveys
from twenty-six professors), we found that candidates complete robust assignments related to multiple
aspects of diversity at every level and in almost every program, with one exception. Exhibit 4.3.b.
includes a curricular matrix of courses that include a primary focus on the elements of race, gender,
sexual orientation, native language, religion, students with exceptionalities, and/or geographic origin.
Findings indicate the teacher-preparation program incorporates required courses covering special
education, multicultural education, and bi-literacy and/or English learners. Each program requires a
human growth and development course that incorporates the concepts of interculturalism, pedagogy
and exceptionalities as well as individual family characteristics. Guided by the conceptual framework
for initial and advanced programs, course syllabi include opportunities for candidates to engage in
professional opportunities, service-learning and research projects that enhance their understanding of
diverse populations. This entails the skills, knowledge and dispositions that help educators recognize
the impact of social, cultural, economic and political systems on daily school life, and to capitalize on
the potential of school to minimize inequities. All academic programs have integrated learning
experiences that provide candidates with opportunities to work with second language learners, special
needs, culturally diverse and geographically unique bi-national populations. These practicums,
internships and service-learning opportunities provide candidates’ varied opportunities to recognize
and support learners’ intellectual, social and personal growth, and support learners with special needs.
Every year, candidates are required to complete a survey before graduation. The candidates’ mentors
are also surveyed. Overall, the survey indicates candidates believe they are well prepared to address
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diversity in the classroom, and their campus mentors (the certified P-12 teachers in charge of
classrooms where our candidates are placed) agree. On the surveys, candidates and mentors
overwhelmingly gave high ratings in the areas of race and ethnicity, gender, special needs and
socioeconomic status. For example, 94.8 percent of candidates know how to work effectively with
students of varying socioeconomic status, according to their mentors. The mentors believe 87.9
percent of candidates are well prepared to deal with diverse native languages. This is somewhat higher
than candidate self ratings: 73.5 percent of candidates say they are well prepared for diverse native
languages. Survey comments suggest that while candidates show proficiency in ESL methods, some
critique their own limited proficiency in Spanish.
Written comments from candidates and mentors clearly reinforce the results shown in the tables.
Candidates felt competent to deal with the majority of diversity issues, even when situations were
more difficult than expected, such as when candidates encountered homeless elementary students.
Dozens of candidates and mentors described responsive curriculum for English learners and
accommodations or modifications for students with exceptionalities. For English learners and students
with exceptionalities, candidates successfully implemented knowledge from course professors as well
as from their campus mentors. Concerning sexual orientation and religion, candidates often followed
their campus mentors’ examples, possibly because of a lack of classroom preparation in these areas.
The breadth of description show how important diversity issues are in our P-12 classrooms. They also
show we are already producing candidates with proficiency in working with diverse students. Exhibit
4.3.a provides a thorough summary and analysis of these findings.
There are unique geographic variables of diversity in the region that we serve. The university is
located across the border with Mexico and on the Gulf of Mexico. Programs have access to the
cultural and social richness of a transnational, intercultural area. Candidates learn about the complex
challenges and opportunities of border settings through theory, practice and field experience working
with children representing ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds. As part of curriculum at
all levels and all programs, our education candidates have opportunities to interact with diverse
children and families. Furthermore, advanced candidates work professionally in diverse classrooms,
and are required to reflect upon their work experiences as part of curriculum throughout their
programs.
4.1.b Experiences Working with Diverse Faculty
Summarize opportunities and experiences for candidates to work with diverse faculty;
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qualifications and expertise of faculty in supporting candidates in their development of expected
proficiencies; and the unit’s affirmation of the value and efforts to increase or maintain faculty
diversity. [8,000 characters]
Candidates at all levels have an opportunity to work with diverse faculty within the CoE as well as
throughout UTB. Across programs in all education departments, half of the faculty members are
people of color. Over the course of their programs, every candidate has the opportunity to work with
and learn from diverse faculty—female and male, white and Latino. Additionally, a majority of
candidates take classes from Asian American faculty, and from faculty who trained in many different
regions of the U.S. Many programs also include significant interaction with faculty from many
different countries. The educational technology programs and the bilingual programs, especially, have
attracted strong international faculty at the undergraduate and graduate level. Our online and hybrid
(online/in-person/video conference) programs include significant interaction with these same faculty.
Some courses include off-campus locations, which are either attended by regular faculty or connected
to regular faculty via video conference Students at video conference locations in Houston are visited
by faculty in person at least once per semester. Students at video conference locations in South Texas
are visited by faculty at least twice per semester.
Compared to college-based faculty, our school-based faculty are more likely to be Latino, and more
likely to be female. We place counseling candidates, student teachers and other candidates with
diverse school-based faculty, who have knowledge and experience with diverse students.
The CoE provides opportunities for professional development and service to the profession. Faculty
members attend and present their diversity research at numerous national and international
conferences centered on aspects of diversity. These annual conferences include:

American Educational Research Association (in Division G: Social Context of Education;
Special Education Research SIG; and other diversity-oriented areas)

National Association for Bilingual Education

National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies

Council for Exceptional Children

Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages

Council for Learning Disabilities

The National Curriculum & Pedagogy Group
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
National Latino Psychological Association

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association

National Association of Hispanic and Latino Studies

Council for Exceptional Children

International Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies

American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education

Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Sciences

Bi-National Conference on Education (hosted by UTB College of Education)

