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1 BIOLA UNIVERSITY School of Education 13800 Biola Avenue La Mirada, CA 90639 Commission on Teaching Credentialing Common Standards November 2009 Program Contact: June Hetzel, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Education, or Deborah Taylor, Ph.D., Director of Teacher Preparation Phone #: 562-944-0351, ext. 5674 or ext. 5653 E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] Note to Reader: The standard is italicized throughout with responses in normal type.

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BIOLA UNIVERSITY

School of Education

13800 Biola Avenue

La Mirada, CA 90639

Commission on Teaching Credentialing

Common Standards

November 2009

Program Contact: June Hetzel, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Education, or

Deborah Taylor, Ph.D., Director of Teacher Preparation

Phone #: 562-944-0351, ext. 5674 or ext. 5653

E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

Note to Reader: The standard is italicized throughout with responses in normal type.

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Introduction

Biola University is a private, faith-based Christian university located in Southern California. For over 100 years, Biola — a community where all faculty, staff and students are professing Christians — has been committed to its mission to “equip men and women in mind and character to impact the world through the Lord Jesus Christ through biblically-centered education, scholarship, and service.” Biola University is comprised of seven schools: the School of Arts & Sciences, Talbot School of Theology, Rosemead School of Psychology, the School of Intercultural Studies, the School of Business, the School of Professional Studies, and the School of Education. Offering four baccalaureate degrees in 28 majors, 17 masters and seven doctoral degrees, Biola’s commitment to academic excellence is a 102-year tradition since its founding in 1908 and has grown from an Institute, to a College, to a University. The university is composed of approximately 5,900 students, including graduate and undergraduate students.

The School of Education was created July 1, 2007 and officially celebrated its launch as a community on February 16, 2009. The School of Education consists of 1 dean, 9 full-time faculty, 12 adjunct faculty, 12 student teaching supervisors, 16 TPA assessors, and 6 staff members. We have two Chairs (Dr. Deborah Taylor, Undergraduate Chair and Director of Teacher Education; Dr. Tim Stranske, Graduate Chair and Director of the Fifth Year Program) and a TPA Coordinator (Mrs. Janet Brazeal), all of whom are full-time faculty with administrative release time.

The mission of the School of Education is to “to equip Christian educators to impact public, private, mission, and homeschools through biblically-centered education, scholarship, and service.” The vision is to “to equip a generation of influential educators, focused on God's calling, devoting their strengths, gifts, and scholarship, to meet the needs of diverse students and to advance the Kingdom of God.” Learning outcomes are intentionally connected, not only to our mission and vision, but also to teacher performance expectations and preparation standards.

The School of Education serves 355 undergraduate and graduate students, plus approximately 120 single subject majors that are also served through their single subject departments. At the graduate level, we offer multiple and single subject preparation for the Preliminary Teaching Credential, the Clear Credential, an M.A.T., Assistant and Associate Early Childhood Permits, and an M.A.Ed. At the undergraduate level, the School of Education offers a B.A. in Liberal Studies, the teacher preparation track for multiple and single subject preliminary credentials, and the Assistant and Associate Early Childhood Permits. Our teacher preparation programs are approved by both the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) as well as the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). This April 2010 CCTC accreditation review focuses on the multiple and single subject teacher preparation programs.

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Standard 1: Educational Leadership The institution and education unit create and articulate a research-based vision for educator preparation that is responsive to California's adopted standards and curriculum frameworks. The vision provides direction for programs, courses, teaching, candidate performance and experiences, scholarship, service, collaboration, and unit accountability. The faculty, instructional personnel, and relevant stakeholders are actively involved in the organization, coordination, and governance of all professional preparation programs. Unit leadership has the authority and institutional support needed to create effective strategies to achieve the needs of all programs and represents the interests of each program within the institution. The education unit implements and monitors a credential recommendation process that ensures that candidates recommended for a credential have met all requirements. Standard 1 Response The institution and education unit create and articulate a research-based vision for educator preparation that is responsive to California's adopted standards and curriculum frameworks.

The vision of Biola University’s School of Education is “to equip a generation of influential educators, focused on God's calling, devoting their strengths, gifts, and scholarship, to meet the needs of diverse students and to advance the Kingdom of God.” Our educational unit believes that societal transformation emerges within the context of education, as individuals and communities are changed in the context of relationships with caring teachers who mentor students’ intellectual, social, psychological, and spiritual well-being in the context of schools, families, and communities. Our undergraduate and graduate teacher preparation programs focus primarily on content and pedagogy as well as diversity and differentiation.

Biola University’s teacher preparation programs are built around the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Standards and California Department of Education curriculum frameworks. Teacher Preparation courses require candidates to access state standards and frameworks, utilizing state-approved textbooks to develop lessons and units that center around State-adopted standards.

Our research-based vision is supported by seven measurable outcomes for our program that align with the standards and Teacher Performance Expectations. Along with the CalTPAs and key assignments that measure candidate proficiency in Teacher Performance Expectations, seven program outcomes that distinctly reflect Biola University’s School of Education mission and vision for teacher preparation were developed by faculty using a collaborative process. Candidates are expected to demonstrate the following seven learning outcomes:

1. Committed to Living Out God’s Calling as a Christian Educator

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Key Assignments: Called to Teach Paper #1 (courses: LEDU 301/SEED 519)

Called to Teach Reflection (CAP Portfolio in LEDU 430/SEED 505; LEDU 435/SEED 506)

These assignments measure TPEs 12, 13 and provide practice in writing reflections.

2. Dedicated to Students’ Optimum Development for God’s Ultimate Glory

Key Assignments: Student Profile Data (courses: LEDU 420/SEED 520; LEDU 425/ SEED 525)

Designing & Teaching a Lesson (courses: LEDU420/SEED 520; LEDU 425/SEED 525)

These assignments measure TPE 6, 8 and provide practice in gathering relevant data on students.

3. Engage in Experiences with Cross-Cultural and Special Populations to Appreciate Diversity

Key Assignment: EL Shadowing/Strengths Assignment (courses: LEDU341/SEED 541)

This assignment measures TPE 7, 8 and provides practice in making adaptations for students.

4. Capable of Applying Developmental and Learning Theories to Solve Educational Challenges

Key Assignment: Case Study Paper (courses: LEDU 330/SEED 526)

This assignment measures TPE 13 and provides practice in writing analytical reflections.

5. Implement Content Standards Instruction Effectively

Key Assignment: Progress Monitoring Lesson Reflection

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(courses: LEDU430/SEED 505; LEDU 435/SEED 506)

This assignment measures TPE 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and provides practice in coordinating instruction with standards.

6. Skilled at Designing and Implementing Appropriate and Effective Learning Strategies

Key Assignment: Unit Plan Assignment (courses: LEDU 430/SEED 505; LEDU 435/SEED 506)

This assignment measures TPE 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and provides practice in long-range lesson planning.

7. Devoted to Creating a Positive Learning Environment

Key Assignment: Classroom Management Plan (courses: LEDU 330/SEED 526)

This assignment measures TPE 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 and provides practice in connecting learning theory with classroom procedures.

The vision provides direction for programs, courses, teaching, candidate performance and experiences, scholarship, service, collaboration, and unit accountability.

The School of Education vision and learning outcomes provide direction for programs, courses, teaching, candidate performance and experiences through the intentional connection between TPEs, course assignments, key assignments, and field experiences. Each candidate must demonstrate proficiency in each outcome in order to prepare the candidate to make a seamless transition into the teaching profession at the conclusion of his or her teacher preparation program. Collaboration occurs and decisions are made in the context of a professional learning community, within the monthly Teacher Preparation Committee meetings, as well as within sub-committees (e.g., Liberal Studies Committee, Single Subject meetings) and task force groups (e.g., English Language Learners, Special Needs Learners, and Assessment).

Our vision also provides direction for faculty service and collaboration, as each faculty member is involved in collaboration with one another and with a variety of school districts and school sites. The leadership team of the School of Education (Dean, Graduate Chair, Undergraduate Chair) work collaboratively with one another and with full-time and adjunct faculty, shaping unit accountability through learning outcomes and data collection that align with the vision. The Teacher Preparation Committee ensures direct accountability of the scope and sequence of

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the teacher preparation courses by requiring committee approval of any modifications to key assignments, as well as regular submission of candidate data. After data is submitted, group discussion occurs with faculty who teach each of the teacher preparation courses. In the context of this rich discussion, key stakeholders have opportunity to assist colleagues in refining learning activities that will promote best practices within candidate performance. Coupled with these discussions, administrators and master teachers from local school sites provide input for programmatic improvement within the context of surveys and discussions at a community event each semester. When modifications are required to help our candidates attain Teacher Performance Expectations, we invite input through a variety of venues such as: task force analysis, BTSA-IHE Collaborative meetings, communication with school site personnel, subcommittee discussions, and intentional research projects related to the area of improvement.

The vision also provides a framework for faculty scholarship and research, and gives us ways to measure our program’s effectiveness, thus ensuring accountability for the teacher preparation unit. For example, Dr. Claire Sibold, our reading professor recently conducted a research study entitled, “Multiple Subject Candidates Preparedness to Teach Reading and Subsequent Programmatic Changes.”to measure the effectiveness of candidate performance in reading fieldwork placements, which relied on feedback from master teachers interviews, observations by the professor/researcher, and self-reflections by candidates. Dr. Sibold presented her findings to the Teacher Preparation Committee and as a result, some modifications were made to the fieldwork evaluation forms.

Another example would be a research study conducted by an alumna and doctoral candidate from Biola University and other similar institutions in Spring 2009 entitled, “Teacher Education Programs and Data-Driven Decision Making: Are We Preparing our Pre-Service Teachers to be Data and Assessment Literate?” As a result of the presentation of her findings, which confirmed candidate weaknesses from our TPA data, three task force faculty committees were formed. One committee examined the assignments in each course related to English learner strategies, one committee examined the assignments in each course related to Special Needs learner strategies, and the final committee examined the assignments in each course related to formative and summative assessment.

