University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Institutional Change Request

to

Approve the PhD in Educational Leadership, Research and

Policy

NCA Documentation to Support Change Request for PhD in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy

1. What change is being proposed? The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is requesting a change in approval to grant doctoral programs to include a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy. The proposed program is designed to meet the need for researcher/practitioners at the Ph.D. level to address problems of practice within area school districts and institutions of higher education (P-16) and non-governmental organizations with education-related missions (NGO). The dearth of available Ph.D. programs in the region, coupled with the intensity of need to improve the effectiveness of the above mentioned organizations, have resulted in an increasing demand from educators and policy makers to provide such a program at UCCS. The PhD in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy will prepare graduates to:

• Engage in culturally responsive reflective practice and scholarly inquiry as scholar/practitioners;

• Synthesize multiple research perspectives to lead educational communities toward enhancement and refinement of policies and programs, enrichment and strengthening of instructional practices, and improvement of student outcomes;

• Communicate comprehensibly and effectively in both oral and written scholarly discourse;

• Direct educators and policy makers in the continuous improvement of practice throughout the cycle of implementation and evaluation; and,

• Model culturally competence appropriately in research-based policy and program educational initiatives.

The Ph.D. program is expected to provide a service to education practitioners in southern Colorado who do not have access to a Ph.D. program in education south of Denver. Thus the program should provide enhanced service to the more than 100,000 students in the Pikes Peak region whose leaders will become scholars and practitioners focused on increasing the effectiveness of P-16 schools. The program is designed for cohort groups of 15 students, which will make it self-supporting based on tuition and fees.

The Higher Learning Commission policy relevant to this change is: policy I.C.2.b (change in educational offering).

2. What factors led the organization to undertake the proposed change? UCCS initiated an Academic Strategic Planning process in the 2005-2006 academic year in order to determine new academic programs and initiatives to propose to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. The PhD in Educational Leadership was included in

that plan, and incorporated into the university’s Seven Year Growth Plan which was adopted by the Board of Regents in May, 2006. A needs assessment was conducted in El Paso County and other southern Colorado counties about the need for and interest in the PhD program. Fifty-two potential PhD students from P-16 institutions expressed interest in applying for the first cohort. The data include feedback from eight large urban/suburban school districts and eight rural school districts. Respondents cited the need for highly skilled professionals who are practitioner/researchers to guide research and assessment in schools. Additionally, several superintendents from El Paso County have already endorsed educators from their districts for the program and have committed to support these students with funding, buy-out time, and/or research support. The Colorado Association of School Executives, in cooperation with the Donnel-Kay foundation, completed a study of school district superintendents in 2003. Findings from that report indicted a need for more highly trained leaders in these chief executive roles to meet the challenges of the role. The proposed PhD in Educational Leadership was developed by the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations in the College of Education in collaboration with the leadership in area school districts. The proposal was revised based on findings in a national report issued in 2005, Educating School Leaders by Arthur Levine (president of Teachers’ College, Columbia University), which outlined the challenges facing those who would assume the mantle of leadership in education and the requirements for their preparation. The report is highly critical of the plethora of educational leadership degree programs across the nation and the poor quality of most. The Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations agrees with most of the report’s conclusions and recommendations, and thus designed a high quality degree program, delivered by highly able faculty for a selective group of students, supported by an adequate resources base. 3. What necessary approvals have been obtained to implement the proposed change? Both the campus and the system have policies for approving new degree proposals. The system policy was revised in 2003 following the revision of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education’s (CCHE) policy. Currently, CCHE approval process is focused on the consistency of a proposed degree program with the institution’s statutory role and mission. UCCS’s statutory mission was evaluated in 2001 by Blue Ribbon Panel that studied higher education in the state of Colorado. The Panel recommended the following mission statement for the campus, and it was approved by the legislature in 2002:

The Colorado Springs campus of the University of Colorado shall be a comprehensive baccalaureate university with selective admission standards. The Colorado Springs campus shall offer liberal arts and sciences, business, engineering, health sciences, and teacher preparation undergraduate degree

programs, and a selected number of masters and doctoral degree programs. (Colorado Statue Title 23, Article 20, Part I.)