American Translation and Interpreting Studies Conference
Unit faculty have served as reviewers and organizers for the first five conferences listed, while the last
two conferences listed are organized and hosted annually by UTB faculty. Given the demographics
and needs of the South Texas region, a majority of our diversity research is related to ethnicity and
English language learners. Further, we have faculty who work regularly with districts to create policy
that better serves diverse students. The focused areas of this collaborative work are English learners,
students of color and students with exceptionalities. Many of our faculty members have themselves
taught in diverse P-12 classrooms.
One group often neglected in discussions of diversity is the low socioeconomic population. The region
UTB serves has a large number of “colonias,” unincorporated neighborhoods that often lack basic
services. One colonia, Cameron Park, is the poorest census district in the U.S. Some faculty members
conduct research in Cameron Park and provide service-learning opportunities for our candidates. One
faculty member’s course is held at a tutorial center in this colonia, where candidates interact with
children and parents. Faculty CV indicate that poverty is addressed by a growing body of our research.
Results from our faculty survey of research on diversity are listed in Exhibit 4.3.d.
Anti-discrimination policies are followed in hiring faculty. This includes stipulations of federal and
state equal-opportunity standards, but explicitly extends to cover sexual orientation. A compliance
officer monitors the recruitment of diverse faculty, ensuring non-discrimination practices regarding
race, gender and sexual orientation. Additionally, UTB operates under its own Affirmative Action Plan,
with a rigorous system to monitor diversity in hiring, promotion and termination practices at every
level. This includes reporting and follow-up on all applications for all faculty positions. Our Non-
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Discrimination and Affirmative Action policies are disseminated in the Handbook of Operating
Procedures.
Potential faculty members are recruited nationally to get the broadest pool of applicants possible
through advertising (including full-page ads) in prominent publications like The Chronicle of Higher
Education and Educational Researcher. Positions are also distributed through job boards of various
professional organizations. We have recruited international scholars from Asia and Europe, such as our
dean. Half of our tenure-track faculty identify as people of color, while roughly 60 percent are female.
The majority of adjunct, clinical faculty who supervise candidates during their clinical teaching
experience identify as people of color. Partially due to the lack of a statistically significant local
community, the recruitment of African American faculty has not been successful, though we are
exploring other avenues of recruitment.
In Exhibit 4.3.d, data indicate that the Latino population is overrepresented in comparison to national
percentages but is close to the demographics of the state. African Americans, Native Americans, and
Alaska Natives are not represented in the CoE; these groups are similarly underrepresented in the
university and the region as a whole. Nonetheless, this is a clear area for improvement. So we are
reviewing recruitment practices across programs regarding African American and Native American
applicants for tenure-track positions. School faculty demographics are representative of the region.
Beyond the table, there is linguistic diversity within our faculty: of faculty involved in training the
candidates, at least a dozen participate in scholarly activities in Spanish and English, including
publications, international conference presentations and/or teaching. Many others are conversationally
fluent in Spanish. Geographic diversity is illustrated by the diverse countries of origin of
approximately fifteen faculty members from Mexico, Argentina, Spain, China, India, Germany,
Turkey or Taiwan. In addition to interacting with local faculty, candidates in our online graduate
programs in Educational Technology can take courses with adjunct faculty who live in Dallas/Fort
Worth, Laredo and Waco. Adjunct faculty contribute diverse perspectives and daily experiences.
4.1.c Experiences Working with Diverse Candidates
Summarize opportunities and experiences for candidates to work with diverse peers; and the unit’s
affirmation of the value and efforts to increase or maintain candidate diversity. [8,000 characters]
Ethnically, UTB is slightly more diverse than the surrounding community of South Texas and
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national student body, with many students crossing the border from Matamoros to attend class. UTB
is only 230 meters from the Rio Grande. Despite increased violence in the state of Tamaulipas, our
two cities remain inextricably linked (see
http://borderhealth.cr.usgs.gov/maps/Brn_Mata_census_250000.pdf). Because of this bi-national
character, and because of immigration from Mexico and other countries of Latin America, a large
percentage of our candidates are native Spanish speakers, and dozens study within either our
bilingual education or Spanish programs, which cultivate and require full academic literacy in
Spanish. The presence of rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs in two languages and two
cultures is a key aspect of diversity at UTB.
Candidates in our unit have opportunities to work with other candidates from diverse backgrounds.
While the majority of our teacher candidates identify as Hispanic and Latino, we embrace this as an
asset of the programs. Nationwide and statewide, teacher education programs consistently train low
numbers of Hispanic and Latino teachers in comparison to the proportion of Hispanic and Latino
students. Due to demographic trends, there will be even greater need for teachers who understand
the cultural and linguistic background of Hispanic and Latino students. Undergraduate and graduate
programs all allow for interaction across ethnic, cultural, linguistic, geographic and socioeconomic
lines. Our service area includes Cameron County and Hidalgo County, the two poorest counties in
the U.S. (among counties with population above 250,000). It also includes the municipality of
Matamoros, in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Matamoros is one of the poorest cities in Mexico. Many of our
candidates come from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and all have many opportunities to work
with candidates of low socioeconomic status. Many are first-generation U.S. citizens, and a majority
is first-generation college students.
Our Ed.D. program began as a cooperative effort between the University of Houston and the
UTB/TSC campus. This meant our graduate students did coursework both in Houston and here in
Brownsville, working with the very different populations of these two campuses. While the doctoral
program is now exclusively run by UTB, we have maintained this connection between candidates
from different places. Many of our master’s and doctoral candidates take video conference courses
connecting groups in Brownsville and Houston. For the first time, our newest Ed.D. cohort includes
graduate students from not only South Texas and Houston but also San Antonio. While these
candidates interact in person only occasionally, they interact online and via video conference every
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week, presenting to each other, critiquing each other’s work, etc. Candidates are able to learn from
classmates coming from very different educational contexts.
UTB programs attract candidates from the cities and towns of South Texas and Northeast Mexico. A
foundation of recruitment within Mexico is Texas’ reciprocal tuition agreement with Mexico. High
school graduates with financial need, from Tamaulipas and other states, may cross the border to attend
our university and pay in-state tuition rather than international tuition.
The university holds outreach events at local high schools, and buys advertising in print publications,
Internet publications, television and billboards. While most of these efforts are currently within Texas,
plans are underway to increase publicity within Mexico. Radio and television advertisements are
already reaching high school students in Mexico.
Individual faculty members from education and the sciences personally visit and recruit undergrads
and graduate students. This is often in the context of specific programs, such as finding candidates for
freshman STEM scholarships or for our rapidly growing Doctor of Education program. We offer the
only program for initial teacher preparation within sixty miles. This has led to a significant presence of
UTB alumni within local school districts, which also serves as an informal recruitment tool.
The Scorpion Ambassador Program recruits outstanding college students to lead outreach to high
school students and hosts campus tours in addition to other activities. High-schoolers in Brownsville
and Rio Hondo, both majority Hispanic/Latino districts, participate in Classic Upward Bound, which
yields results in student performance. Our Early College High School program enrolls high achieving
Hispanic/Latino students for college credit while they are still attending local high schools. This
creates significant visibility among high school students. The Veterans Center uses federal funding to
reach out to members and former members of the armed forces, providing extensive services geared
toward recruitment and retention of veterans.
Outreach among migrant students happens through our innovative C.A.M.P. program, which provides
full-ride scholarships, tutoring, mentorship, community-building and many other services. This
improves the retention and success of migrants and farm workers, who tend to have very low rates of
college completion. While none of these specifically recruit education majors, our education programs
regularly receive candidates through these programs.
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At UTB, the TRIO program provides academic support for low-income candidates, improving their
academic success and graduation rates. Our SSSP/Aspire program provides support to low- income as
well as first-generation students, and to students with disabilities. Candidates must participate at least
once a week, and must participate in cultural events and community service. SSSP/Aspire offers
counseling, mentoring, tutoring, workshops, advising, registration assistance and a staffed computer
lab from freshman year until a degree is awarded. They also offer grant aid, and assistance in
transferring or entering graduate school. Currently, 275 UTB students participate in this program.
Disability Services builds retention of students with exceptionalities by going beyond the mandated
services for young people, offering extensive assessment and study assistance for students of all ages
with various learning and developmental disabilities. Their activities include orientations for new
faculty about supporting special needs students, and open house events that provide information to
current and prospective students and their parents.
Student Health Services offers GLBT Counseling, a private space for UTB students to discuss “issues
related to acceptance of their sexual orientation by family members and other significant ones.” They
also organize gay and lesbian support groups for the campus community. Student Health Services
worked with the Dean of Students to provide faculty and staff training in the Safe Space program,
which is meant to provide places where students could find someone to listen and provide resources.
The previous student organization at UTB, the Gay-Straight Alliance, had a faculty advisor from the
CoE. The current student organization is called C.H.A.N.G.E., and is dedicated to “support and
advancement for the gay community.”
The CoE and UTB works to cultivate and support student diversity. Unit candidates benefit from these
efforts through their participation in multiple opportunities to interact with a diverse group of peers,
faculty and community members.
4.1.d Experiences Working with Diverse Students in P-12 Schools
Summarize opportunities and experiences for candidates to work with diverse students in P-12
schools; processes for the development of knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions related
to diversity; and outcomes based on key assessments during field experiences and clinical practice.
[8,000 characters]
Teacher candidates have the opportunity to work directly with diverse students in P-12 schools. The
majority of field experiences are in the Brownsville school district, a district where 95 percent of
students are low-income and identify as Hispanic or Latino. A third of these students are English
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learners. Field experience begins as soon as teacher candidates begin taking courses in the education
major as sophomores. They observe and work at various campuses across South Texas, at grade levels
and locations that vary each semester. Student experiences include observation, mentorship under the
school district teacher, one-on-one interaction with students, and assisting with classroom tasks.
Experience working with P-12 students culminates with student teaching. Teacher candidates have the
opportunity to work with male and female students, American-born and immigrant students, migrant
and non-migrant students, students with exceptionalities and gifted students, native English speakers
and native Spanish speakers. Additionally, some teacher candidates observe or student teach in
classrooms with students of various races, ethnicities, religions and sexual orientation. Within our
graduate programs are cohorts located within large cities in other parts of Texas who work with
significant populations of Asian, African American, and Native American students.
At the undergraduate level, it is common for Hispanic and Latino teacher candidates at UTB to work
with some white students, though mostly with Hispanic and Latino students. Yet it is important to note
that the general categories of “Hispanic” and “Latino” mask broad diversity. There are many Tejanos,
or Mexican Americans born in Texas, and Mexicans, born in Mexico. There are also students from
Cuba, Guatemala and elsewhere. Furthermore, there is significant diversity among Mexican
immigrants and Mexican Americans. Various assignments require candidates to account for and
respond to the diversity in these P-12 classrooms. Feedback from field supervisors and evaluations
incorporate understandings of diversity. In this way, the CoE ensures that teacher candidates not only
have the chance to work with diverse students, but that they actually take advantage of that
opportunity. Student teaching is the last component of the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities
course sequence. It is structured so that candidates are exposed to diverse ideas, values and cultures as
well as to demographic diversity. The candidate is expected to complete a full semester of work,
monitored by the mentor teacher and a university supervisor.
The unit has a wide spectrum of locations and types of schools where teacher candidates are placed for
field experience and clinical practice. These locations are chosen to provide maximum experience
with diversity, especially concerning cultural diversity, socioeconomic status, language proficiency
and exceptionalities. Altogether, some undergraduate candidates spend more than 650 hours in the
field before earning their degree and certificate. The CoE offers student teaching in the areas of
Elementary EC-6 ESL and Bilingual Generalist; Middle Grades 4-8 English Language Arts,
Mathematics, Science; Secondary Level 8-12 English Language Arts, Mathematics, History, Social
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Studies, and Science; all level EC-12 Kinesiology, Music, Spanish, and Special Education. Clinical
practice is required in the M.Ed. programs for counseling, educational leadership, early childhood and
special education. All candidates encounter students with exceptionalities during at least one of their
placements.
The UTB Office of Field Experience and Clinical Practice works in close partnership with thirteen
area public school districts and eighteen individual private and charter Schools. Brownsville ISD is the
largest district and is where most candidates do most of their field experience. Built in to the clinical
practicum is professional disposition towards diversity. Teacher candidates interact for many hours
with diverse students in many different classrooms before they begin their student teaching. All
candidates complete rigorous field observation, field experience and field-based courses. The three
required field-observation courses observe a classroom setting for a minimum of ten hours each. Field
experience courses include a minimum of fifteen hours per course in a classroom setting. Candidates
engage in activities including observing, tutoring and assessing diverse students. In the three fieldbased courses, every candidate designs, develops and presents lessons and assessments, teaching large
and small groups. Candidates are required to develop and exhibit professional dispositions related to
cultural diversity, socioeconomic inclusion, English learners and students with exceptionalities.
Civic mindedness is an integral part of the field observation and field experience. The CoE, HEB
grocery stores, and BISD partnered to create the HEB Read 3 Project. This project has created literacy
centers for “kinder readiness.” The program’s message to parents and caregivers is to read to young
children a minimum of three times a week. Nearly a third of Texas children enter first grade in poverty
and without knowledge of English. CoE candidates complete field observation hours in this program,
and additionally volunteer their time for the HEB Read 3 Project.
Candidates at the advanced level also interact in a diversity of field and clinical settings. Master’s
candidates in counseling perform twenty hours of clinical practice at a school, twenty hours at the
university’s Community Counseling Clinic and sixty additional counseling hours. Because the clinic is
free and open to the public, counseling candidates work directly with our diverse community.
Practicum and internship both assess understanding of “characteristics and concerns between and
within diverse groups nationally and internationally” and “strategies for working with diverse
populations and ethnic groups.” Candidates perform weekly self-assessments, peer observations and
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three-way conferences with professors and field supervisors, and keep detailed records of all
counseling, including documentation of all aspects of diversity.
The master’s in Educational Leadership culminates with clinical practice in the form of an internship
as an assistant principal or curriculum specialist in a school district, charter or private school. This
practicum consists of 160 graduate hours in the field. Most candidates are placed in high-poverty
schools, and all of the schools include significant numbers of English language learners. The
internship includes three-way conferences, reflections and graded assignments similar to those of the
student teaching practicum, but with the higher expectations of graduate work. Also similar to the
student teaching, candidates are assessed for their capable handling of all students, though especially
English language learners, students with exceptionalities and low income students, all within an
intercultural framework.
The Masters of Special Education Behavioral Specialist has its own practicum: a two-course sequence
focused on Applied Behavioral Analysis. Candidates either volunteer or work in an educational setting
or agency that supports students with exceptionalities. Candidates “conduct field-based functional
behavior analysis and provide recommendations for interventions” to improve behavioral outcomes.
Candidates are required to discuss and assess their own work in light of research.
A rich and rigorous sequence of diverse field experiences in a multiplicity of settings devoted to
teaching, leading and learning provide candidates the opportunity to interact with a linguistically
diverse, transnational and bi-cultural learning community in culturally meaningful ways that build
their capacity to help all students learn.
4.2
Moving Toward Target or Continuous Improvement
Please respond to 4.2.a if this is the standard on which the unit is moving to the target level. If it is
not the standard on which you are moving to the target level, respond to 4.2.b.
4.2.a Standard on which the unit is moving to the target level
 Describe areas of the standard at which the unit is currently performing at the target level
for each element of the standard. [12,000 characters]
 Summarize activities and their impact on candidate performance and program quality that
have led to target level performance. [12,000 characters]
 Discuss plans and timelines for attaining and/or sustaining target level performance as
articulated in this standard. [12,000 characters]
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4.2.b Continuous Improvement [5,000 characters]
 Discuss plans for sustaining and enhancing performance through continuous improvement
as articulated in this standard.