These research projects provided invaluable feedback regarding the assessment strand of our program and highlighted the need to utilize more case studies to assist students in achieving success in TPE 3, and CalTPA 3 – Assessing Learning. As a result of the task force group

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data, we modified the English learner Key Assignment in LEDU 341/SEED 541 and added an assignment about the characteristics of specific categories of special needs learners to LEDU 301 and SEED 519.

Thus, the School of Education vision and teacher preparation learning outcomes provides direction for programs, course content, pedagogical decision-making, candidate performance expectations and learning experiences, research and scholarship topics for professors and students, venues for service and collaboration with local schools and educators, and unit accountability.

The faculty, instructional personnel, and relevant stakeholders are actively involved in the organization, coordination, and governance of all professional preparation programs.

The School of Education faculty, instructional personnel, and relevant stakeholders are actively involved in the organization, governance, and coordination of Biola University’s Professional Preparation Program including, but not limited to, the following ways:

1) Monthly Teacher Preparation Committee Meetings (includes full-time faculty, adjunct faculty teaching teacher preparation coursework, credential analysts, Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator, Director of Teacher Preparation, Dean of the School of Education, TPA Coordinator)

2) Monthly School of Education Meetings (includes all full-time faculty and staff of the School of Education)

3) Mid-Semester Community Meetings at Biola (includes local administrators, local teachers, students in program, university Student Teaching Supervisors, Director of Teacher Preparation)

4) Off Site BTSA-IHE Collaborative Meetings, Cluster Four (includes LaRie Colosimo, Regional Director; Gay Roby, Regional Director; Deborah Taylor, Director of Teacher Preparation; Melinda Soto, Manager of Credentialing/Advising; Jamie Stunkard, Credential Analyst; local school district and IHE representatives)

5) Quarterly University Student Teaching Supervisor Meetings (includes Director of Teacher Preparation, Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator, Student Teaching Seminar Professors, and all university Student Teaching Supervisors)

6) Quantitative and Qualitative Feedback: Master teachers and principals are surveyed at a mid-semester event held on Biola’s campus each semester. The results are analyzed and used for program improvement. Master teachers provide written evaluation each semester on every teacher candidate at the conclusion of their field assignment. Master teachers and

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university Student Teaching Supervisors provide written evaluation each semester on every student teacher candidate at the conclusion of their student teaching placement. Student teachers complete a Self-assessment of Readiness to Teach survey at the conclusion of student teaching, as well as providing written feedback on their university Student Teaching Supervisor and master teachers’ effectiveness as a mentor.

The culmination of key stakeholder input from all of these sources is collected, discussed, and analyzed at the university Student Teaching Supervisor meetings, Teacher Preparation Committee meetings, and Leadership Team meetings.

Unit leadership has the authority and institutional support needed to create effective strategies to achieve the needs of all programs and represents the interests of each program within the institution.

Unit leadership (including the School of Education Dean, Undergraduate/Director of Teacher Preparation and Graduate Chairs) has the authority to collaboratively create effective strategies to achieve the needs of the teacher preparation program. Decisions are made on a regular basis for program improvement at Teacher Preparation meetings. Agenda and minutes of all meetings, data analysis, and rationale for programmatic changes are carefully recorded in meeting binders.

Biola University provides the School of Education unit with an annual budget of 1.1 million dollars. The School of Education leadership has representation on Biola University’s Council of Instructional Deans, the Undergraduate Chairs Meeting, and the Graduate Studies Committee. Voice for all key stakeholders is utilized in the context of appropriate lines of authority. Additionally, School of Education has faculty representation on many critical university committees such as: Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, Diversity Leadership Committee, General Education Council, University Personnel Committee, Research and Development Committee, and the Graduate Studies Committee.

The education unit implements and monitors a credential recommendation process that ensures that candidates recommended for a credential have met all requirements.

Undergraduate candidates are required to apply for a California Certificate of Clearance prior to registration for LEDU 301 Introduction to Teaching. During this course, candidates apply to the Teacher Preparation Program. The application requires verification of 2.75 GPA, essays, references, and proof of registration for the CBEST exam. Graduate candidates are required to apply for a California Certificate of Clearance along with their Biola University application. The application also requires a 2.75 GPA, passage of CBEST and one subtest of CSET or of subject matter competency through a state approved waiver program for single subject candidates.

Candidates in the Teacher Preparation Program receive regular communication, from admission to program completion, regarding the

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multiple and single subject program completion requirements.

This includes presentations from our credential analysts in each teacher preparation course every semester. The Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator does a presentation to the Elementary/Secondary Curriculum course (LEDU 430/435; SEED 505/506), which is the final class prior to student teaching. This presentation includes information regarding the student teaching application and requirements. The application requirements include: verification of subject matter competency through CSET or subject matter waiver program (Single subject only), passing scores on CBEST, U.S. Constitution requirement, verification of 2.75 GPA and a Certificate of Clearance. The student teaching application is submitted by appointment to the Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator, who verifies that all application requirements have been met.

During the student teaching seminar course, credential analysts provide candidates with a SB 2042 Preliminary Teaching Credential Application checklist to ensure that candidates bring all of the appropriate documents to their credential application appointment.

Biola University’s School of Education requires all candidates to make an appointment with a credential analyst to verify that all requirements have been met in order to be formally recommended for a California Commission-approved Teaching Credential. The candidate must provide: official transcripts verifying posting of their accredited baccalaureate or higher degree; official score reports of passage of CBEST; RICA (MS only); verification of subject matter competency through CSET for multiple subject candidates, and CSET or subject matter waiver program for Single subject candidates, evidence of completion of Biola University’s professional teacher preparation program through official transcripts; approved U.S. History course verified on official transcripts or passage of U.S. Constitution exam verified by official letter; a valid Certificate of Clearance; current CPR certification (infant, child, and adult); and verification of the passage of all four CalTPAs through the Biola University student data base. After verification of all of the above, credential analysts formally recommend the candidate for his/her Preliminary California Teaching Credential.

Standard 1 Evidence: • Course Syllabi in School of Education Office files and on SOE Accreditation Website

• Assessment Data Files in SOE office and on SOE Accreditation Website

• Program Outcomes posted in Education Conference Room and on University SOE Website

• Teacher Preparation Committee meeting minutes in SOE office • Liberal Studies Committee meeting minutes in SOE Office

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• Task Force Group Reports in Teacher Prep meeting minutes • Research Projects • University Committee Agendas and Minutes in the Provost

office • Application to the Professional Education Program

(undergraduates) in the SOE office • School of Education Application for Admission on the Biola

University SOE graduate website • Student Teaching Application in SOE office • SB2042 Preliminary Teaching Credential Checklist in SOE

office • School of Education meeting minutes in SOE office • Binders in SOE office containing:

o Candidates’ Self-Assessment of Readiness to Teach forms

o Student Teacher Candidate Evaluation of Master Teacher

o Student Teacher Candidate Evaluation of Student Teacher Supervisor

o Master Teacher Evaluation of Teacher Candidate o Student Teacher Supervisor Evaluation of Master

Teacher o Student Teacher Supervisor Evaluation of Student

Teacher Candidate o Master Teacher/Administrator Surveys o Student Supervisor meeting minutes o Mid-Semester Community meeting minutes

Standard 2: Unit and Program Assessment and Evaluation

The education unit implements an assessment and evaluation system for ongoing program and unit evaluation and improvement. The system collects, analyzes, and utilizes data on candidate and program completer performance and unit operations. Assessment in all programs includes ongoing and comprehensive data collection related to candidate qualifications, proficiencies, and competence, as well as program effectiveness, and is used for improvement purposes.

Standard 2 Response

The education unit implements an assessment and evaluation system for ongoing program and

Candidate Assessment:

Content Knowledge is measured through exams, such as the CBEST, CSET, and RICA as well as overall GPA.

Teacher Performance Expectations are measured through a) Key Assignments, b) CalTPAs, c) e-Portfolios, d) Candidate Fieldwork

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unit evaluation and improvement.

Experience Evaluations, e) Professional Dispositions and Competencies Evaluation Forms, f) Mid Evaluation of the Teacher Candidate during student teaching, and g) Final Evaluation of Teacher Candidate at completion of student teaching.

The system for evaluation and ongoing program improvement involves collecting data and feedback from a variety of sources to be analyzed and discussed at Teacher Preparation Committee meetings. At the end of their teacher preparation program, candidates complete a Self-Assessment of Readiness to Teach. This data is triangulated with the CalTPA data and the seven key assignments. All of these data are brought to the Teacher Preparation Committee meetings for collaborative dialogue, recommendations for course content changes and adjustments, as well as ongoing program improvement. Changes are implemented at the next appropriate timeframe, which can often be the following semester, unless the change requires catalog text revision.

Quality of Professors, University Student Teaching Supervisors, Cooperating Teachers, and Master Teachers:

Quality of Professors in Program is measured through initial hiring process, Annual Review Process, Student Reviews of faculty effectiveness through completion of the nationally-normed IDEA course evaluation tool each semester, Curriculum Vitae, and Peer and Administrative Observations.

Quality of university Student Teaching Supervisors is measured through Master Teacher’s Evaluation of the Supervisor, Student Teacher’s Evaluation of the Supervisor, and ongoing recommendation of the Director of Teacher Preparation.

Quality of Master Teachers in the Field is assessed through Student Teacher Evaluation of the Master Teacher, Supervisor Evaluation of the Master Teacher, and ongoing recommendation of school and district administration.

Quality of the Cooperating Teachers in the Fieldwork Placement occurs through utilizing the Candidate Evaluation of the Cooperating Teacher and Administrative approval for placements.

If concerns about the quality of any professional personnel should arise, the Dean of the School Education in collaboration with the Graduate and Undergraduate Chairs, discusses these issues at the bimonthly Leadership meetings and take appropriate action.