Thus, the PhD in Educational Leadership clearly falls within the expanded role and mission of UCCS. The process for confirming that the degree meets the role and mission requires that the proposal be sent to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research for the CU system, who initiates a meeting with the CCHE. That visit will be completed by the end of October, 2006. The campus policy for new degree programs requires first that the department draft a proposal and submit it through the appropriate college approval process. This was completed by the College of Education and the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundation in fall of 2005, with approvals by the college curriculum committee and leadership team. Proposal for new graduate programs must be reviewed and approved by the Graduate Executive Committee, which did so in March 2006. The proposal was then reviewed by the campus Academic Planning Committee; approvals from both groups were forwarded to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA) in May 2006. The Interim VCAA brought the proposal to the Leadership Team for review and approval in August. The Leadership Team reviews the resources required to support the program, and sends the proposal to the University Budget Advisory Committee. The VCAA also sends the proposal to an external reviewer for comment and evaluation. At this point, the proposal is sent to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research for the system, which reviews the proposal and submits it to the Regents of the University of Colorado for approval. The PhD in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy in currently on the Regents agenda for discussion on November 1, 2006, and will be voted on in December. Regental approval is the final step in the process. 4. What impact might the proposed change have on challenges identified by the Commission as part of or subsequent to the last comprehensive visit? During the Higher Learning Commission’s visit in 1997, a number of concerns were identified, including a dependence on part-time faculty and a lack of resources. In 2002, the HLC re-visited the campus and focused on sources and levels of revenue, assessment of student academic achievement, and graduate education. In its report, the review team recommended that the institution move forward to the next regularly scheduled visit, which takes place in November, 2006. The team indicated that the graduate school was providing administration and governance of graduate programs comparable to those of many national universities. While they also stated that UCCS was still not funded appropriately, they agreed that the steps the campus had taken had put it on the right path. In terms of student assessment, the team agreed that the campus had made progress, but expressed the expectation that at the next comprehensive visit, there would be evidence that the institution will have implemented a level of assessment of student achievement that focuses on the direct assessment of student learning goals.

The PhD Proposal was part of the new approval process for graduate degrees on campus, and was appropriately reviewed and approved by both the Graduate Executive Committee and the Dean of the Graduate School. The assessment plan is detailed in the proposal; it includes specific guidelines for portfolio evaluation at appropriate junctures in their studies. The purpose of the portfolio is to promote and represent the student’s command of content, research, and leadership knowledge and skills leading toward independent scholarly work on complex problems of educational practice. The portfolio provides the focal point with faculty committees to discuss student progress toward independent scholarly, professional growth, and development as a researcher. The faculty have developed criteria for the evaluation of the portfolio. In addition to the ongoing assessment provided by the portfolio, the programs include the following assessment measures: (1) preliminary examinations; (2) comprehensive examinations; (3) a dissertation proposal; (4) the dissertation; and (5) the dissertation defense. 5. What are the organization’s plans to implement and sustain the proposed change? The proposed PhD program in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy will be directed by the chair of the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations, and will include a core of faculty within the College of Education, including two new faculty members to be hired this year. The department currently has five tenure track faculty lines and a half time instructor. In addition, the department has an administrative assistant who manages personnel and budget as well as day to day administrative matters. The Graduate School provides support through the Graduate Recruitment Coordinator. Research support is provided by the campus Office of Sponsored Programs. In addition, the Financial Aid office will provide assistance as students seek financial aid, either in the form of scholarships or loans. The campus also has a competitive process for Graduate Fellowships. Library resources, once an issue on campus, are now more than adequate given shared electronic resources within the CU system. In the proposal itself, Table 3 provides the projected new expenses for the program, which the campus has made a commitment to fund. There are no new equipment or facility needs for the program. The goal for PhD program in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy is to have the program approved by the Regents in December, 2006, and to begin the first cohort in fall 2006. The leadership program faculty have prior experience with cohort-based doctoral programs when the UCCS and the University of Colorado at Denver has a shared doctoral program. The cohort was highly successful in its completion rates and, indeed, prior graduates of the program are currently on the faculty (including an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, the former Director of the Technical Writing Program, and the current Director of Retention.