There is no significant effort to recruit or retain African American, Asian American or Native
American candidates. In the past, this has not been considered a priority, perhaps due to the very low
numbers of these groups in our region (at some P-12 schools, there are none at all). One outcome of
our committee’s work is the recognition that some of our region’s underrepresented groups—
specifically, African American, Asian American and Native American students—should not be ignored
simply because there are not many of them. An institution’s commitment to diversity means always
making an effort to address diversity, especially when it is most difficult. As few as they are in our
region and on our campus, these groups need more outreach, recruitment and support, beginning in
middle school. We are developing a plan to do this with local districts.

As we move Standard 3 to target, we aim to deepen partnerships with school partners as well
as purposefully diversify the settings in which students participate in field and clinical experiences, by
making diversity an explicit criterion for placement.
Although each of our programs that went through SPA review have analyzed data on candidate’s
knowledge, skills and proficiencies related to diversity, our unit does not have a set of shared
proficiencies. We are currently in the process of identifying these and working with the CoE
assessment committee to develop a set of shared assessments related to diversity and intercultural
competencies.
4.3
4.3.a
4.3.b
4.3.c
4.3.d
4.3.e
4.3.f
4.3.g
Exhibits for Standard 4
Aggregate data on proficiencies related to diversity that candidates are expected to demonstrate
through working with students from diverse groups in classrooms and schools, including
impact on student learning
Curriculum components and experiences that address diversity proficiencies (This might be a
matrix that shows diversity components in required courses.)
Assessment instruments and scoring guides related to candidates meeting diversity proficiencies
(These assessments may be included in program review documents or the exhibits for Standard
1. Cross reference as appropriate.)
Data table on faculty demographics (see Appendix A for an example)
Data table on candidates demographics (see Appendix B for an example)
Data table on demographics of P-12 students in schools used for clinical practice (see Appendix
C for an example)
Policies and practices, including good faith efforts, for recruiting and retaining diverse faculty
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4.3.h
Policies and practices, including good faith efforts, for recruiting and retaining diverse
candidates
Policies, procedures, and practices that support candidates working with P-12 students from
diverse groups
4.3.i
Standard 5. Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and Development
Faculty are qualified and model best professional practices in scholarship, service, and teaching,
including the assessment of their own effectiveness as related to candidate performance; they also
collaborate with colleagues in the disciplines and schools. The unit systematically evaluates faculty
performance and facilitates professional development.
5.1 Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and Development
5.1.a Qualified Faculty
Summarize unit’s expectations for and evaluations of its professional education faculty, schoolbased faculty, and university clinical faculty regarding faculty qualifications. [6,000 characters]
All professional education, clinical and school-based faculty are well qualified to prepare highlyskilled professionals with the knowledge, skills and dispositions they need to effectively help all
students learn. Professional education faculty members have doctorates and/or professional
experience and expertise in fields in which they teach. Data provided in Exhibit 5.3.a. indicate that
the majority of education faculty members possess a terminal degree in the field they teach. A
quantitative summary of the highest degrees earned by education faculty is provided below:

Ph.D.




Full-Time 35

Adjunct 1
Ed.D.

Full-time 19

Adjunct 1
Master of Education

Full-time 7

Adjunct 11
Bachelor

Full-time 0

Adjunct 1
Faculty members without terminal degrees are generally hired in a non-tenure track or part-time
position such as lecturer or adjunct for the rich, recent professional experience they offer. Most of
these instructors possess M.Ed., M.A., or M.S. degrees in the fields in which they teach. Unit faculty
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have significant experience teaching, leading and serving in other professional capacities in schools
and other educational organizations.
Field-based specialists and university supervisors are educators with advanced degrees and teaching
experience. The university-level clinical faculty members (student teacher supervisors) are
accomplished school professionals with doctoral degrees or master’s degrees. Adjunct student
teacher supervisors are certified teachers and must have a master’s degree. They are limited to a
maximum of two sections of twelve students per semester. Both faculty and adjunct supervisors are
required to attend the student teacher’s training sessions.
The selection process for school-based faculty is a collaborative effort among the Office of Field
and Clinical Experience and school district administrations. School-based clinical faculty who serve
as cooperating teachers for initial candidates must hold a Texas Teaching Certificate in the content
area they are teaching and be recommended by the principal. Additional qualifications for schoolbased faculty include:

Minimum of three years classroom teaching experience

Recognition as a masterful teacher

Record of positive impact on student achievement

Willingness to work with student teacher

Completion of district and UTB mentor training
Site supervisors for advanced counseling and guidance candidates must hold a master’s degree and a
school counselor certification, and have a minimum of two years professional experience. Schoolbased supervisors for advanced candidates in Special Education are certified with a minimum of two
years of classroom experience. In advanced leadership programs, mentors for principal interns are
practicing principals with Texas teaching and principal certification. Mentors for the
superintendency hold Texas superintendent certification and are superintendents in the districts
where the candidates intern. Site supervisors for advanced counseling and guidance candidates must
hold a master’s degree, a school counselor certification, and have a minimum of two years
professional experience. School-based supervisors for advanced candidates in Special Education are
certified with a minimum of two years of classroom experience.
Exhibits 5.3a, and 5.3.b, demonstrate that unit faculty are well qualified, experienced experts in
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the fields and school settings in which we serve. An additional point of pride in terms of faculty
qualifications and relevant experience linked with student outcomes is the degree to which unit
faculty are uniquely prepared to engage with and build upon the linguistic diversity of our
bicultural, transnational educational context. More than 10 percent of faculty actively participate
in scholarly activities in Spanish as well as English, including publications, international
conference presentations and/or teaching. Even more faculty members (including clinical and
school-based faculty) are conversationally fluent Spanish speakers uniquely poised to cultivate the
linguistic assets that students, families, teachers, leaders and other educational professionals bring
to our learning communities. But beyond this local benefit, the bilingual capacity of our faculty
allows unit faculty and the highly skilled professionals we generate to address pressing national
and international educational issues related to linguistic diversity and Hispanic and Latin@
learners through our teaching, research and service.
5.1.b Modeling Best Professional Practices in Teaching
Summarize unit’s expectations for and evaluations of its professional education faculty regarding
modeling best professional practices in teaching. [6,000 characters]
Pedagogical leadership through quality teaching is central to our institution’s mission, Faculty
members receive strong and positive evaluations from students and peers. Teaching evaluations are
central to processes of tenure and promotion, and merit-salary increases. Unit faculty have received
a number of awards for their teaching excellence.
Syllabi and peer teaching evaluations indicate that faculty integrate guiding principles—outlined in
the unit’s conceptual framework—technology into their teaching in the following ways: pedagogy.
Pedagogical Leadership: Unit faculty are highly skilled pedagogical leaders dedicated to helping
all students learn and become active participants in our democracy. Unit faculty know their content
and uses appropriate, culturally-relevant pedagogy to provide all students with the opportunity to
learn. Exhibit 1.3.d shows that every initial-program proficiency is linked with pedagogical
leadership. We model this in our teaching by:

Experimenting with teaching techniques and critically evaluating the results of their
experimentation

Using technology to enhance instruction
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
Transforming their own practice through continuous reflection and ongoing professional development,
and sharing this learning with others in the educational community

Advocating for all learners
Interculturalism: Faculty demonstrate a keen understanding of the specific intercultural and
linguistic funds of knowledge our students bring with them, Faculty then use culturally relevant
pedagogy to capitalize on these assets. UTB faculty dedicate to a great deal of their scholarly work
to issues of cultural and linguistic diversity and intercultural teaching and learning practices. We
also demonstrate this in the classroom by:

Demonstrating sensitivity toward, and appreciation of, individual and cultural differences
and adapting instruction to address these differences

Understanding the importance of global connections, including biliteracy and
multilingualism as tools for intercultural teaching, learning and communication

Focusing instruction on the opportunities and challenges diversity presents.
Inquiry: Unit faculty work hard to foster a model critical thinking through assignments that require
candidates at all levels to formulate inquiry and develop critical thinking. Exhibit 1.3.d demonstrates
all programs devote significant instructional time to proficiencies related critical thinking and
inquiry. We show this in our teaching by:

Actively inquiring into pedagogical problems and educational dilemmas and using research
to seek resolution that benefit all students

Thinking critically about educational issues as well as their own instruction

Continuously reflecting on their practice and refining practice to meet the changing needs of
learners

Engaging in innovative scholarship of practice that advances the field and related disciplines
Interrelatedness: Unit faculty understands that teacher education and teaching must be understood as a
community-oriented enterprise that is collaborative by its very nature. Faculty members are active collaborators
who work with school and professional partners to enrich their teaching. Further, our curriculum draws from
multiple disciplines and unit faculty weave this together through their teaching. Per Exhibit 1.3.d,
proficiencies related to interrelatedness and collaboration are central to all programs. Faculty show
this in their teaching by:
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
Collaborating with students, families and communities

Encouraging students, through example, to becoming actively involved in their communities
of practice and professional organizations

Drawing from interdisciplinary/cross-disciplinary scholarship to inform our teaching practice

Applying professional ethical standards
In order to prepare candidates to effectively help all students learn, unit faculty collaborate with
school-based faculty to guide students through purposeful, hands-on and “minds-on” experiences
applying content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge and skills in real-world settings.
Faculty teaching field-based courses as well as courses that include significant field or servicelearning experiences spend significant time in schools and community contexts collaborating with
school-based faculty to ensure the quality of these field-based experiences.
Faculty teaching advanced courses are charged with helping advanced students deepen and extend
their knowledge and skill base, while providing opportunities for students to critically examine this
knowledge and advocate for change. Graduate faculty are also expected to advise and mentor
students. This entails helping helping candidates develop and follow programs of study and
supporting their professional and scholarly pursuits. An overarching responsibility of all graduate
faculty is helping candidates develop skills related to using and conducting educational research.
Faculty members teaching in advanced programs provide candidates opportunities to conduct
research (often action research) that contributes to the theoretical base and professional practice of
teachers, leaders and other educational professionals in intercultural settings. Toward these ends,
faculty at the advanced level integrate professional internships, practicum experiences, servicelearning, action research and other modes of research and reflection upon these experiences into the
courses they teach.
All professional education faculty model best practices of ongoing formative assessment in courses
they teach and beyond. Faculty model pedagogical leadership and a spirit of critical inquiry through
their engagement in rigorous course, program and unit assessment. Further, faculty are aware of the
impact assessments have on the diversity of students our unit serves and working to make sure
assessment practices are fair and serve equity as well as excellence.
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5.1.c Modeling Best Professional Practices in Scholarship
Summarize unit’s expectations for and evaluations of its professional education faculty regarding
modeling best professional practices in scholarship. [6,000 characters]
Scholarly work is integral to faculty’s professional development and teaching. The UTB mission
statement (2012) reveals this emphasis when it states that UTB “embraces teaching excellence,
active inquiry, lifelong learning, rigorous scholarship, and research in service to the common good.”
The mission is transformed into practice through the university’s Handbook of Operating Policies
(HOOP 7.3.1 Faculty Responsibilities and Workload), which requires faculty to maintain active
scholarship. Furthermore, the unit’s mission, conceptual framework and vision statement
emphasizes the research requirement. Thus, scholarly work is an integral part of the university’s and
the unit’s mission, policies and practice. Further, faculty vitae reveal an array of engaged scholarship
that generates knowledge about teaching and learning in intercultural, high-poverty settings;
evaluates teaching effectiveness; promotes best practice among teachers, leaders and other
educational professionals in our local, linguistically diverse transnational communities; and
uncovers new, promising practices—particularly those aimed at promoting achievement among
Hispanic and Latin@ learners.
Unit faculty members demonstrate intellectual vitality through their active engagement in a wide
range of scholarly activity related to teaching and learning and their fields of specialization. Per the
unit’s tenure and promotion requirements, scholarship related to teaching and learning is strongly
encouraged. Among full-time, tenured and tenure-track faculty, 91 percent are actively engaged in
scholarship that includes books, chapters, refereed journal articles, refereed presentations, invited
presentations and grants.
Scholarly activity that focuses on issues of interculturalism and equity is a major thrust of faculty
research, as are issues related to Hispanic and Latin@ teacher education, particularly in the areas of
bilingual education, math and science. Over the course of the last three years unit faculty have
published 14 books, 46 chapters, 131 refereed journal articles, 369 refereed presentations, 165
invited presentations, and applied for 77 external grants. An important mission of unit faculty is to
engage in formal and informal networking with local, state, national and global colleagues to
promote and share inquiry. Unit faculty present their research at local, state, national and
international professional conferences. In addition to faculty-development funds at the institutional
and departmental level, the CoE dean’s Competitive Travel Fund helps promote and support faculty
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presentations at national and international conferences. The following chart summarizes the
scholarly units scholarly output for the last three years.
Seeking external funding for collaborative research that generates knowledge about teaching and
learning, evaluates teaching effectiveness, promotes best practice among teachers, leaders and
other educational professionals in our local communities, and uncovers new, promising practices—
particularly those aimed at promoting achievement among Hispanic and Latin@ learners—is also
an expectation of unit faculty. The CoE’s Center for Educational Development and Innovation
works with faculty and community partners to develop sustainable, innovative, grant-funded
initiatives aimed at improving teaching and learning at all levels. Such collaborative efforts reveal
a consistent emphasis on bilingual and intercultural initiatives as well as those that explore and
address the critical, national shortage of high-quality teachers in STEM fields. The center works
with faculty, school and community to develop funded initiatives that integrate basic research,
applied research and inquiry aimed at best practices in order to address local educational issues
nested within larger national and international contexts of educational inquiry. Below is a summary
of these projects:
Center for Educational Development & Innovation Grant Activity Summary
2012-2013
 Submitted:16
 Funded: 6
 Pending Award: 5
2011-2012
 Submitted: 16
 Funded: 5
 Pending Award: 1
2010-2011
 Submitted: 23
 Funded: 11
 Pending: 0
Initiatives represented in the above table range from long-term research projects aimed at improving
teacher effectiveness in math and science teaching; increasing the number of Hispanic and Latin@
teachers in STEM fields; and engaging high-poverty families in digital and traditional literacy
activities to new, innovative projects such as studying how computer gaming and other cutting-edge
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uses of technology can improve educational outcomes among Hispanic and Latin@ students.
The engaged scholarship of unit faculty reveals a consistent emphasis on a critical nexus of issues
related to teaching, learning and intercultural contexts that directly addresses the needs of our local
communities of practice while exploring the challenges and possibilities related to linguistic and
cultural diversity; disparities in student achievement; recruitment of minority teachers, leaders and
other educational professionals; teacher effectiveness and educational equity that are central to the
larger, transnational landscape of educational theory and practice.
5.1.d Modeling Best Professional Practices in Service
Summarize unit’s expectations for and evaluations of its professional education faculty regarding
modeling best professional practices in service. [6,000 characters]
Community engagement and service is central to the mission of UTB. Our institution earned the
Carnegie classification for Community Engagement in 2011 and continues to deepen our efforts to
put the knowledge, skills and ingenuity of faculty and students (along with that of our community
partners in service) of meeting the critical needs of our transnational community. Education is one of
these critical needs. Unit faculty, often alongside our students, play a central role in collaborating
with schools, parents and youth-serving organizations to strengthen formal and informal systems of
educational opportunity. Examples of such service include:

Providing family literacy and afterschool programing at local colonias

Establishing a counseling program for the Harmony Science Academy

Developing and implementing “Sorpresa,” an elementary school-based project helping
teachers integrate gardening and outdoor classrooms into key curricular areas

Serving on community task forces such as UTB Task Force to Address Domestic Violence
and Sexual Assault Issues

Collaborating with regional grocery store chain (HEB) and local schools to coordinate
“Read By 3” a literacy program offered to young children and their parents

Developing and implementing an adapted aquatics and rehabilitation class for students to
work with physically challenged children

Collaborating with schools to enhance science and math teacher effectiveness through the
Texas Regional Collaborative grant for science and math teachers

Designing and implementing fitness and adventure fitness camps for children
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
Lending educational expertise through service to local civic organizations that serve children
and families such as United Way, Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and CASA (Court Appointed
Special Advocates)
Faculty engage in active dialogue about education through a host of venues including the
aforementioned community-based service, as well as through service to the profession. As Exhibit
5.3.e indicates, unit faculty provide service to the field of education through active participation and
leadership in state, national and international professional/scholarly organizations and through
collaboration with colleagues from other institutions. Faculty serve in an advisory capacity on local,
state, national and international boards related to education and health as well as serving
professional organizations as program and manuscript reviewers.
Faculty provide service to the institution through participation and leadership in university-wide
committees and collaboration on interdisciplinary initiatives. CoE faculty members are often utilized
for their pedagogical leadership and expertise in areas of teaching, learning and assessment. Service
to the CoE is an expectation of all faculty. Standing CoE committees include:

Administrative Team Council, charged with strategic planning and composed of the dean,
associate dean and department chairs.

CoE Personnel Committee, charged with recommending and implementing guidelines
for appropriate annual faculty evaluation appraisals and tenure and promotion decisions.
Composed of tenured faculty elected by secret ballot.

CoE Assessment Committee, charged with reviewing and analyzing unit, program and
candidate assessments, monitoring data quality, and strategizing ways to improve CoE
assessment policies and practices. Composed of departmental assessment committee chairs and
relevant resource people.

Graduate Curriculum Committee, charged with reviewing and recommending policies
related to graduate programs, curriculum and students, and establishing interdisciplinary
relationships with graduate programs across colleges. Composed of one graduate faculty
member from each department.

CoE Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, charged with reviewing and recommending
policies related to initial teacher preparation and other undergraduate programs,
curriculum and students. Composed of one member from each department.

Student Advisory Committee, charged with advising the dean on all matters affecting
students, advocating for student concerns and furthering CoE goals. Composed of
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student representatives from initial and advanced levels, the director of the Office of
Institutional Advancement, the associate dean and the dean.

Community Advisory Committee, charged with providing input on the design, delivery
and renewal of the unit’s conceptual framework and teacher education and professional
programs, as well as supporting unit research, service, outreach and development.
Composed of alumni and non-alumni representatives from corporate, non-profit and
educational sectors, from our service area, the director of institutional effectiveness, the
associate dean and the dean of the CoE as well as alumni.
The CoE also has ad hoc committees according to its academic and administrative needs. Faculty
and staff serve on them as part of their service to the college and the university. Examples of such
committees include the College Technology Advisory Committee and the Teacher Education
Committee. Additionally, each faculty member serves in some capacity on committees related to our
unit self-study guided by NCATE standards. The process is led by the NCATE Executive Council
(NEC) composed of teacher-education faculty representatives and the Office of Institutional
Effectiveness, CoE department chairs and the CoE associate dean.
Exhibit 5.3.e shows a unit faculty actively engaged in a wide range of collaborative service that
meets the interrelated educational needs and builds upon the assets of our institution, P-12 schools
and other educational organizations. Further, our service-learning activities demonstrate the ways in
which such service is integrated into our curriculum so that civic engagement and collaboration
become shared expectations of all highly skilled educational professionals in our learning
communities.
5.1.e Unit Evaluation of Professional Education Faculty Performance
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Summarize unit’s expectations for and evaluations of its professional education faculty regarding
faculty performance. [6,000 characters]
The unit conducts systematic, comprehensive reviews of faculty in the areas of teaching,
scholarship and service. Expectations regarding faculty performance in these three areas are
articulated in rubric-like guidelines developed by unit faculty and the CoE Administrative Team
Council. These guidelines represent consistent criteria for evaluating faculty performance and
making decisions regarding workload, tenure, promotion and merit-based awards. These charts
are available in the Faculty Policies and Procedures Manual section 3-1.
Ongoing dialogue concerning faculty performance, as evidenced by performance criteria shown
in the performance guideline rubrics, occurs through annual workload conferences for all faculty,
with additional annual performance evaluations for tenure-track faculty, or five-year, post-tenure
performance evaluations for tenured faculty.
The Annual Workload Conference provides faculty and supervisors a structured opportunity to
review and reflect on faculty performance from the preceding year in order to inform the
workload for the subsequent academic year. Faculty prepare a workload portfolio that
documents performance in teaching, scholarship and service and contains a faculty-development
plan indicating two- and five-year goals. Workload plans represent an individualized mix of
responsibilities among teaching, scholarship and service. Annual workload conferences are a
venue for open dialogue about the degree to which the individual strengths and interests of
faculty are being put to purposeful use sustaining and enhancing unit aims in ways that are
mutually beneficial.
Each tenure-track faculty member also submits a tenure and promotion portfolio for annual
review. This results in an annual joint meeting in which tenure-track faculty meet with their
department chair and the CoE dean to discuss progress toward tenure. Faculty generally seek
academic tenure between year five and year seven. The decision to award tenure is the result of a
collegial and administrative evaluation of the candidate's performance in relation to criteria
detailed in the guideline rubrics. This review is conducted by the personnel committee, the
department chair, the dean, the vice president for Academic Affairs and the president.
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For post-tenure review, faculty submit a portfolio every five years after the last personnel action.
If a faculty member applies and receives faculty merit, then they have five years from that time
to the next review. Portfolios should include material from each of the five previous years since
tenure was granted. The procedures for post-tenure review are similar to those of obtaining
tenure status. Evaluation results can also be used by faculty to seek exceptional merit or
promotion. The policies pertaining to tenure, promotion and exceptional merit are clearly
outlined in the Faculty Policies and Procedures Manual. A summary of faculty renewal, tenure,
post-tenure review, promotion and exceptional merit results for the last three years can be found
in Exhibit 5.3.f.
Regular comprehensive evaluation through rigorous annual review of multiple forms of evidence
regarding faculty performance in the areas teaching, scholarship and service enhances the overall
competence and intellectual vitality of professional education faculty.
5.1.f Unit Facilitation of Professional Development
Summarize resources, opportunities, processes, and outcomes regarding unit
facilitation of professional development. [6,000 characters]
Professional education faculty participates in a breadth of opportunities aimed at enhancing unit
performance in teaching, scholarship and service. Through peer mentoring, unit faculty engage in
ongoing, in-depth professional development aimed at cultivating an interconnected learning
community whose growth is guided by our conceptual framework. Faculty professional
development is addressed in university and unit policies regarding performance evaluation.
Faculty provide evidence of active engagement in ongoing professional development in workload,
tenure, promotion and exceptional-merit portfolios.
The CoE is committed to supporting the professional development of its faculty. To promote
inquiry, dissemination of research, the scholarship of teaching and activities associated with
nationally visible service, each tenured and tenure-track faculty member is allocated annual
monies (based on availability of funds) to present papers and/or serve as officers of a nationally
or internationally recognized scholarly association. In addition, all tenured and tenure-track
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faculty are encouraged to apply for the dean’s annual travel fund. This money is awarded
competitively based on peer review of proposals to be presented at national conferences.
The unit also encourages faculty to engage with colleagues across the institution in professional
development opportunities offered by the UTB Center for Teaching & Learning. The center’s
mission is to promote student learning by encouraging and supporting faculty efforts to explore
the teaching and learning process within a framework of student-centered instructional practices.
In 2012-13, the Center for Teaching & Learning provided over 50 professional-development
activities directly aimed at improving teaching and learning, and thus building faculty capacity
for pedagogical leadership. In 2012, unit faculty attended 125 professional development
conferences and presented at 99. Exhibit 5.3.g provides a summary of the policies, procedures
and practices for professional development and summaries of the results.
As our unit develops in relation to our conceptual framework, we are working to develop more
collaborative professional development opportunities in which students, faculty and community
partners teach and learn alongside one another. Toward this end, the unit began a Professional
Development Institute in the summer of 2011. The sessions provide professional education faculty,
students and our educational communities with a rich variety of professional development
experiences focusing on diversity, technology and emerging practices. The following strands
represent the emerging areas of emphasis for summer institutes:
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 Administration and Technology
 Educational Technology
 Collaborative Environments
 Digital Storytelling
 Gaming/Game-Based Learning and Simulations
 Master Teaching in Math and Science
 Mobile Computing
 Online/Distance Learning
 Virtual Worlds
 STEM Technology
 Technology and English Language Learners
In addition to summer institutes, the CoE offers other sorts of collaborative professional
development as part of an ongoing goal of fostering interconnectedness among our learning
community. Each year the CoE hosts a distinguished lecturer event focusing on intercultural
educational issues of critical interest to our local community. This annual event features
internationally recognized scholars who interact in focused discussions with faculty, students and
community members in order to connect global expertise to local concerns. The distinguished
lecturer event also includes a talk aimed at a general audience and open to the public. Further,
student organizations such as our Omicron Eta Chapter of the education honor society Kappa Delta
Pi provide joint opportunities for students, faculty and community alumni to develop professionally
and influence the field of education through their local leadership.
As evidenced by Exhibit 5.3.g. and described above, the unit has policies and practices that
encourage professional educational faculty to be life-long learners, while offering a breadth of
professional develop opportunities.
As a compliment to this breadth, our unit system of peer mentoring aims to meet faculty
development needs at a deeper, professional level. This system also serves to foster generative,
scholarly and professional exchange among unit faculty that enriches the intellectual vitality and
interrelatedness of our learning community. All new faculty members are assigned mentors through
their fifth year of employment in the CoE. The mentor provides informal advice to the new faculty
member on aspects of teaching, scholarship, service and university and unit operations. It is also the
role of the mentor to recommend professional development per review of the mentee’s portfolios.
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The CoE the mentorship structure helps the mentee to establish an agenda for working toward
her/his professional development goals and provides the necessary support to achieve his/her goals
and gain insight into the realities of building a successful academic career.
5.2
Moving Toward Target or Continuous Improvement
Please respond to 5.2.a if this is the standard on which the unit is moving to the target level. If it is
not the standard on which you are moving to the target level, respond to 5.2.b.
5.2.a Standard on which the unit is moving to the target level
 Describe areas of the standard at which the unit is currently performing at the target level
for each element of the standard. [12,000 characters]
 Summarize activities and their impact on candidate performance and program quality that
have led to target level performance. [12,000 characters]
 Discuss plans and timelines for attaining and/or sustaining target level performance as
articulated in this standard. [12,000 characters]
5.2.b Continuous Improvement [5,000 characters]
 Discuss plans for sustaining and enhancing performance through continuous improvement
as articulated in this standard.