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Quality of Field Placements:

Quality of the field placements is assessed initially through the screening of the Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator as she interacts by phone and email with the local schools and district offices. Additionally, School Profiles are filled out by university Student Teaching Supervisors for student teaching placements. An evaluation of the Master Teacher by both the university Student Teaching Supervisor and the Credential Candidate occurs with every student teacher placement.

Finally, there are site visitations by university personnel each year. Personnel that visit the sites include the Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator, university Student Teaching Supervisors, Professors, Director of Teacher Preparation, and Dean of the School of Education. Between all of these personnel, every school is visited at least once per year.

The Director of Teacher Preparation and the Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator regularly review visitation feedback and School Profile forms. Any site that fails to meet our program requirements and expectations for excellence is no longer used as a placement site for candidates.

The system collects, analyzes, and utilizes data on candidate and program completer performance and unit operations.

As indicated above, our candidates also complete a Self-Assessment of Readiness to Teach at the end of their student teaching. This data is triangulated with the TPA data and key assignments for ongoing program improvement. This data is brought to the Teacher Preparation Committee meetings for collaborative dialogue and recommendations for course content changes and adjustments, as well as ongoing program improvement. Changes are implemented at the next appropriate timeframe, which can often be the following semester, unless the change requires catalog text revision.

For example, based on data collected following the procedure outlined above, the decision was made to adjust the location of CalTPA 3 from the Student Teaching Seminar course to the LEDU 430/SEED 505 and LEDU 435/SEED 506 courses. This necessitated moving CalTPA 2 from the LEDU 435/SEED 506 courses course to the LEDU 420/SEED 520 and LEDU 425/SEED 525 courses. These changes required revisions to Biola University catalog text and were, therefore, implemented the following academic year.

Another example involved a Key Assignment in the LEDU 341/SEED 541 course. Based on professor input, analysis of TPA weaknesses, data from teacher candidates’ Self Assessment of Readiness to Teach, and faculty discussion at the Teacher Preparation Meeting, the

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assignment was strengthened and changes were implemented the following semester.

The TPA Coordinator summarizes the summative TPA performance data and brings the data to the Teacher Preparation Committee meetings. In addition to the holistic scores of 1, 2, 3, and 4, the TPA Coordinator also collects and collaboratively analyzes candidate weaknesses as described by the TPA assessors on the ROEs. This data is collectively analyzed in biennial reports and at the Teacher Preparation Meetings.

Assessment in all programs includes ongoing and comprehensive data collection related to candidate qualifications, proficiencies, and competence, as well as program effectiveness, and is used for improvement purposes.

Biola University has both Multiple Subject and Single Subject preliminary credential programs. Each program has formative and summative assignments that measure candidate qualifications, proficiencies, and competencies. Analysis of program data occurs each semester as faculty and staff analyze summative data of program effectiveness and use data for improvement purposes.

Key Assignments are summarized by professors each semester and brought to the Teacher Preparation Committee for discussion and evaluation. Results are kept in the Key Assignment Data File in the front office and results of the discussion can be found in Teacher Preparation Committee Minutes for the MS and SS programs. We are in the process of transitioning key assignments to Task Stream for more systematic submission, analysis, and recordkeeping. Our current challenge with using the paper system for key assignments is that we have gaps in data collection from our last assessment period (2007/2008 and 2008/2009 academic years).

Additionally, at the end of every teacher preparation course, the professor fills out a Professional Dispositions and Competencies Evaluation, which evaluates candidates’ responsibility, communication skills, dependability, and teachability. The professor discusses the results with the teacher candidate if they score below average in two or more categories. The professor and student signatures and dates verify date of reviewing the evaluation and/or discussion of the evaluation. By utilizing the same dispositions evaluation within each teacher preparation course, we are able to track strengths, progress, and concerns for each candidate.

With all data collection, results are summarized and presented to Teacher Preparation Committee. The committee analyzes the general trends of the data and discusses how to use the data to determine candidate qualifications, proficiencies, competence, and overall program effectiveness. Then, utilizing the discussion of the data, in context of what we know in the latest research related to areas of needed improvement, we assign task forces to analyze further and make

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recommendations. Over the last couple of years, the three main task forces have been: ELLs, special needs, and assessment. Teacher Preparation Agenda and Minutes show evidence of these task forces and resulting programmatic changes.

Standard 2 Evidence: • Teacher Preparation Committee meeting minutes in SOE office • Files containing analysis of TPA data in SOE office and in the

SOE Accreditation website • Key Assignments descriptions in course syllabi in SOE office • Binders containing candidates’ Self-Assessment of Readiness to

Teach in SOE office • Binder containing School Profile and Visitation forms • Biennial Report • IDEA evaluation tool • Candidate Fieldwork Experience Evaluation form in SOE office • Professional Dispositions and Competencies Evaluation Form

in SOE office • Mid Evaluation of the Teacher Candidate during student

teaching in SOE office • Final Evaluation of Teacher Candidate at completion of student

teaching in SOE office • Self-Assessment of Readiness Form in SOE office • Individual candidate files available to review in SOE office

Standard 3: Resources

The institution provides the unit with the necessary budget, qualified personnel, adequate facilities and other resources to prepare candidates effectively to meet the state-adopted standards for educator preparation. Sufficient resources are consistently allocated for effective operation of each credential or certificate program for coordination, admission, advisement, curriculum and professional development, instruction, field-based supervision and/or clinical experiences, and assessment management. Sufficient information resources and related personnel are available to meet program and candidate needs. A process that is inclusive of all programs is in place to determine resource needs.

Standard 3 Response The institution provides the unit with the necessary budget, qualified personnel, adequate facilities and other resources to prepare candidates effectively to meet the state-adopted standards for educator preparation.

Biola University provides the School of Education with a 1.1 million dollar budget for all current programs, including funding for ten qualified full-time faculty and administrators, six full-time staff, and a dozen part-time adjunct faculty. Biola currently houses the School of Education in two portable buildings. In the long-range plan, Biola University plans to remodel the adjacent Bardwell Hall for the School of Education. Single subject majors are housed and supported through the School of Arts and Sciences budget. All teacher preparation candidates have access to additional university facilities, such as computer labs, library, curriculum lab, science labs, etc.

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Sufficient resources are consistently allocated for effective operation of each credential or certificate program for coordination, admission, advisement, curriculum and professional development, instruction, field-based supervision and/or clinical experiences, and assessment management.

Biola University currently provides total budget allocation for operations and salaries to support the effective operations of each of our credential and certificate programs.

Admissions: At the undergraduate level, our two full-time credential analysts support the admissions process through receiving applications, reviewing applications with the Director of Teacher Preparation, and final approvals at the Teacher Preparation Committee. The Director of Teacher Preparation has a 5-unit release for teacher preparation activities as well as a 10th month salary.

At the graduate level, we have a Graduate Admission Counselor who works 23 hours per week to support the acceptance and enrollment of new students in the graduate credential and certificate programs. The Graduate Chair has a 5-unit release for directing graduate studies and for supporting acceptance of credential candidates at the graduate level, as well as a 10th month salary.

Advisement: We have two full-time staff members, the Manager of Credentialing/Advising and the Credential Analyst, who support advisement and post 16 hours for advising per week. Additionally, the Student Teaching/ Field Placement Coordinator posts 8 advising hours per week specifically in the area of field placement. All full-time faculty are expected to post 8 hours for advising per week. The SOE secretary maintains a binder with all faculty and staff advising schedules and manages advising appointments for students. Full-time faculty are not assigned students for advisement during their first semester of teaching.

Curriculum and Instruction: Biola University recently transitioned the Department of Education to a School of Education to strengthen the leadership structure. We now have a full-time Dean of the School of Education, an Undergraduate Chair, a Graduate Chair, a Director of Teacher Preparation (currently the Undergraduate Chair), a Liberal Studies Coordinator, and a TPA Coordinator. We have a total of 10 full-time administrators /faculty. We have 10-12 active adjuncts each semester as well as a team of student teacher supervisors.

Professional Development: The SOE has approximately $1,000 per full-time faculty member per academic year to support conference attendance and research opportunities. Additionally, faculty have access to university-wide Research & Development grants, as well as a full-time grant writer to support faculty in developing research projects. The university provides a broad level of faculty

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development support in technology and online education through the offices of the Associate Provost and Human Resources. In addition, the university funds Provost research luncheons 3-4 times per semester. These voluntary luncheons include collaboration around the meal and a 45-minute presentation, plus Q & A, allowing faculty from various departments to present summaries of their current research and publications. The School of Education hosts three required Research Round Tables per year where SOE faculty are asked to report on their past, present, and future research projects and ideas. These Research Round Tables provide opportunity for discussion and collaboration.

Biola University provides staff development training through the Human Resources Department. Staff can voluntarily participate in free training on Excel, PowerPoint, writing skills, diversity, and many other fascinating topics related to their job.

Field-based Supervision and Clinical Experiences: Biola University supports a full-time 12-month Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator. The responsibilities include placement of teacher candidates in their 25-hour introductory field experience, their 35-hour teaching reading field experience, their 60-hour curriculum field experience, and their culminating student teaching placements. The Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator distributes payment of a $90 honorarium to each master teacher for serving as a mentor to our student teachers.

Biola University also supports approximately 10 active part-time university Student Teaching Supervisors each semester. Full-time faculty also rotate through the supervisory process for student teachers. The university compensates the supervisors, providing one-unit credit per two student teachers. Salaries are appropriately based upon degrees and experience.