6. What are the organization’s strategies to evaluate the proposed change? The Laws of the Regents of the University of Colorado stipulate that an academic review of all units will be conducted once every five to seven years to identify strengths and weaknesses, make recommendations for program development, and promote high quality and well-administered academic programs. However, in the professional schools and colleges, external accreditation reviews by the appropriate professional organization substitute for the program review. The College of Education’s programs are approved by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and its leadership program by the Educational Leadership Constituency (ELCC). The addition of the PhD in leadership to the college’s programs will be submitted in the annual report to NCATE/AACTE. In addition, the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundation will add the PhD program to its annual assessment report, which is reviewed by the campus Student Achievement Assessment Committee.

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

College of Education Department of Leadership, Research,

and Foundations

Proposed Ph.D. Program in Educational Leadership, Research, and

Policy

August 2006 A. Program Description

This document is a proposal for a Ph.D. program in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy in the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations (LRF) in the College of Education (COE) at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS). The program is envisioned as a cohort model, where a group of students enroll in classes together for the duration of the program. It is expected that an individual student will complete the program in six semesters or about three years.

1. Basic Design The proposed program has been designed to provide scholars and practitioners with the skills and knowledge to address the need expressed by educators in the Pikes Peak region and in communities in Southern Colorado. These educators have declared a need for select key personnel in their school districts, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with education related missions and institutions of higher education to become researcher/practitioners at the Ph.D. level in order to address problems of practice and lead their colleagues toward success for all students. 2. Learning Goals The Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy will prepare graduates to:

• engage in culturally responsive reflective practice and scholarly inquiry as scholar/practitioners;

• synthesize multiple research perspectives to lead educational communities toward enhancement and refinement of policies and programs, enrichment and strengthening of instructional practices, and improvement and enhancement of student outcomes;

• lead practitioners and other citizens toward implementation of research-based policy initiatives.

• synthesize and apply research from various sources to illuminate and resolve problems of practice;

• employ appropriate research tools, both quantitative and qualitative, to conduct research;

• interpret research data for practical application; • communicate comprehensibly and effectively in both oral and written scholarly

discourse; • develop competency in the application of appropriate technological programs for

analysis of data, communication with a broad base of scholars and practitioners, and maintenance of research data bases;

• direct educators in the continuous improvement of practice through the cycle of implementation and evaluation; and,

• model cultural competence appropriately in research-based educational initiatives. B. Concerns

1. Bona Fide Need: Student Demand and Workforce Demand

The proposed program has been designed to provide scholars and practitioners with the skills and knowledge to address the need expressed by educators in the Pikes Peak region and in communities in Southern Colorado. These educators have declared a need for select key personnel in their school districts, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with education related missions and institutions of higher education to become researcher/practitioners at the Ph.D. level in order to address problems of practice and lead their colleagues toward success for all students. School districts in the immediate Pikes Peak region serve more than 100,000 students and have combined annual operating budgets in excess of one-half billion dollars. Additionally, there are eight institutions of higher education, both public and private within the immediate geographic area with the need to recruit and develop scholar practitioners who can assume leadership, research and policy roles within those organizations. Finally, the need for scholar practitioners throughout the greater southern Colorado area will also be served by this degree program. A national report issued in 2005, Educating School Leaders, by Arthur Levine the president of Teachers’ College, Columbia University, outlines the challenges facing those who would assume the mantle of leadership in education and the requirements for their preparation. The report is highly critical of the plethora of education leadership degree programs across the nation and the poor quality of most. The department of Leadership, Research and Foundations in the College of Education at UCCS welcomes this study and enthusiastically agrees with most of its conclusions and recommendations. To that end, we are committed to offering a high quality degree program, delivered by highly able faculty for a selective group of students, supported by an adequate resource base. We will not enter the “race to the bottom” in competition with the purveyors of education leadership degree programs as described in the Levine report. We believe such programs are a disservice to the communities that hire their graduates, the students who pay for these specious degrees, and the profession overall.