Recruiting, retaining and sustaining highly qualified scholars who are committed to teaching,
scholarship and service that addresses the needs of our local and global learning communities is
central to continuous improvement. This begins with recruitment. One way we are enhancing
current recruitment outcomes is by expanding our institutional branding efforts to include unit and
program level branding that clearly differentiates our teacher preparation unit and its programs from
those of our near peers. National accreditation is a key part of this strategy. In order to better
communicate the unique opportunities our unit offers faculty, we are exploring ways to cast a wider
recruitment net via social media and direct marketing through established and emerging professional
networks.

Our mentoring program helps faculty members forge a mutually beneficial relationship among their
own development as a teacher and a scholar and the needs of the unit. This stands to greatly improve
the retention and productivity of faculty. In order to enhance this process, the unit is exploring ways
to assess the relationship between our mentoring structure and faculty retention.

Rigorous annual review of faculty performance is a firmly established part of the rhythm of
professional life in our unit. However, faculty productivity and performance data are not gathered
electronically and are not yet fully integrated into our data management system. Doing so will make
trend data on faculty productivity more accessible and usable and thus enhance strategic planning
that sustains continuous improvement.
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
With sights set on bringing Standard 3 to target, we are actively working to re-design existing
collaborative professional development efforts into a more systematic approach that leverages the
expertise as well as meets the needs of the school partners with whom we work through field and
clinical experiences. Our COE technology committee is actively engaged in identifying ways in
which technology can help us build a more agile network of shared professional development.
5. 3 Exhibits for Standard 5
5.3.a
5.3.b
5.3.c
5.3.d
5.3.e
5.3.f
5.3.g
Data table on qualifications of professional education faculty (This table can be compiled in the
online template from data submitted for national program reviews or compiled in Excel, Word,
or another format and uploaded as an exhibit. See Appendix D for an example.)
Data table on qualifications of clinical faculty (i.e., P–12 school professionals and professional
education faculty responsible for instruction, supervision, and/or assessment of candidates
during field experiences and clinical practice)
Policies and practices to assure clinical faculty meet unit expectations
Policies and samples of faculty scholarly activities
Summary of faculty service and collaborative activities in schools (e.g., collaborative project
with school faculty, teacher professional development, and addressing the needs of low
performing schools) and with the professional community (e.g., grants, evaluations, task force
participation, provision of professional development, offering courses, etc.)
Policies, procedures, and practices for faculty evaluation (including promotion and tenure) and
summaries of the results in areas of teaching, scholarship and service
Policies, procedures, and practices for professional development and summaries of the results
Standard 6. Unit Governance and Resources
The unit has the leadership, authority, budget, personnel, facilities, and resources, including information
technology resources, for the preparation of candidates to meet professional, state, and institutional
standards.
6.1 Unit Governance and Resources
6.1.a Unit Leadership and Authority
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Summarize unit’s leadership and authority in the design, delivery, operations of all programs at the
institution for the preparation of educators and other school professionals. [8,000 characters]
Our institution and unit is governed by and follows policies and procedures established by the Rules
and Regulations of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas System. Additionally, UTB has
its own set of operating procedures outlined in the Handbook of Operating Policies.
The unit policies, procedure and practices that govern unit operations are aligned with both sets of
regulations and are detailed in the COE Faculty Policies and Procedures Manual.
The CoE is one of UTB’s nine academic colleges and schools. Our institution recognizes that the
preparation of well educated, high-quality teachers, leaders and other educational professionals is an
interdisciplinary pursuit central to its broader mission. Faculty from colleges outside the CoE (as
well as faculty from our own Department of Health and Human Performance) provide courses in the
general education core required of all undergraduate students. Students are required to take courses
in communications, government, health, history, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, social
and/or behavioral sciences, and visual or performing arts. This core introduces students to a
multiplicity of academic perspectives and helps prepare well rounded future educators able to teach
and learn across disciplines. Our content colleagues from other colleges also offer upper level
courses that support specialized content knowledge for programs in English language arts,
mathematics, music, science, social studies, Spanish and STEM. Led by our unit, programs across
the institution collaborate to provide a cohesive curricular framework, a set of solid student services,
and the resources necessary to prepare highly skilled educational professionals to excel in P-12
schools and other learning communities.
The CoE is the primary unit responsible for the preparation of teachers and other educational
professionals at UTB. The dean of the unit has been designated by the university president as having
primary authority and responsibility for all programs under the unit’s supervision. The associate
dean serves as the institution’s chief certification officer. CoE infrastructure is composed of one
administrative unit, the Office of the Dean; one research center, the Center for Educational
Development and Innovation and four academic departments: Teaching, Learning and Innovation
(TLI); Language, Literacy and Intercultural Studies (LLIS); Health and Human Performance (HPP);
and Educational, Psychology and Leadership Studies (EPLS). Each department is led by a
department chair. The CoE also includes other academic and administrative units assigned to it. This
includes the Office of Teacher Preparation and Accountability, led by the associate dean; the newly
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restructured Office of Field Experience and Clinical Practice, led by a director; the CoE Office of
Graduate Studies, led by a coordinator; and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and
Development, which includes the Office of Research and Grants.
This administrative structure also includes the Administrative Team Council, the CoE Personnel
Committee, the Student Advisory Committee and the Community Advisory Committee. These
committees serve in an advisory capacity to the dean and assist in unit evaluation and participatory
decision making. Details about the composition and responsibilities of offices and committees as
well as other aspects of CoE infrastructure can be found in Exhibits 6.3.a and 6.3.b and in the CoE
Faculty Policies and Procedures Manual posted on the CoE website.
The unit is also responsible for recruiting and retaining students and coordinating services that
ensure their success. The unit's student-recruitment efforts revolve around partnerships with local
districts. Staff from the OIED and the Office of Field Experience and Clinical Practice reach out to
prospective students through presentations at a host of school and community events and
involvement in future-educator programs at local high schools. Our student advisory panel provides
valuable input in this process. The Office of Graduate Programs and graduate program faculty take
the lead in recruiting students for advanced programs. Faculty conduct information sessions on
campus and at local schools, following up with additional individual communication. In addition,
programs use print and online media to advertise themselves.
Providing efficient, student-centered advising is a key part of unit efforts to recruit, retain and
graduate high-quality candidates. Three CoE academic advisers provide mandatory, general
guidance to all declared education students. As these declared majors progress through their general
education requirements, the advisers help make sure the students are fulfilling requirements to
become accepted as teacher-education candidates. These advisers meet with students to review
degree-plan progress, check GPA to assess academic status, schedule courses,and streamline the
graduation trajectory whenever possible. Faculty members serve as assigned advisers for candidates
in their specific, advanced programs. Advisers meet with advanced candidates regularly to prepare
programs of study and offer general, professional advisement. Additionally, each advanced program
has a program coordinator who also advises and assists with candidate concerns. In the doctoral
program, all students are assigned individual mentors. These mentors help students with their
program of study and advise them throughout the program on all academic issues. The CoE
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Certification Office (headed by the associate dean) is responsible for verifying candidates' eligibility
for all initial or master’s-level certification. In order to foster student success, unit advisers, faculty
and staff provide ongoing advisement throughout a student’s COE experience. See Exhibit 6.3.C. for
more detailed description of policies and practices related to student services.
Students have access to counseling and other health-related services provided by Student Health
Services. As part of student affairs, the mission of Student Health Services is to provide students an
integrated, student-centered approach that addresses the seven dimensions of wellness: emotional,
physical, spiritual, social, environmental and occupational. These services are designed to help
students with challenges they might face while pursuing their academic goals.
6.1.b Unit Budget
Summarize budget allocation and its sufficiency in supporting both campus and clinical work that
are essential to the preparation of educators and other school professionals. [6,000 characters]
Budgetary allocation is sufficient to support faculty teaching, scholarship and service. The unit also
has other three other sources of direct support candidate outcomes:

Teacher Education Fee helps provide tutoring and other materials that help support student
success on state exams

Student Teaching Field-Based Course Fee helps reimburse clinical faculty for mileage
associated with multiple school visits across our service areas

Education Major Fee ($10) extracted from all declared teacher education majors and used to
support a variety of initiatives, linked to our conceptual framework, that directly impacts candidate
outcomes and the sustainability of our teacher preparation unit

HHP testing and lab fees used to support specialized equipment necessary for the preparation
of Health and Human Performance professionals

Special Education Assessment Fee funds assessment materials used to provide special
education candidates the opportunity to conduct cognitive and other assessments through hands-on
experience assessing learning challenges of children and youth in our local communities.
The CoE Center for Educational Development and Innovation provides additional revenue that
allows our unit to supplement these resources and extend the scope of our work beyond our unit to
add value to local communities of P–12 practice. The cost of administrative support at the unit and
departmental level was removed from the CoE budget and centralized into an academic-service
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center. Exhibit 6.3.g provides a unit budget for FY 2012-2013 and indicates that it is comparative
with other colleges.
The contemporarily bleak climate of higher education funding has forced our unit to be more
resource prudent and innovative than ever. Yet our budget for unit operations, administration,
professional education and clinical faculty, teaching and collaborative work with schools remains
adequate to support our unit aim of recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty, preparing highly
skilled educational professionals, and collaborating with our community to meet critical educational
needs.
6.1.c Personnel
Summarize policies, procedures, and practices of faculty workload; unit’s use of faculty and
personnel in ensuring coherency and integrity of programs and operations; and resources and
opportunities for professional development. [6,000 characters]
Faculty are subject to the UT Regents Rules and Regulations concerning minimum teaching
requirements for general academic institutions as well as institutional and unit expectations.
Established workload polices, including class size and online course delivery, allow faculty
members to be effectively engaged in teaching, scholarship assessment, advisement, collaborative
work in P-12 schools and service. The workloads for teaching on campus and online generally do
not exceed twelve hours for undergraduate teaching and nine hours for graduate teaching per
semester or the equivalent. A faculty member working with four doctoral students as chair of the
doctoral dissertation committee in a semester is given one course-release time for one semester.
Below is a summary of workload expectations from the UTB Handbook of Operating Procedures:
1. Teaching. Normal teaching load (per semester) for faculty is 12 Lecture Hour Equivalents (LHE's)
(8 undergraduate courses or 6 graduate courses per academic year, not including the summers).
2. Office Hours. A minimum of eight (8) office hours per week, three (3) of which may be by
appointment.
3. Academic Advising. Faculty normally carries an assigned share of advisees.
4. Scholarship/Professional Development.
5. Inquiry/Research.
6. Departmental/College/University Services.
7. Professionally Related Service to the Profession and the Discipline.
8. Professional Service to the Community.
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For each faculty member, the mix of responsibilities between teaching, advising,
scholarship/professional development, inquiry/research and various forms of service is negotiated in
an annual conference between the faculty member, the department chair and the dean. Many
combinations are possible within the bounds of departmental, college and university needs, and
individual strengths and interests. After the joint conference and agreement by the faculty member,
the chair and the dean, the plan is approved by the vice president for Academic Affairs. During the
course of the year, a plan may be revised at the initiation of the faculty member and upon approval
by the chair and the dean.
According the CoE Faculty Policy and Procedures Manual, although the standard minimum
teaching load is 12 lecture hour equivalents (LHEs) each semester (HOP policy), faculty at all levels
are expected to achieve relevant scholarly work. Graduate faculty typically teach fewer than 12
LHEs per semester, with the expectation that they will establish and maintain a research agenda
beyond the minimum for all faculty and will conduct scholarly activities such as research,
publishing scholarly works, graduate-student mentoring, and presenting their work at professional
conferences.
Newly appointed faculty are usually granted one course release for the first two semesters teaching
for the purpose of developing instructional materials and solidifying a research agenda. The unit’s
workload policies and practices permit and encourage faculty not only to be engaged in a wide range
of professional activities (including teaching, scholarship, assessment, advisement, work in schools
and services), but also to professionally contribute on a community, state, regional or national basis.
Formal policies and procedures have also been established to include online course delivery in
determining work load. Online course development counts as a discrete, weighted source of
evidence in workload rubrics. Adjuncts, part-time student workers and graduate teaching assistants
provide a diversity of professional engagement that enriches our unit’s work.
6.1.d Unit Facilities
Summarize campus and school facilities to support candidates in meeting standards, including
support for use of technology in teaching and learning. [6,000 characters]
The unit provides faculty and students with access to physical classrooms, smart rooms, computer
labs, degree/curriculum advising, disability services and library resources that enhance teaching and
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learning. Access to ninety-three physical classrooms is scheduled through the University’s Office of
Space Management (see related procedures at https://www.utb.edu/provost/osm/Pages/default.aspx)
and maintained by the university’s Office of Facilities and Planning (see related processes at
http://www.utb.edu/provost/ofp/physicalplant/Pages/default.aspx).
Faculty and students have access to computer labs and mobile labs. Access to these resources is
provided through the Information Technology Services (ITS) Division whose chief information
officer reports to the university’s provost (Please see the Computer lab polices, open labs and other
software-training support for the candidates). In addition to mandatory advising, the university-wide
Academic Advising Center plays a pivotal role in nurturing student success. The unit also allocates
resources to assist in student teaching and field experience as well as pre-service teacher curriculum
advising
The Disability Services Office provides assistive technology lab and testing services for those with
special needs. See http://www.utb.edu/em/veterans/Pages/DisabilityServices.aspx for related
processes. The university libraries (including Oliveira Library and University Boulevard Library)
contain more than 700 specialized volumes. Targeted electronic resources include sixteen databases,
2,400 eBooks and 127 online periodicals. A space at the University Boulevard Library is repurposed to combine various services in an effort to create a more patron-friendly atmosphere. The
circulation and reference staff are cross trained in each other’s fields so as to be better prepared to
help uncover patron needs, recommend materials and secure study resources. See
http://www.utb.edu/library/Pages/default.aspx for services and policies pertaining to the libraries
and exhibit 6.3.i for a support letter written by the libraries.
6.1.e Unit Resources including Technology
Summarize resource allocations to support candidates in meeting standards, with provisions for
assessment, technology, professional development, and support for off-campus, distance learning,
and alternative route programs when applicable. [6,000 characters]
Summarize resource allocations to support candidates in meeting standards, with provisions for
assessment, technology, professional development, and support for off-campus, distance learning,
and alternative route programs when applicable. [6,000 characters]
Our institution uses Blackboard for course management and Blackboard Outcomes for collecting
assessment data on student performance and faculty productivity. The system portal is located at
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http://myutb.blackboard.com In order to provide a one-stop shopping experience, the university
added to the portal direct access to libraries and faculty and student online support services through
various tabs on the top of the portal. The CoE also invested in its own data-management system,
Tk20, tailored to the specific assessment need of units that prepare teachers and other professionals..
In addition to supporting the integration of technology into course management, UTB offers over
600 online courses a year to 8,878 students for a total of 34,543 semester credit hours. We also offer
seventeen online programs, seven master’s degrees, six bachelor’s degrees and four graduate
certificates. In fact, we offer more online courses and programs than any institution in the UT
system. One of those programs, the CoE’s Master of Education in Educational Technology, was
rated 39th in the country by U.S. News World Report’s ranking of 2013 Best Online Programs.
Moreover, this stellar program ranked fourth in the category of student service and technology.
UTB online students receive high-quality student services including online student orientation,
online tutoring 24/7, test proctoring, help desk, and admission and registration information for
online courses and programs.
Our unit offers distance education courses via teleconference to bilingual education students in
Houston and San Antonio. This is coordinated by program faculty and the Division of Information
Technology Services, which coordinates and provides services and resources regarding distance
learning. Real-time technical assistance ensures reliability, ease of connectivity and speed at all
sites. Additionally, the college pays proctors at the actual sites and pays for faculty to travel to our
remote sites several times each semester. An explicitly written university policy on distance
education is published at http://gemini.utb.edu/ode/bb/onlinecoursequality/2.pdf.
The Technology and Renovation Fund is additional funding used to support the purchase of
computers, software, media equipment and renovations. A large portion of this fund was used to
remodel space for our community counseling clinic this past year. In Assessment initiatives,
approximately, 72K was allocated this past year to support the Director of Institutional Effectiveness
and Development and Tk20 support. This allocation has been vital to support NCATE initiatives.
Approximately, 20k was allocated for professional development such as faculty travel, conference
registration fees, professional memberships and trainings. This funding has assisted many of the
faculty travel to their professional organizations. The CoE has several off campus teaching facilities
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to support. This funding supports off campus proctors to assist students in their classrooms and
maintenance of equipment. For Distance Learning, the majority of support is provided by the Office
of Technology Services under the direction of the Chief Information Officer.
In order to keep up with the fast-paced innovations in technology-supported teaching, learning and
assessment, the CoE consistently encourages faculty development in these areas. Each tenured and
tenure-track faculty member is allocated annual monies (based on availability of funds) to
participate in conferences and other professional development experiences. Unit faculty also have
access to a range of professional development opportunities offered by the UTB Center for Teacher
and Learning. The center’s mission is to promote student learning by encouraging and supporting
faculty efforts to explore the teaching and learning process within a framework of student-centered
pedagogical practices. Many of the center’s offerings focus on technology and assessment. The
UTB Center of Teaching and Learning ensures that faculty have access to best practices of college
teaching and the assistance they need to improve assessment practices and conduct research that can
be applied to sculpting an evolving scholarship of practice that benefits both the theory and practice
of teaching and learning on our campus as well as in P-12 schools
6.2
Moving Toward Target or Continuous Improvement
Please respond to 6.2.a if this is the standard on which the unit is moving to the target level. If it is
not the standard on which you are moving to the target level, respond to 6.2.b.
6.2.a Standard on which the unit is moving to the target level
 Describe areas of the standard at which the unit is currently performing at the target level
for each element of the standard. [12,000 characters]
 Summarize activities and their impact on candidate performance and program quality that
have led to target level performance. [12,000 characters]
 Discuss plans and timelines for attaining and/or sustaining target level performance as
articulated in this standard. [12,000 characters]
6.2.b Continuous Improvement [5,000 characters]
 Discuss plans for sustaining and enhancing performance through continuous improvement
as articulated in this standard.