The university also provides funding each semester for the Master Teacher/Student Teacher Reception, our community event for each semester, which provides our faculty and students an opportunity to engage in professional collegial conversations on current topics in education and provides a place for Biola to receive community input on the quality of Biola’s teacher preparation programs. The School of Education hosts a Brown Bag Luncheon each semester for the university Student Teaching Supervisors where current dilemmas, challenges, and issues confronting candidates are discussed and often resolved with the support of the Director of Teacher Preparation. The Dinner/Supervisor Meeting at the beginning of each semester provides professional development in

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communication with master teachers, conflict management at school sites, and professional conduct in the broader educational context. The School of Education operating budget includes funds for mileage reimbursement for school visitations of all personnel; materials, such as duplication of forms, master teacher folders, supervisor folders, and student teacher folders; and refreshments/meals for meetings on an ongoing basis.

Assessment Management: Biola University provides a full-time TPA Coordinator who teaches one 4-unit course per semester and gives the rest of her energies to TPA coordination. In addition to her full-time salary, she also receives a 10th month compensation for responsibilities such as: disaggregation of TPA data, advising and remediation for candidates, facilitation of Task Stream, and TPA assessor support. The TPA Coordinator utilizes the services of the full-time administrative assistant as well as her team of 10-12 fully-trained assessors. Biola University provides funding (stipend and mileage) for adjunct faculty assessors involved in TPA training. Assessors are compensated for each TPA assessed ($50 for CalTPAs 1, 2, and 3; $60 for CalTPA 4).

Assessment of the entire unit is a collaborative venture between the Director of Teacher Preparation, the TPA Coordinator, the Dean, and the Teacher Preparation Committee and occurs primarily during Teacher Preparation meeting discussion, Leadership Team meetings, and collaborative meetings as necessary.

Sufficient information resources and related personnel are available to meet program and candidate needs.

Prospective candidates can find detailed information about the program on the School of Education website. Prospective graduate candidates can also attend information sessions staffed by SOE and Graduate Admissions personnel. Prospective undergraduate candidates have the opportunity to attend various on-campus events such as Spring Preview Day, Transfer Advising Day and Biola Bound sponsored by Undergraduate Admissions and attended by School of Education personnel. Incoming freshmen are required to enroll in a First Year Seminar course, taught by the Director of Teacher Preparation, and receive detailed information about their major and teacher preparation program courses. They are provided with handouts, program sheets, curriculum charts, and training on how to access information electronically on the Biola website. Both undergraduate and graduate candidates who have been accepted into the Teacher Preparation program are given presentations in every teacher preparation course, and students may meet with an advisor at any time with any question. Students also receive numerous email communications from SOE staff regarding upcoming testing deadlines and program requirements.

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The Library serves Biola University as the central information resource facility, supporting all undergraduate and graduate programs with extensive resources, regardless of format or location, and a wide variety of services. For a complete overview of the Library and its services, see http://www.biola.edu/library/. Opened the fall of 2001, our state of the art, 98,000 square foot, tri-level Library, located on the campus quad, integrates traditional print, modern online electronic, multimedia and audio-visual resources. In an environment that respects the privacy of the individual scholar and facilitates dynamic, interactive, collaborative learning groups, our flexible Library will serve the University for many decades.

There is a two-story, keyboard free, quiet, current periodical reading room with mezzanine, and 24 group study rooms on the upper and lower levels. The technology-rich instruction room serves 48 students in a class setting at 24 computer workstations, which are available for individual students when not used for group instruction. Further, an adaptive technology room provides private individual and small group access for those requiring magnification, voice recognition and oral transcription, or other computer based assistance. The local area network in the Information Commons allows up to 32 simultaneous users. Further, the Media Center provides 15 dedicated multimedia viewing and listening stations. The summer of 2009, preparations are underway to add 40 to 60 additional networked computer workstations for individual and group work in a variety of configurations. The building provides space for over 900 additional individual study stations at carrels, tables and casual lounge reading seats most of which are equipped with data and power connections for laptop computer use as well as wireless network service throughout the building. The upper-level study terrace and the middle-level Giumarra Court offer more than 100 outdoor study spaces, and an upper level 12-seat coffee and food court provides an informal setting for study, fellowship and nutrition breaks with both cable and wireless network connectivity. In addition, the Library houses two computer classrooms managed by IT: a PC classroom with 35 work stations and a MAC classroom with 25 stations, which are available for individuals or groups when not in use as classrooms during hours posted at the doors.

With respect to the Library's support of the School of Education, several spreadsheets, available in the School of Education Accreditation Website prepared for the April 11-15, 2010 visit, analyze the collection with a focus on education. These spreadsheets show specific subject areas and the distribution of the age of the items by date of publication. This gives a sense of the relative currency of the collection for each indicated area. For

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example, nearly 16% of the 11,413 titles in Education were published after 1999.

The first spreadsheet is "World Cat Analysis--Subjects & Dates" which shows that of the 244,073 items in our online catalog, nearly 5% (4.68%) are specific to Education. This spreadsheet shows that education is supported at a level comparable to several other subjects, with a total of 11,413 items.

The second is "Education" which shows how the 11,413 items in the online catalog are distributed among the key subject areas for education with the strongest areas of support being for Early Childhood and Primary Education with nearly 10% of the education items, School Administration and Organization with over 11% of the items, Special Aspects of Education with over 24% of the items, and Theory and Practice of Education with over 27% of the items.

The third is "Early Childhood Expanded" which shows how the 2,278 items for ECE, Preschool, Kindergarten and Primary Education are distributed among the various subject areas. Together these areas account for nearly 20% of the total Education Collection.

The fourth is "Special Aspects of Education Expanded" which shows how the 2,778 items for a range of education subjects are distributed. Together they comprise nearly 25% (24.34%) of the Education Collection with the principal areas being Education of the Exceptional, Gifted & Handicapped (20%) of the Special Aspects category and Moral Education comprising over 15% of this category.

The fifth is "Education Theory & Practice" which shows how the 3,133 items for a range of subjects are distributed together comprising over 27% of all the Education Collection.

Other areas, from Psychology, Temperament and Character development, adds only 33 items, Child Psychology adds 429 items and Developmental Psychology adds another 106 items in areas of interest to the School of Education.

Finally, the seventh spreadsheet is "Teacher Education" which shows how the 390 items are distributed among the Education & Training of Teachers, Professional Aspects for Teachers, and Teacher Education and Professional development.

With respect to fund allocations for the acquisition of new materials

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in support of the School of Education, from since 1993, Education has received $95,771 for the purchase of monographs and audiovisual materials.

Allocation for 1993-2006 = $65,859 (Average of $5,066 per year)

Allocation for 2006-2007 = $ 8,712

Allocation for 2007-2008 = $10,000

Allocation for 2008-2009 = $11,200

Funding for 2009-2010 is currently set at $10,000. The commitment to support the programs of the School of Education is growing on average nearly doubling in the last three years. This funding does not include reference books, most e-books, databases or print and online journal resources.

A team of qualified librarians is available to assist our candidates as they have need to conduct research or access library holdings.

A process that is inclusive of all programs is in place to determine resource needs.

The Dean of the School of Education (SOE) is the primary budget administrator for the SOE programs. However, budgetary decisions regarding the multiple subject, single subject, and fifth year programs are made with input from chairs, faculty, and staff as needs arise. The budgetary requests are due on October 1 of each academic year and approvals are communicated by January of the same academic year. When starting new programs, SOE may apply for seed monies from the administration of the university (e.g., funds for the Early Childhood program were given to SOE for the Fall 2009 start up and funds for an institution-sponsored, four-course Special Education Certificate have been given to SOE for a Fall 2010 start up). Currently, multiple subject and single subject programs are within the general SOE budget.

Standard 3 Evidence: • SOE Accreditation website • Library holdings • SOE appointment binder • SOE budget binder • Teacher Preparation Committee minutes • SOE Professional Teacher Preparation Program application • Biola University SOE graduate admission application

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Standard 4: Faculty and Instructional Personnel

Qualified persons are employed and assigned to teach all courses, to provide professional development, and to supervise field-based and/or clinical experiences in each credential and certificate program.

Instructional personnel and faculty have current knowledge in the content they teach, understand the context of public schooling, and model best professional practices in teaching and learning, scholarship, and service. They are reflective of a diverse society and knowledgeable about diverse abilities, cultural, language, ethnic and gender diversity. They have a thorough grasp of the academic standards, frameworks, and accountability systems that drive the curriculum of public schools. They collaborate regularly and systematically with colleagues in P-12 settings/college/university units and members of the broader, professional community to improve teaching, candidate learning, and educator preparation.

The institution provides support for faculty development.

The unit regularly evaluates the performance of course instructors and field supervisors, recognizes excellence, and retains only those who are consistently effective.

Standard 4 Response Qualified persons are employed and assigned to teach all courses, to provide professional development, and to supervise field-based and/or clinical experiences in each credential and certificate program.

Biola University has a rigorous faculty application process that includes extensive written responses to employment application questions, references, essay on educational philosophy, a series of interviews (minimally Dean, Chair, Faculty, Provost and President interviews), and close examination of curriculum vitae and transcripts. For all SOE faculty appointments, a high priority is placed upon their experience in P-12 schools as well as their research, presentation, and publication records.

The same rigorous process is required for adjunct and university Student Teaching Supervisors, with the exception of the President/Provost interview. However, there is less emphasis on research, presentations, and publications, and more emphasis on practical classroom experience.

Instructional personnel and faculty have current knowledge in the content they teach, understand the context of public schooling, and model best professional practices in teaching and learning, scholarship, and service.