a. Student Demand Based upon a needs assessment conducted in the region of El Paso County and other counties in southern Colorado, a minimum of 52 students from P-16 institutions are currently interested in applying for the first cohort. The data include feedback from eight large urban/suburban school districts and eight rural school districts. Respondents cite the need for highly skilled professionals who are practitioner/researchers to guide research and assessment in schools and to lead successful grant teams to tap into the billions of available public funding dollars. Additionally, several superintendents from El Paso County have already endorsed educators from their districts for the program and have committed to support these students with funding, buy-out time, and/or research support. The Colorado Association of School Executives, in cooperation with the Donnel-Kay Foundation, completed a study of school district superintendents in 2003. Findings from that report indicate a need for more highly trained leaders in these chief executive roles to meet the challenges of the role. The Colorado Department of

Labor reports the need for individuals with terminal degrees to grow through 2012 at a rate of three to five percent. This growth rate merely anticipates replacement needs during this time frame. Finally, despite the lack of any recruitment activities, the College of Education and the Department of Leadership, Research and Foundations are regularly contacted by educators, our own UCCS master’s degree students and graduates, and other professionals from throughout the region who inquire about a Ph.D. program in education leadership. These individuals assume such a program exists on the UCCS campus and often express disbelief that such a degree program is not offered. Thus, formal and informal information sources indicate the need for a Ph.D. program in education leadership, research and policy on the UCCS campus.

1. Enrollment Projections It is estimated that 15 new students per year will be enrolled in the program. (see table 1)

2. Enrollment and Graduation Estimates Sustained enrollment of 15 students per year is expected. After year three the enrollment will be 45 students total. Based on experience with similar programs and program design factors, it is expected that there will be five graduates per year starting in year three of the program. 3. Pool of Potential Applicants There are over 6,000 K -16 education professionals in the Pike Peak region and the broader southern Colorado area. Combined with governmental and non-governmental organizations with education related missions, the pool of potential applicants is vast. The population in the Pikes Peak region is expected to continue to grow, with El Paso County surpassing Denver County in population within the decade. As a result, the demand for highly trained educators and researchers will continue to grow well into the future.

4. Part-time Working Students This program is designed to meet the needs of working professionals who are in mid –career. It is planned to be offered in such as way that students can complete the course of study while working full-time in their career field.

b. Workforce Demands Employers from this region of the state have requested this program. School districts, institutions of higher education, governmental and non-governmental organizations are eager to place program graduates in their organization. The Colorado Association of School Executives, in cooperation with the Donnel-Kay Foundation, completed a study of school district superintendents in 2003. Findings

from that report indicate a need for more highly trained leaders in these chief executive roles to meet the challenges of the role. The Colorado Department of Labor reports the need for individuals with terminal degrees to grow through 2012 at a rate of three to five percent. This growth rate merely anticipates replacement needs during this time frame.

1. Opportunities for Admission – not applicable 2. Employment Demand High demand is indicated from discussions with eight large urban/suburban school districts and eight rural school districts. Respondents cite the need for highly skilled professionals who are practitioner/researchers to guide research and assessment in schools and to lead successful grant teams to tap into the billions of available public funding dollars. Additionally, several superintendents from El Paso County have already endorsed educators from their districts for the program and have committed to support these students with funding, buy-out time, and/or research support. From 2001-2003, educators in the Pikes Peak region collaborated with faculty and administrators at UCCS to develop a research center to support collaborative research projects that would focus on the region’s school districts, attain grant funding to further that research, and develop new researchers through a Ph.D. program that would be offered at UCCS. The Pikes Peak Educational Research Center (PPERC) opened its doors in 2003, financially supported by funds from area school districts, grants, and UCCS. The goal of PPERC is to promote the research, entrepreneurial, and service activities to preschool through university (P-16) education and the COE at UCCS. The COE administers and manages grant programs, contracted services, professional development, and P-16 initiatives within the Center. The PPERC also provides research support to regional and state K-12 local educational agencies. The expectation that a Ph.D. program would be available for promising P-16 scholars created a demand that, to date, continues to grow. A belief persists that the mission of PPERC will be fully served once a doctoral program is established. Pikes Peak area superintendents and higher education administrators continue in their queries about the timeline for the implementation of a Ph.D. program.