In order to enhance our unit assessment system, it is critical that our unit operation data be
more fully integrated into Tk20. This would help us more easily access trend data on unit allocations
and outcomes in order to make better, more resource-prudent decisions thus allowing the unit to
better leverage existing resources and seek additional resources more efficiently.

Our Educational Technology Programs are truly examples of cutting-edge technology’s
enormous potential to transform pedagogical practice and improve outcomes. In 2012, the Unit
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Technology Committee gathered and analyzed data concerning faculty knowledge, skills and
dispositions related to technology. This study identified the need for a more unified unit approach to
technology, particularly in regard to clinical faculty’s capacity to teach candidates strategies for
teaching their own students how to use technology to improve learning. The technology committee
recommended that a good first step would be adopting a unified set of technology standards for the
unit, and scaling up expectations and practice in relation to these standards. As a result of this
important work, the technology committee has become a standing CoE committee.
In response to unit operation data, and in order to enhance unit performance and candidate outcomes
related to field experiences and clinical practice, we have restructured our field experience office.
The former charge of the Office of Student Teaching and Field Experiences included coordinating
field experiences and clinical practice and implementing and monitoring teacher education
admission and advising processes as well as receiving, reviewing and validating certification
eligibility, including that of advanced candidates. This office has also been responsible for reporting
duties such as Title II, TEA and Texas Legislative Budget Board Reporting. Current best practices
relevant to the preparation of teachers, leaders and other education professionals clearly demonstrate
the centrality that well-coordinated, purposeful and plentiful field experience and clinical practice
play in educator effectiveness. Through our self-study process, analysis of unit operations data
indicated that this office was already too disproportionally engaged in processes central to teacher
preparation and certification to effectively expand and enhance the depth of existing practice related
to field and clinical experiences to the degree the unit is striving for. As a result, in summer 2013
faculty from the NCATE Executive Council (NEC) made the recommendation that the Office of
Field Experience and Clinical Practice be restructured as a stand-alone office. This proposed
restructuring was accepted by the institution. The new office dedicated to enhancing field and
clinical practice across programs at the initial and advance levels is being established fall 2013.
6. 3 Exhibits for Standard 6
6.3.a
6.3.b
6.3.c
6.3.d
6.3.e
6.3.f
6.3.g
Policies, procedures, and practices for governance and operations of the unit
Organizational chart and/or description of the unit governance structure and its relationship to
institutional governance structure
Policies, procedures, and practices for candidate services such as counseling and advising
Policies, procedures, and practices for candidate recruitment and admission, and accessibility to
candidates and the education community
Academic calendars, catalogs, unit publications, grading policies, and unit advertising
Unit budget, with provisions for assessment, technology, professional development, and support
for off-campus, distance learning , and alternative route programs when applicable
Budgets of comparable units with clinical components on campus or similar units at other
campuses
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6.3.h
Policies, procedures, and practices for faculty workload and summary of faculty workload
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6.3.i
6.3.j
Policies, procedures, and practices to ensure that all candidates have access to physical and/or
virtual classrooms, computer labs, curriculum resources, and library resources that support
teaching and learning
Policies, procedures, and practices to ensure that all candidates access have to distance learning
including support services and resources, if applicable
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Appendix A
Example for Exhibit 4.3.d
Diversity of Professional Education Faculty
Standard 4, Element b
Prof. Ed.
Faculty
Who Teach
Only in
Initial
Programs
n (%)
Prof. Ed.
Faculty
Who Teach
Only in
Advanced
Programs
n (%)
Prof. Ed.
Faculty Who
Teach in Both
Initial &
Advanced
Programs
n (%)
All Faculty
in the
Institution
n (%)
Schoolbased
Faculty
(Optional)
n (%)
Hispanic/Latino
of any race
For individuals who are non-Hispanic/ Latino only:
American
Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or
African
American
Native
Hawaiian or
Other Pacific
Islander
White
Two or more
races
Race/Ethnicity
Unknown
TOTAL
Male
Female
TOTAL
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Appendix B
Example for Exhibit 4.3.e
Diversity of Candidates in Professional Education
Standard 4, Element c
Candidates in
Initial
Teacher
Preparation
Programs
n (%)
Candidates in
Advanced
Preparation
Programs
n (%)
All Students in
the Institution
n (%)
Diversity of
Geographical
Area Served by
Institution
%
Hispanic/Latino of any
race
For individuals who are non-Hispanic/ Latino only
American Indian or
Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African
American
Native Hawaiian or
Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Race/Ethnicity
Unknown
TOTAL
Male
Female
TOTAL
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Appendix C
Example for Exhibit 4.3.f
Diversity of P-12 Students in Clinical Practice Sites for
Initial Teacher Preparation and Advanced Preparation Programs*
Standard 4, Element d
For individuals who are non-Hispanic/ Latino
only
Name of
School*
Hispanic/
Latino of
any race
American
Indian or
Alaska
Native
Asian
Black or
African
American
Native
Hawaiian
or Other
Pacific
Islander
White
Two or
More
Races
Race/
Ethnicity
Unknown
Students
Receiving
Free/
Reduced
Price
Lunch
English
Language
Learners
* Although NCATE encourages institutions to report the data available for each school used for clinical
practice, units may not have these data available by school. If the unit uses more than 20 schools for clinical
practice, school district data may be substituted for school data in the table below. In addition, data may be
reported for other schools in which field experiences, but not clinical practice, occur. Please indicate where
this is the case.
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Students
with
Disabilities
Appendix D
Example for Exhibit 5.3.a
Professional Education Faculty Qualifications and Experiences*
Standard 5, Element a
Faculty
Member
Name
Highest
Degree,
Field, &
University
Assignment:
Indicate the
role of the
Faculty
faculty
Rank
member
Tenure
Track
Scholarship, Leadership in
Professional Association,
& Service: List up to 3
major contributions in the
past 3 years
Teaching or
Other
Professional
Experience
in P-12
Schools
*Professional Education Faculty information can also be compiled electronically in AIMS (see Manage
Faculty Information page in your AIMS workspace). Information can be imported into this table in the
Online Institutional Report (IR) if the list of faculty in AIMS is accurate and regularly updated.
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