Curriculum vitae, faculty load sheets, and annual reviews demonstrate instructional personnel’s current involvement in public schooling and up-to-date research on best practices. As part of the evaluation process, we require that faculty model the best professional practices in their courses. This is verified through chair and peer observations. Examples of our faculty’s involvement with public schools are as follows:

Dr. June Hetzel keeps up with current knowledge in the content that she teaches by reading the journals and publications in her field and attending teaching conferences. Dr. Hetzel stays current with the

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context of public schooling through teaching in the public school classroom (e.g., teaching several classes on Career Days at Corvallis Middle School and for Los Olisos Middle School); classroom observations (e.g., school walk throughs in the role of "Principal for the Day" at Hutchinson Middle School and Gardenhill Elementary School, formal observations related to ELL instruction in every class at Gardenhill Elementary in the context of our literacy partnership); speaking with public school parents (e.g., La Mirada High School Parent Evenings); joining the CTC Board of Institutional Reviews (BIR), and participating in IHE accreditation teams (e.g., Cal State Northridge) which involved public school charter schools interviews of teachers and administrators; and regularly participating in community events that involve public schools teachers and administrators (e.g., Master Teacher/Student Teacher Teas, Public School Administrator Breakfasts, professional organizations, reunion events with panel speakers from public schools speaking on topics, such as "Closing the Achievement Gaps"); reading updates from CTC; and participating in partnerships with public schools (e.g., La Mirada High School Literacy Partnership and Gardenhill ELL Partnership). Dr. Hetzel involves public schools teachers in the planning of and instruction of her students (e.g., Michael Long, South Whittier; Lori Clock, La Mirada/Norwalk) and maintains professional best practices in teaching and learning through peer review of her teaching, scholarship, and service via the Biola systems set in place in the university, including peer reviews for each promotion period, peer review of scholarship for each promotion period, and peer review of service for each promotion period.

Dr. Fred Ramirez has served in local public school classrooms by tutoring and teaching aspects in science, math, and research. He has served in his local School Site Council as a member and chair. He also collaborates with local teachers in research and volunteer opportunities for students. He has been asked to serve on the redistricting committee for the district in which he lives as well as a panel for parents who are question school policies. He continues to serve by being on the editorial board of the School Community Journal, guest edits for the Multicultural Education Journal where he assists colleagues in academe, public, and private schools to publish papers for the academic setting. Through these activities, Dr. Ramirez uses theory to assist school with daily practice. Through his collaboration with local schools, Dr. Ramirez has been asked to assist schools in other countries regarding their educational strategies. While Dr. Ramirez stays current through current literature as a member of various organizations and as an editor for academic journals, he also collaborates with local schools

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in order to bring the theory and practice into his classroom teaching. This constant updating of research and meeting with schools enables teacher candidates within his classroom to have current access. This information is delivered in both live and online courses through multiple teaching strategies.

Dr. Deborah Taylor, Director of Teacher Preparation, continues to advance her knowledge of current educational content and issues through reading educational journals and publications such as IRA’s Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, ASCD’s daily Smartbrief e-letter, ASCD’s Educational Leadership, Multicultural Education Journal, Teacher Education Quarterly, and Issues in Teacher Education, She also attends educational conferences, provides professional development presentations to in-service teachers, and serves regularly on WASC accreditation teams to maintain active involvement with classroom teachers, schools, accreditation, and models of effective educational practice. Dr. Taylor also strives to maintain contact with alumni from Biola’s teacher preparation program who are now teaching in a variety of school contexts and solicits their feedback about program strengths and weaknesses in order to ensure that our program is effectively preparing teachers for the unique challenges of our current educational context. Dr. Deborah Taylor regularly participates in BTSA-IHE regional collaborative meetings; quarterly meetings with district induction professionals; as well as individual meetings with student teachers, master teachers, and local principals. Her involvement in these arenas helps her to keep abreast of the changing classroom, school, and district dynamics in order to keep our students informed about the current educational climate and the specific challenges that teachers face. This awareness leads her to locate relevant research articles that she can bring to her courses in order to contextualize research-based solutions in the midst of discussing the existing challenges candidates are facing, particularly to support and strengthen candidates’ skills during student teaching. She recently volunteered her time tutoring for Kidworks, an afterschool tutoring program for at-risk children in Santa Ana Unified School District which enhanced her ability to instruct and model effective instructional strategies for English learners, students who are struggling academically, and students with learning disabilities. She also hosts the “Master Teacher/Student Teacher Reception” at Biola each semester, which includes professional conversations and collaboration of students, teachers, master teachers, administrators, and university student teaching supervisors. These conversations also provide her with concrete feedback and suggestions that she

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can infuse not only into her course content, but also to our ongoing program improvement plan. Mrs. Brazeal stays abreast of current educational content and issues by reading books, journals and publications such as ASCD’s Educational Leadership, ASCD Smartbrief as well as information published by the National Staff Development Council. She frequently uses such articles to provoke discussion in her class regarding timely issues in education. Course texts are also frequently changed reflect current best practices in the classroom. Mrs. Brazeal attempts to keep pace with public school practices through our Literacy Initiative with La Mirada High School, math assistance with Waite Middle School, and such activities as Biola’s public school administrator breakfasts, master teacher communication and events, and a yearly activity promoting higher education for 5th grade female minority students at Maple Elementary in Fullerton. Dr. Claire Sibold keeps up with current knowledge in the content that she teaches by reading the journals and publications in her field and attending education conferences. Dr. Sibold is a regular participant and presenter at the International Reading Association conferences – national, regional, and state conferences. She brings newly acquired information from the sessions she attends back to her own classes. In addition, she researches current practices in order to provide the most current information to teaching candidates, (e.g., academic language, the effectiveness of RTI, web-sites which are particularly helpful to teachers, high stakes testing, grand conversations, and so forth). She also attended special needs assessment workshops offered through the Orange County Department of Education.

During spring 2009, Dr. Sibold made formal observations of 19 undergraduates in their field placements. She observed teaching candidates teach, provided detailed observational notes, and debriefed them individually. In addition, she interviewed 8 cooperating teachers, asking specific questions about: 1) the assessments they are currently using in the classroom, 2) specific practices with which they feel our students should be familiar, and 3) the preparedness of our teaching candidates at this stage in their

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teacher preparation program.

Dr. Sibold has participated in school literacy events at a variety of elementary schools, sharing books and providing activities after “read-alouds.” She has also participated in “Career Day” and Dr. Seuss events at local schools.

Over the past couple of years, Dr. Sibold has supervised student teachers in grades 1st through 5th grades in the Santa Ana and Irvine school districts. She has taken information gleaned from her observations in the school back to the classroom, (e.g., the five key assessments used in the Buena Park School District, RTI, ways master teachers are differentiating instruction, etc.). She attends Master Teacher/Student Teacher Receptions during which she has an opportunity to interact with master teachers in public schools.

Dr. Sibold also is a consultant to both tutors who are involved in homeschooling students, America Reads, and Biola’s tutorial program. She has provided tutorial materials, brief in-services, and sample lessons for teaching candidates to use as a model. She also maintains professional best practices in teaching and learning through peer reviews of her teaching, scholarship, and service. For each promotion period, peer reviews are conducted to evaluate her teaching, scholarship, and service.

Jenna Canillas Stein keeps up with current knowledge in the content that she teaches by attending and speaking at conferences and meetings related to teaching English learners (TESOL, CATESOL, CELT, PAGE, LACOE), receiving email updates on current issues in education from ASCD, CTC and TESOL, participating in related listserves, and reading scholarly journals and publications outlining best practices in her field. Ms. Stein stays current with the context of public schooling in several ways. She just completed four years of full time service at a local school district office overseeing programs for English learners, as well as gifted and talented students. During this time, she provided professional development to K-12 teachers, counselors, and administrators as ELD Coach and served as BTSA consultant and support provider to beginning teachers. Most recently, Ms. Stein stays current by visiting local public schools weekly as university supervisor of Biola’s student teachers each semester. This involves working closely with Master Teachers and conducting formal

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observations of student teachers with supportive feedback. She also attends community events involving public school teachers and administrators (Master Teacher/Student Teacher Teas.) In addition, Ms. Stein offers her expertise to with local school administrators and teachers at collaborative meetings to discuss issues related to English learners (Gardenhill Elementary). She maintains professional best practices in teaching and learning through inviting peer review of her teaching, scholarship, and service via the Biola systems set in place in the university.

Dr. Robin LaBarbera keeps up with current knowledge in the content area she teaches by reading the journals, books, and newsletters in her field and attending conferences (e.g., the Council for Exceptional Children publications and conferences; Issues in Teacher Education, Intervention in School and Clinic, Educational Research Newsletter, CEC Smartbrief, and ASCD Smartbrief; Educational Leadership). Dr. LaBarbera stays current with the context of public schooling by facilitating student conversations about their fieldwork experiences, bringing relevant and up-to-date articles (re: curriculum, pedagogy, strategies for inclusion, etc.) to discuss in the classroom, collecting data through teacher candidates’ special needs student shadowing project, analyzing data and writing articles for publication about students with special needs, and active involvement on the Board of Directors for Opportunity Schools (a specialized instructional program to meet the needs of students with special educational needs, housed in several schools in Orange and Los Angeles Counties). Dr. LaBarbera maintains professional best practices in teaching and learning by reading pedagogy literature (e.g., The Art of Discussion-Based Teaching, The Active Classroom: Practical Strategies for Involving Students in the Learning Process, Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom, The Case for Constructivist Classrooms), continually rotating classroom textbooks to facilitate engagement in current classroom teaching practices, attending teaching and learning conferences (The Teaching Professor conference) and participation in peer reviews relevant to promotional periods.

Dr. Tim Stranske keeps current with educational knowledge by reading journals, books and other publications in his field and attending educational conferences. Through his responsibility to

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select books and journals to recommend for the School of Education for Biola University’s library, he studies new works that should be made available to faculty and students for our programs. He stays current with the context of public schooling through visiting local schools like Warren High School’s AVID program and Waite Middle School’s math tutoring program and visiting the Norwalk/La Mirada Induction training program. He has also used the STAR Test Results on-line to demonstrate progress made by schools becoming a professional learning community. He has also visited more than a dozen overseas schools in Kenya and Burundi. Dr. Stranske participated in the final review of the California Clear Credential Program Standards conducted by the CTC. He participates in community events like a Public School Administrator Breakfast, a Private School Administrator’s Luncheon, and reunion events with alumni of Biola’s education program. Dr. Stranske has consistently invited a special education teacher to his classroom, Elizabeth Colcol, to help students understand how to assist special needs students in the regular classroom and maintains best practices through peer review, participation in discussion of educational books, reviewing other’s teaching, scholarly work and service (through Biola’s promotion program for professors.) He is involved with the government of Burundi to enhance public schools in her country and serves as the ACSI liaison with private schools in the area.