2. Role and Mission

This program is consistent with the purpose of the campus. Colorado Revised Statutes 23-20-101. University of Colorado - role and mission - all campuses. Section (c) states, “The Colorado Springs campus of the University of Colorado shall be a comprehensive baccalaureate university with selective admission standards. The Colorado Springs campus shall offer liberal arts and sciences, business, engineering, health sciences, and teacher preparation undergraduate degree programs, and a selected number of masters and doctoral degree programs.” Additionally, The Seven Year Growth Plan, for UCCS, formally adopted by the Board of Regents, anticipates the development of a Ph.D. program in educational leadership. 3. Duplication The state legislative mandate to address the needs in Southern Colorado obligates UCCS to develop and implement high quality advanced graduate programs. The dearth of available Ph.D. programs in the UCCS area, coupled with the intensity of need to improve the effectiveness of public schools, non governmental organizations and institutions of higher education in the state, have resulted in an increasing demand from educators to provide such a program at UCCS. Other similar programs are available in the state: UC Boulder, UC Denver, Colorado State University, Northern Colorado University, University of Denver. However, these programs are generally not accessible to working professionals from Southern Colorado. Historically, several proprietary degree granting organizations have operated on an itinerant basis in the Southern Colorado area as well. Recently, we have noted a trend among some former UCCS Education Leadership master’s level students who are seeking on-line Ph.D. degrees from out of state vendors. It is reiterated, however, that the unique design of the program envisions a close working relationship with area school districts, institutions of higher education and related organizations, which makes a program at UCCS essential. 4. Statutory Requirements The state legislative mandate to address the needs in Southern Colorado obligates UCCS to develop and implement high quality advanced graduate programs. The dearth of available Ph.D. programs, coupled with the intensity of need to improve the effectiveness of public schools, non governmental organizations and institutions of higher education in the state, have resulted in an increasing demand from educators to provide such a program at UCCS.

C. Program Quality and Institutional Capacity

1. Admission, Transfer and Graduation Standards a. Admission Requirements

Rules of the Graduate School, UCCS:

ARTICLE IV: ADMISSION TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL. The following are minimum standards for admission of students to a degree program of the Graduate School. Individual programs may adopt additional requirements beyond these.

Section A: Regular Admission

Minimum requirements for admission as a regular degree student:

1. Hold a master's degree from an accredited college or university, or demonstrate completion of work equivalent to the master's degree given at this University.

2. Have an undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 or better ("A" is equal to 4.0). or Have a combined undergraduate grade point average and score on a national standardized admissions test that meet criteria determined by the program. or Have completed a master’s degree at an accredited university with a grade point average of 3.25 or better. Note that units completed before admission may not all be transferable into a graduate degree program.

3. Have adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen program, and meet the requirements for admission, as determined by the program faculty.

For students who do not meet the above criteria, program faculty may assign course work and/or examinations that must be taken in order to make up deficiencies.

Section B: Provisional Admission

An applicant not meeting the criteria for admission as a regular degree student may be recommended by the faculty for admission as a provisional student. The recommendation must include a statement of the conditions which the student must meet in order to become a regular degree student. When the conditions for regular status are met, the program director has the responsibility to reclassify the student to regular status.

Provisional students are subject to the same standards of performance required of regular degree students, in addition to other requirements a program faculty may impose as conditions of admission.

Section C: New Applications

Applications for admission to an advanced degree program should be sent to the appropriate University of Colorado at Colorado Springs program office. The complete application must include:

1. Part I and Part II of the graduate application (including the Residency form)

2. Two official transcripts of all academic work completed to date, sent directly from the academic institutions attended.

3. A nonrefundable application processing fee.

4. Test scores, letters of reference, and other materials as required by specific programs.

5. For international applicants, a score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Students may apply at any time. Complete applications (including all supporting documentation) submitted to the program office at least 60 days prior to the term for which admission is sought are normally assured full consideration; some programs have established earlier deadlines.