Dr. Virginia Johnson keeps current with content of the courses she teaches by reading current research and published books, as well as periodical textbook chapter reviews for John Wiley & Sons Publishing. She also keeps current with content as she reads student research papers. In LEDU 335 Child Development, the students study the current literature on a topic related to child development and write a summary of their findings. In LEDU 330 Psychological Foundations of Education, students support solutions to case study situations with current literature research in the key assignment paper in that course. Over the past couple of years, Dr. Johnson has supervised student teachers in grades 1st through 5th grades in the Norwalk-La Mirada and Hacienda-La Puente school districts. She has utilizes information gleaned from these experiences in the school to stay current with best practices and how student population

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characteristics may impact the practice of teaching. She attends Master Teacher/Student Teacher Receptions during which she has an opportunity to interact with master teachers in public schools.

For each promotion period, peer reviews are conducted to evaluate her teaching, scholarship, and service, which help her maintain professional practices in teaching and learning. Our full-time faculty member, Phil Taylor, has primary responsibilities in teaching Bible, integration, and philosophy courses and does not teach teacher preparation courses. However, he still maintains knowledge of public schools by regularly participating in student teacher supervision in public school districts. In the last few years, Phil Taylor has supervised in La Mirada/Norwalk Unified School District, Fullerton Joint Union School District, Buena Park School District, Lowell Joint School District, and Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District. This regular participation in public schools, including interaction with Master Teachers and Administrators both at the school sites as well as at community events (e.g., Master Teacher/Student Teacher Receptions) helps provide current, up-to-date teaching practice that serve as examples for his integration coursework. In addition to our full-time faculty involvement in public schools, our adjuncts also stay involved in their local public schools. For example, Gwen Botka, who teaches our Introduction to Teaching course, participates in the School of Education Teacher Preparation subcommittee at Biola which helps her stay abreast of legislation, knowledge of current educational practices, and expected procedures for Biola's teacher education program. Gwen Botka serves on the School Site Council for the Placentia Yorba Linda School Unified School District and regularly serves as a substitute teacher for grades K-8 in the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District on days when she is not teaching as an adjunct at Biola University. Gwen also participates in administering reading assessments at Yorba Linda Middle School for Grades 6-8, served as the co- chair of the Scholastic Book Fair at Yorba Linda Middle School and is a member of the Parent Teacher Association for both Yorba Linda Middle School and El Dorado High School. Gwen's regular interaction in her local public schools, along with her involvement with Biola University's teacher preparation committee,

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assists her in keeping her knowledge of current educational practices current.

They are reflective of a diverse society and knowledgeable about diverse abilities, cultural, language, ethnic and gender diversity.

Of our full-time and part-time teaching faculty, 60% are Anglo, 8% are Asian, 8% are African American, and 24% are Latino. Our faculty is 72% female and 28% male.

Approximately 50% of our faculty have conducted specialized research in areas related to diversity. Dr. Fred Ramirez has published regularly in the Multicultural Education Journal and regularly conducts research related to diversity and its impact on families as well as special education. Dr. Robin LaBarbera has recently published articles on learning disabilities and autism. Her experiences teaching in Papua New Guinea, Watts, and Uganda help her to provide our candidates with a rich understanding of the impact of culture on learning. Dr. Deborah Taylor recently completed her doctoral dissertation entitled, “Factors that Motivate Faculty in Christian Postsecondary Institutions to Adapt Their Behavior and Pedagogy to Become More Culturally Competent” and is currently working on a grant to publish these findings. She also published an article in Educational Leadership on gender differences and incorporates this research in her courses. Dr. Deborah Taylor and Dr. Claire Sibold specialize in multicultural children’s literature and infuse this content throughout the literacy courses in the teacher preparation program. Jennifer Canillas Stein regularly speaks at conferences and consults school districts in the area of English Learners and brings her knowledge of Spanish, Mandarin, and Hindi languages into her course that instructs candidates in strategies to teach linguistically diverse students. Dr. June Hetzel recently co-authored a book with Dr. Ivannia Soto-Hinman entitled The Literacy Gaps: Building Bridges for English Language Learners and Standard English Learners (Corwin, 2009).

They have a thorough grasp of the academic standards, frameworks, and accountability systems that drive the curriculum of public schools. They collaborate regularly and systematically with colleagues in P-12 settings/college/university units and members of the broader, professional community to improve teaching, candidate

Faculty who teach in the teacher preparation program demonstrate their thorough knowledge of academic standards and frameworks as they model the incorporation of standards in all lesson and unit planning materials. Additionally, they model the importance of using assessment to drive instruction. For example, standards, frameworks and assessment systems are incorporated throughout assignments within the entire scope and sequence of the teacher preparation program.

Some of the ways that our faculty regularly and systematically collaborate with members of the broader professional community include:

• BTSA-IHE Regional Collaboratives

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learning, and educator preparation.

• Board of Institutional Reviewers for California (BIR) • California Council of Teacher Educators (CCTE) • Independent California Colleges and Universities Council

on Education of Teachers (ICCUCET) • Kwis Elementary School Partnership (Hacienda La Puente

School District) • Norwalk/La Mirada BTSA Collaborative • La Mirada High School/Biola Partnership • Gardenhill Elementary Partnership • America Reads Tutoring Program • CABE, NABE, IRA, CRA, OCRA

The institution provides support for faculty development.

The SOE has approximately $1,000 per full-time faculty member per academic year to support conference attendance and research opportunities. Priority is given to faculty who are presenting at conferences, learning about California State teacher preparation requirements, and conferences that would increase their knowledge and effectiveness with teacher candidates.

Additionally, faculty may apply annually for a university research & development grant. A research committee reviews these applications and approximately one third of the applications are funded. A full-time grant writer is employed by the university to support faculty in developing research projects. The university provides a broad level of faculty development support in technology and online education through the offices of the Associate Provost and Human Resources. In addition, the university funds faculty research luncheons 3-4 times per semester. These voluntary luncheons include collaboration around the meal and a 45-minute presentation allowing faculty from various departments to present summaries of their current research and publications.

The School of Education hosts three required in-house faculty Research Round Tables per year where SOE faculty are asked to report on past, current, and future research projects. These luncheons provide opportunity for round-table discussion and collaboration.

Biola University recognizes the excellence of its faculty through granting promotion and tenure through well-defined criteria as described in the Faculty Handbook.

The unit regularly evaluates the performance of course instructors and field supervisors, recognizes excellence, and

Evaluation of Course Instructors: All course instructors are evaluated each semester by students on the nationally-normed IDEA evaluation tool, which measures the achievement of identified learning outcomes. Additionally, IDEA provides faculty with summaries of the effective teaching strategies that they have

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retains only those who are consistently effective.

employed as well as several target areas to increase or improve. Peer and administrator evaluations are a required element of the annual cycle and required for promotion. Chairs meet individually with each teaching faculty member during each academic year to examine data regarding teaching effectiveness, course modifications and improvements, and goals for the next review cycle. If a faculty member does not demonstrate teaching effectiveness, he or she will be required to meet with the appropriate Chair. Suggestions for improvement are discussed, goals are established, and follow-up occurs during the subsequent semester. After a pattern of failing to implement suggestions and effective teaching strategies and in consultation with the Dean (and Provost for full-time employees), the contract is not renewed.

Evaluation of Field Supervisors: The university Student Teaching Supervisors are evaluated formally through an evaluation from the Master Teacher and an evaluation from the Student Teacher. The Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator compiles each supervisor’s set of student evaluations and each set of master evaluations. The Director of Teacher Preparation and the university Student Teaching Supervisor receive the compilations of these two separate evaluations each semester. The compilations are then used for self-assessment and feedback by the university Student Teaching Supervisor as well as a point of dialogue between the Director of Teacher Preparation and the university Student Teaching Supervisor. Additionally, the Director of Teacher Preparation informally assesses the university Student Teaching Supervisors through ongoing dialogue via email, telephone, and supervisory meetings (a minimum of three per semester). When difficulties occur, the Director of Teacher Preparation schedules a meeting with the supervisor in question. Suggestions for improvement are discussed, goals are established, and follow-up occurs during the subsequent semester. After a pattern of failing to implement suggestions and effective supervision strategies, the supervisor will no longer be invited to work with Biola candidates.

Quality performance of the university Student Teaching Supervisors are recognized through the Master Teacher Reception and the Student Teaching Celebration Banquet where the Dean of the School of Education and Director of Teacher Preparation publically acknowledge field supervisors for their important contribution to the development of our teacher education candidates. At the university Student Teaching Supervisor meetings, we provide a meal and graciously thank them for their work. Additionally, privately, the supervisors are acknowledged for the quality of their work via their evaluation compilations and

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appreciation notes from the Director of Teacher Preparation.

Quality performance of the professionals in the field (e.g., master teachers) are recognized through the Master Teacher Reception celebration where they are publicly asked to stand, thanked, and applauded for their work by Biola’s student teachers, university Student Teaching Supervisors, staff, faculty, and administration. Additionally, the master teachers receive a thank you letter and a $90 stipend that they are paid for their services. The university Student Teaching Supervisors also provide a thank you note expressing our appreciation to the Master Teacher each semester.

Cooperating Teachers receive an introductory and thank you letter for their services with every field placement in Biola’s Teacher Preparation Program. During the spring, the Student Teacher/Field Placement Coordinator sends a thank you letter to all campus administrators that provide Biola’s fieldwork experience.

Standard 4 Evidence: • Faculty curriculum vitae on University SOE website • Biola University faculty application • Promotion application binders • IDEA Evaluation tool • Annual Review evaluation form • Student Teaching Supervisor evaluation form by Master

Teacher in SOE Office • Student Teaching Supervisor evaluation form by Student

Teacher in SOE Office • Summaries of Student Teaching Supervisor effectiveness

evaluations in SOE Office

Standard 5: Admission

In each professional preparation program, applicants are admitted on the basis of well-defined admission criteria and procedures, including all Commission-adopted requirements. Multiple measures are used in an admission process that encourages and supports applicants from diverse populations. The unit determines that admitted candidates have appropriate pre-professional experiences and personal characteristics, including sensitivity to California's diverse population, effective communication skills, basic academic skills, and prior experiences that suggest a strong potential for professional effectiveness.

Standard 5 Response In each professional preparation program, applicants are admitted on the basis of well-defined admission criteria and procedures, including all

Biola University’s undergraduate candidates are admitted on the basis of well-defined admission criteria, including submitted complete Professional Teacher Preparation application, three recommendations, transcripts to verify a minimum 2.75 GPA, verification of registration for the CBEST exam, application fee,

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Commission-adopted requirements.

and approval by the Teacher Preparation Subcommittee.

Biola University’s graduate candidates are admitted on the basis of well-defined admission criteria, including; submission of complete Biola University SOE application, three recommendations, transcripts to verify GPA (minimum 2.75 cum) and bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, passage of the CBEST exam, passage of at least one CSET subtest exam or evidence of completion of a state approved subject matter waiver program (SS only), application fee, verification of Certificate of Clearance, Chair interview and approval, and approval by Graduate Admissions.

Exceptions have been made for candidates who meet all application criteria, but do not have evidence of passing one subtest of CSET. Additionally, in rare cases an exception may be made for the CBEST as well. However, in both instances candidates must sign the CBEST or CSET Waiver of Responsibility form with the understanding that the both exams must be passed at the time of application for student teaching.

Multiple measures are used in an admission process that encourages and supports applicants from diverse populations.

Biola University is situated in Los Angeles, a diverse environment that welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds. At both the undergraduate and graduate level, multiple approaches are taken to encourage diverse populations to consider Biola University as their school of choice. Some of those measures include: admissions representatives visit high schools, churches, and community colleges with diverse populations. School of Education representatives also visit community college career and education fairs to recruit applications from a diverse population. Biola University hosts several events each semester where students from diverse backgrounds are invited to campus for tours, meals, classroom observations, dorm visits, and information sessions on the various majors, including education.

The unit determines that admitted candidates have appropriate pre-professional experiences and personal characteristics, including sensitivity to California's diverse population, effective communication skills, basic academic skills, and prior experiences that suggest a strong potential for professional effectiveness.

Pre-professional experiences, personal characteristics, and sensitivity to California’s diverse population are determined through the application and references at the undergraduate level and graduate level. Additionally, effective communication skills are determined at the undergraduate level through students’ participation in their prerequisite course (as verified by their professor) and at the graduate level through their Chair interview, as well as through their written application. Basic academic skills are determined through formal transcripts verifying GPA as well as through test scores. Information on previous experiences is asked on the undergraduate application and in the graduate interview.

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Standard 5 Evidence: • UG: Professional Teacher Preparation Program application and references

• GRAD: Biola University Application, Interview Protocol, and References

• Biola University Catalog • Biola University Website • Waiver of Responsibility Form in SOE office

Standard 6: Advice and Assistance

Qualified members of the unit are assigned and available to advise applicants and candidates about their academic, professional and personal development, and to assist each candidate’s professional placement. Appropriate information is accessible to guide each candidate's attainment of all program requirements. The institution and/or unit provide support and assistance to candidates and only retains candidates who are suited for entry or advancement in the education profession. Evidence regarding candidate progress and performance is consistently utilized to guide advisement and assistance efforts.

Standard 6 Response Qualified members of the unit are assigned and available to advise applicants and candidates about their academic, professional and personal development, and to assist each candidate’s professional placement.

As candidates are accepted into the teacher credential program, they are assigned advisors who can assist them with academic, professional, and personal development. Advisors include full-time faculty, CCTC-certified credential analysts, and the full-time Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator. Appointments are made through the Education Secretary in the appointment binder, and at any given time, candidates may call or email and have several options for advisement.

Each academic advisor has been provided with an advising handbook that is updated regularly with any new legislative or program requirements. Both the Credential Analyst and the Manager of Credentialing/Advising (one of our CCTC-certified credential analysts) provides updates and ongoing advising training at the monthly SOE meetings so that advisors have access to the latest academic and credential information to pass on to their assigned advisees. Because the same advisor works with a candidate throughout their entire credential program, the advising relationship includes mentoring about the candidate’s personal and professional development, as well as their academic progress.

Appropriate information is accessible to guide each candidate's attainment of all program requirements.

Program information is accessible to every candidate via the website, Biola University catalog, and program sheets. Additionally, credential analysts visit each teacher preparation course every semester to provide education updates and program sheets/requirements for each stage of their preparation program. Advising handbooks are provided to each advisor, along with regular updates so that accurate information is distributed to

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candidates by their advisor. Candidates also have access through their University email account to a SOE resource folder, which provides them with access to: testing information, application information, program advisement, teaching opportunities, and opportunities to post questions to the School of Education which are answered on a daily basis. These web resources are only available to registered Biola University students.

The institution and/or unit provide support and assistance to candidates and only retains candidates who are suited for entry or advancement in the education profession. Evidence regarding candidate progress and performance is consistently utilized to guide advisement and assistance efforts.

There are several measures that the unit provides to determine whether or not candidates are suited for entry or advancement in the education profession. These measures include: Professional Dispositions and Competencies Evaluations in each teaching methodology course; tracking of GPA throughout the program; progress in CalTPA performance; fieldwork evaluations from master teachers, cooperating teachers, and university Student Teaching Supervisors; progress in attaining appropriate TPEs via key assignments; as well as the student teaching interview and final evaluations. Evidence regarding candidate progress is consistently utilized to guide advisement and assistance efforts. Confidential candidate data can be accessed by SOE personnel via the School of Education database (File Maker Pro), student files, and Task Stream (starting Fall 2009).

Candidates who struggle to meet one or more of these program standards are offered the opportunity to meet with a faculty mentor who will support them toward achievement of the required program outcomes, or help them to consider other possible career options.

Candidates who failed to earn a passing score on any CalTPA may meet with the TPA Coordinator at any time for personalized remediation and support. In addition, if a candidate fails a TPA twice, they are required to enroll in an independent study with the TPA Coordinator before submitting their third and final submission.

Standard 6 Evidence: • Appointment Binder in SOE office • Biola University Catalog • Program sheets in SOE office • School of Education database • SOE advising handbook in document room • Student files • Forms: Professional Disposition Evaluation, Fieldwork

Evaluations for all methodology classes, student teaching evaluation, interview protocols for student teaching.

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Standard 7: Field Experience and Clinical Practice

The unit and its partners design, implement, and regularly evaluate a planned sequence of field-based and clinical experiences in order for candidates to develop and demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to educate and support all students effectively so that P-12 students meet state-adopted academic standards. For each credential and certificate program, the unit collaborates with its partners regarding the criteria for selection of school sites, effective clinical personnel, and site-based supervising personnel. Field-based work and/or clinical experiences provide candidates opportunities to understand and address issues of diversity that affect school climate, teaching, and learning, and to help candidates develop research-based strategies for improving student learning.

Standard 7 Response The unit and its partners design, implement, and regularly evaluate a planned sequence of field-based and clinical experiences in order for candidates to develop and demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to educate and support all students effectively so that P-12 students meet state-adopted academic standards.

The fieldwork placements in Biola University’s teacher preparation program have been carefully sequenced so that candidates experience increasingly complex and rigorous fieldwork experiences that allow them to develop and demonstrate the appropriate skills to effectively support P-12 students.

LEDU 301/SEED 519: In this pre-requisite course, candidates are placed in a classroom for 25 hours. Within this placement, candidates observe and report on the following: the relationship between state academic content standards and instruction, classroom management strategies, the effective use of technology in a classroom, and the teacher’s legal obligations. Based on their fieldwork experience, candidates also report on the relationship between student learning, engagement, and assessment and how an effective teacher utilizes self-reflection to make instructional adjustments. Additionally, candidates formulate a special needs review based on the specific needs of a particular student in their fieldwork placement.

LEDU 420/425 SEED 520/525: In the elementary or secondary reading course, candidates are placed in a classroom for 35 hours. During this placement, they assume more classroom responsibility such as: administering reading inventories and reading assessments, working with small groups of students, and teaching 2 or more lessons to the entire class. They also work with an identified English learner and a special needs student, gathering specific data and making accommodations to a lesson that they will submit for CalTPA 2.

LEDU 430/435 SEED 505/506: In the elementary or secondary curriculum course, candidates are placed in a classroom for 60 hours. Candidates assume even greater classroom responsibility.

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They will teach 4 lessons to the entire class, differentiate their instruction, and administer an assessment to the class. As part of CalTPA 3, candidates work with an identified English learner and an identified special needs student, gathering specific data and making accommodations to the assessment and analyzing the results of the assessment.

LEDU 440/442, LEDU 450/452, SEED 512/513, and SEED 514/515: During student teaching, candidates are placed full-time in a classroom setting for an entire semester under the supervision of a district-employed master teacher. Candidates gradually take over the full instruction of the class and experience all the dimensions of classroom teacher responsibilities. The Biola University Student Teaching Supervisor visits each candidate 8-10 times during their placement and provides support, feedback, and a bridge between the university and the master teacher. Candidates attend a 3-hour seminar one night per week during the semester of student teaching where the professor helps them debrief their school experiences and provides ongoing support in teaching strategies, making accommodations, and managing the classroom. They also work with an identified English learner and a student with a learning challenge, gathering specific data and making accommodations to their teaching. Candidates videotape a lesson and their reflections on this lesson that they will submit for CalTPA 4.