A student who wishes to change the major field of study after acceptance into a program must submit a new Part I of the graduate application to the new major program and request the former program to forward Part II, recommendations and transcripts to the new program. The new program will evaluate the student for admission; the graduate application fee will not be required. Programs at times may accept partial applications for regular or provisional admission so long as applicants submit all materials by a deadline date determined by the Program Director and agreed to by the applicant.

Section D: Applications by Former Students

A student who was previously admitted to a graduate program, did not complete the degree, and has not been continuously registered at the University, but now wishes to return, must do the following:

1. Clarify status with the program to determine eligibility to return and pursue the same degree.

2. After receiving program approval to continue work on the degree, submit a new Part I of the application to the program office before deadlines have passed for the term of expected return.

A former student will not be charged an application fee unless any coursework to be applied to the degree was taken more than six years prior to the student's return.

A student applying to a doctoral program from a master's program in the same department, with no break in attendance, will not be charged an application fee.

b. Transfer Students

Graduate School Rules Section E: Transfer Credits

Transfer credits may be applied to a graduate degree only with the approval of the program director. Each program will establish, with the concurrence of the Graduate School Executive Committee, the maximum number of semester hours (not to exceed 25% of the required units) that may be transferred from another accredited institution and applied toward its graduate degree, without special approval of the Graduate Dean. The following provisions will apply:

1. All transfer courses must have a grade of B minus or above.

2. Requests for transfer of credit must be made on the form specified for this purpose. Official transcripts of credit must accompany requests or be on record.

3. Doctoral degree students must submit transfer requests to the Graduate School before making application for admission to candidacy.

Section F: Credit Earned at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Before Admission to a Program

1. Credits earned as an unclassified student at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs may be applied to a graduate degree only with the approval of the program director. Each program will establish, with the concurrence of the Graduate School Executive Committee, the maximum number of semester hours taken in unclassified status that may be applied toward its graduate degree, without special approval of the Graduate Dean.

Coursework in progress during the semester in which formal admission is granted does not apply to this unclassified total.

Section G: Credit Earned at Other Campuses of the University of Colorado

Some programs have special arrangements for accepting graduate credits earned at other campuses of the University of Colorado. For programs without such special arrangements, all such credit shall be treated as transfer credit.

c. Enrollment Restrictions

Enrollment will be restricted to approximately 15 new students per year and a total enrollment of 45 students. These numbers represent an optimum faculty load in order to serve students well. More students will be accommodated if resources allow.

d. Standards for Continuation in Program: Section B : Grades and Quality of Graduate Work

1. Minimum Grade Point Averages

The University grade point average includes all work attempted while enrolled in the Graduate School and is the average that appears on the student's official University transcript. However, to remain in good academic standing in the Graduate School and to receive a graduate degree, a student is required to maintain at least a B (3.0) Graduate Program grade point average, which includes all work required for the degree while taken at this University (classified and unclassified) and may differ from the University grade point average.

2. Grades Below B Minus

A student who receives a grade below B minus in a course may repeat that course once, upon approval by the program director, provided the course has not been previously applied toward a degree. The grade received in a repeated course will substitute for the original grade and only the latter grade will be used in calculating the Graduate Program grade point average required for graduation. However, all grades received will appear on the student's transcript and will be used in calculating the student's University grade point average.

3. Minimal Acceptable Grades

Any course applied to a doctoral degree must have a grade of B minus or better.

4. Grades received before admission to the Graduate School

Courses transferred from another institution are not included in the calculation of the University grade point average or in the Graduate Program grade point average. The University grade point average does not include any courses taken while in unclassified status. However, the Graduate Program grade point average will include all unclassified courses that are applied to meeting degree requirements.

2. Curriculum Description and Assessment Process

a. Program Requirements The curriculum described herein has been developed to provide scholars with expertise in research, breadth and depth of knowledge in policy development and analysis, and the ability to lead the state’s schools, non-governmental organizations, and institutions of higher education toward excellence. A focus on problem-based inquiry is integrated within the curriculum. Throughout the program, specific knowledge and skill elements are incorporated to provide students with the greatest opportunity to learn the necessary knowledge and skills and gain individual competence and confidence to undertake and complete a dissertation. These elements are structured within the program as developmental steps that lead toward increasing competency. Opportunities to work with university professors and other researchers will allow student scholars to learn and refine their proficiency as researchers.