For each credential and certificate program, the unit collaborates with its partners regarding the criteria for selection of school sites, effective clinical personnel, and site-based supervising personnel.

For all public school fieldwork placements, Biola University’s teacher preparation program requires that cooperating and master teachers are experienced, recommended by school principals, and fully CCTC- and ELL-authorized. School sites are selected based on collaborative partnerships that Biola has developed with surrounding school districts. Each of these school sites utilizes the state-approved curriculum frameworks and academic content standards. The Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator contacts the school administrator and reviews the above criteria with each placement request. She also verifies that the class in which our candidate will be placed is diverse, includes English learners, and special needs students. During the first week of the field placement, the candidate alerts their professor if the placement does not meet the aforementioned criteria and in these rare cases, a new placement is secured. In most cases, these exceptions are due to the lack of an identified EL student and/or identified special needs student to meet the CalTPA requirements. Additionally, university Student Teaching Supervisors and the Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator conduct regular visits to these campuses and provide ongoing feedback on evaluation forms such as the Master Teacher Evaluation and School Profile

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Evaluation forms regarding the use of best academic practices, classroom climate, and overall characteristics of the site so that we can place our candidates in the most appropriate settings for their growth and development. Data collected on the Master Teacher Evaluation is recorded on an Excel spreadsheet and used for reference when making future placements.

When arranging the student teaching placements, the requirements for the site-based supervisors (master teachers) are even more rigorous. In addition to being CCTC- and ELL-authorized, each master teacher must have a minimum of three years teaching experience at their current grade level and be approved by their administrator in order to be considered a quality mentor for our candidates. Each teacher candidate and university Student Teaching Supervisor completes an evaluation on the master teacher at the conclusion of the placement and these are reviewed by the Student Teaching/Field Placement Coordinator and used as the basis for future requests and placements.

Field-based work and/or clinical experiences provide candidates opportunities to understand and address issues of diversity that affect school climate, teaching, and learning, and to help candidates develop research-based strategies for improving student learning.

Field placements are sought in diverse settings within a 30-minute radius of Biola University. Most of these schools reflect the diversity of the Los Angeles region and of the specific neighborhood of the school. English learners are present in every selected public school classroom, and our candidates gain a great deal of experience in understanding their backgrounds and developing the teaching strategies to effectively address their learning needs and help them achieve the state academic content standards. Embedding the Cal-TPA in three of the courses that include fieldwork has increased our candidates’ ability to use research-based strategies to improve student learning by gathering specific information on their focus students, identifying appropriate assessments, making accommodations to their instructional and assessment procedures, and analyzing the results of their assessments to make better informed instructional decisions. Many districts have commented that our candidates are among the best-prepared student teachers that they have witnessed, and consequently, many of them have been hired, even in this challenging job market, either as long-term substitutes or as contracted teachers.

Standard 7 Evidence: • Course syllabi in SOE office files and SOE Accreditation website

• Candidate handbook for CalTPA in document room • School Profile binder • Evaluation of Master Teacher spreadsheets • Fieldwork Evaluation forms binder • Field placement request form for each fieldwork course

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Standard 8: District-Employed Supervisors

District-employed supervisors are certified and experienced in either teaching the specified content or performing the services authorized by the credential. A process for selecting supervisors who are knowledgeable and supportive of the academic content standards for students is based on identified criteria. Supervisors are trained in supervision, oriented to the supervisory role, evaluated and recognized in a systematic manner.

Standard 8 Response District-employed supervisors are certified and experienced in either teaching the specified content or performing the services authorized by the credential. A process for selecting supervisors who are knowledgeable and supportive of the academic content standards for students is based on identified criteria.

The “Student Teaching Agreements” specifically require employees that provide direct supervision and instruction to student teachers to hold valid teaching credentials, other than provisional credentials, issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing authorizing them to serve as classroom teachers. Teachers must be credentialed in the appropriate subject area and teaching the state-adopted academic content standards and frameworks. Additionally, Cooperating Teachers for methodology classes must be fully credentialed, ELL-authorized, and have teaching experience in the grade level and teaching the state-adopted academic content standards and frameworks. Additionally, required diversity in the student population at the field site must include an English Language Learner and Special Needs Student (GATE identified, IEP, or 504 Plan) in order for students to appropriately complete TPA requirements.

Supervisors are trained in supervision, oriented to the supervisory role, evaluated and recognized in a systematic manner.

The Director of Teacher Preparation meets quarterly with university Student Teaching Supervisors and provides ongoing training in supervision skills and the unique characteristics of the supervisory role. In order to train the district-employed supervisors, we utilize our university Student Teaching Supervisors who have undergone this training. Each university Student Teaching Supervisor is required to make an introductory visit to each master teacher to orient them to Biola’s requirements, which includes evaluation forms, lesson plan templates, and schedule for the candidate to assume classroom responsibility. During this initial meeting, the university Student Teaching Supervisor provides their contact information and answers any questions that the district-employed supervisor (master teacher) might have. Throughout the semester, the university Student Teaching Supervisor visits the student teacher approximately every 9-10 days and confirms these appointments with the student teacher and master teacher through email and/or telephone. The university Student Teaching Supervisors have records of these communications, but they are not formally documented in each student’s file. University Student Teaching Supervisor visits are documented on a supervisor check-

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off form that each student teacher keeps in a personal student teaching binder at their placement.

University Student Teaching Supervisors observe candidates teach a minimum of eight lessons per semester and evaluate the candidates’ areas of strength and where improvement is needed. These evaluations form the basis for discussion at supervisor meetings where university Student Teaching Supervisors make suggestions for programmatic improvement based on their observations of teacher candidates. The Director of Teacher Preparation brings these items to the Teacher Preparation Committee for further discussion and implementation of any changes to course content or fieldwork assignments.

Quality performance of the district-employed supervisors is recognized through the Master Teacher Reception celebration where they are served refreshments, publicly asked to stand, thanked, and applauded for their work by Biola’s student teachers, university Student Teaching Supervisors, staff, faculty, and administration. Additionally, the master teachers receive a thank you letter and a $90 stipend that they are paid for their services. The university Student Teacher Supervisors also provide a thank you note expressing our appreciation to the Master Teachers each semester.

Standard 8 Evidence: • Master Teacher Folder with all student teaching forms in SOE office

• University Student Teaching Supervisor check-off forms binder in the SOE office

• Teacher Preparation Committee meeting minutes

Standard 9: Assessment of Candidate Competence

Candidates preparing to serve as professional school personnel know and demonstrate the professional knowledge and skills necessary to educate and support effectively all students in meeting the state adopted academic standards. Assessments indicate that candidates meet the Commission-adopted competency requirements, as specified in the program standards.

Standard 9 Response Candidates preparing to serve as professional school personnel know and demonstrate the professional knowledge and skills necessary to educate and support effectively all students in

Candidates demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required for each of their programs. For the MS and SS candidates, subject matter competency/knowledge is measured through exam or coursework (e.g., U.S. Constitution; CBEST; CSET, waiver programs; familiarity with the California frameworks as determined through course assignments). Candidates’ knowledge, skills and abilities, including teacher performance expectations, are measured through CalTPAs, RICA (MS only), and key assignments that

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meeting the state adopted academic standards. Assessments indicate that candidates meet the Commission-adopted competency requirements, as specified in the program standards.

measure Biola’s University Teacher Education Program seven outcomes. Candidates are expected to demonstrate the following seven learning outcomes:

1. Committed to Living Out God’s Calling as a Christian Educator Key Assignments: Called to Teach Paper #1 (301/519)

Called to Teach Paper #2 (ST Application)

These assignments measure TPEs 12, 13 and provide practice in writing reflections.

2. Dedicated to Students’ Optimum Development for God’s Ultimate Glory Key Assignments: Student Profile Data (420/520; 425/525)

Designing & Teaching a Lesson (420/520; 425/525)

These assignments measure TPE 6, 8 and provide practice in gathering relevant data on students.

3. Engaging in Experiences with Cross-Cultural and Special Populations to Appreciate Diversity Key Assignment: EL Shadowing Assignment (341/541) This assignment measure TPE 7, 8 and provide practice in making adaptations for students.

4. Capable of Applying Developmental and Learning Theories to Solve Educational Challenges Key Assignment: Case Study Paper (330/526) This assignment measures TPE 13 and provides practice in writing analytical reflections.

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5. Implementing Content Standards Instruction Effectively Key Assignment: Progress Monitoring Lesson Reflection (430/505; 435/506) This assignment measures TPE 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and provides practice in coordinating instruction with standards.

6. Skilled at Designing and Implementing Appropriate and Effective Learning Strategies Key Assignment: Unit Plan Assignment (430/505; 435/506) This assignment measures TPE 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and provides practice in long-range lesson planning.

7. Devoted to Creating a Positive Learning Environment Key Assignment: Classroom Management Plan (330/526) This assignment measures TPE 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 and provides practice in connecting learning theory with classroom procedures. Candidates are required to pass all CalTPAs with a score of 3 or better to demonstrate their competency in the skills associated with the TPEs. The CalTPA tasks are embedded in the teacher preparation coursework as major assignments in these courses. The courses, which embed CalTPA tasks, are as follows:

LEDU 341/SEED 541: CalTPA Task 1 LEDU 420/SEED 520; LEDU 425/SEED 525: CalTPA Task 2 LEDU 430/SEED 505; LEDU 435/SEED 506: CalTPA Task 3 LEDU 440/442, LEDU 450/452; SEED 512/513, SEED 514/515: CalTPA Task 4 The success of each candidate is measured through the tasks described above and is monitored throughout the program: point of

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admission, during the program, and exiting from the program as candidates apply for their credentials.

Standard 9 Evidence • Student files in SOE office • Course syllabi in SOE office and on SOE Accreditation

website • SB2042 Preliminary Teaching Credential Checklist in SOE

office