Among the elements of the program are a variety of structured experiences that lead to successful completion of the degree and the application of newly acquired skill and knowledge in real-world settings. These experiences include: a) successively complex critical analysis exercises; b) laboratory projects in which teams of students, working with faculty, develop research projects to increase their skills over successive semesters; c) portfolios designed as instruments for authentic assessment of knowledge and skill acquisition; d) integrated coursework that includes a study of leadership, policy analysis, organizational development, and governance. This coursework is built upon foundational instruction in research methodology with a variety of opportunities to apply newly acquired skills under the mentorship of program faculty.

A minimum of 70 semester hours of course work beyond the master’s degree will be required in this program. The coursework will be completed in a cohort structure over six semesters with each student completing the dissertation requirement in subsequent semesters. This requirement is within the parameters of other Ph.D. programs in the state and across the nation. The requirements include 40 hours of course work and research labs, and 30 hours of dissertation credit. Program integrity is paramount among the goals of UCCS faculty. Courses required would be:

b. Course Titles Research Core (22) credit hours total)

• Intermediate Quantitative Research and Statistics (3 credits) • Advanced Quantitative Research and Statistics (3 credits)

• Methods of Qualitative Inquiry (3 credits) • Applications of Qualitative Inquiry (3 credits) • Doctoral Research Lab (10 credits)

Professional Core (18 hours total)

• Ethical Leadership and Democratic Values in a Multicultural Society (3 credits)

• Leadership, Power, and Authority in Educational Policy and Governance (3 credits)

• Leadership Excellence in Complex Organizations (3 credits) • Large Scale Student Assessment (3 credits) • The Economics of Education (3 credits) • Policy and Educational Program Evaluation (3 credits)

Dissertation (30 credit hours total)

• Doctoral Dissertation (18 credit hours taken as 3 credit hours each semester of coursework)

• Doctoral Dissertation (12 credit hours may be taken as 1 credit hour each semester after admission to candidacy)

• Note: Candidates must be continuously enrolled with at least 1 credit hour per semester during completion of the dissertation.

• Note: Candidates must enroll for 5 credit hours during the final semester of oral defense of dissertation)

Doctoral Labs

The doctoral labs will play a pivotal role in the program. UCCS faculty will continue to focus on a search for scholarly solutions to complex problems of practice as a central aim for all research, service and teaching activities. Further, faculty is committed to partnerships with schools, businesses, human service providers, and other institutions of higher education to achieve this goal. The use of interdisciplinary, long-term projects in which faculty and students collaborate on a focused research agenda in partnership with schools, institutions of higher education, businesses, and non-governmental organizations with education related missions is planned within the lab structure. Moreover, labs will be governed by the following

• UCCS faculty members are committed to improving professional practice through a scholarship of practice. Strict binary oppositions of research versus practice, theoretical versus applied, and academic versus “real-world” are rejected.

• UCCS faculty members recognize the value of practitioner

research and encourage mutual respect and support for different scholarly roles for diverse members of universities, schools, and other organizations.

• The doctoral labs provide the community within which the

student accomplishes scholarly goals.

• Students will participate in labs that can support them throughout the program and to which each can contribute as a scholar.

• Students will collaborate with UCCS faculty to create products that

reflect their research and translate it into usable formats for P-16 educators, policy leaders and administrators such as policy briefs, on-line newsletters, literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, research summaries, and focused research for support of P-16 projects.

In collaboration with the Pikes Peak Educational Research Center (PPERC), regional school districts, and other educational entities, lab research will focus on regional issues, problems of practice, and improvement of student performance. The labs will provide the ideal situation for faculty to teach, model, and partner in the implementation of exemplary research, processes, and studies through accepted models of research. Faculty and student researchers will conduct research, submit grants for funding of research, and complete projects for community partnerships. Research findings will be reported to regional educators toward the improvement of

practice in the field. Teams of faculty and students will submit papers and articles for presentation at national and international conferences and for publication in refereed journals. Labs are designed to provide a number of features: authentic work settings, innovative integration of theory and practice, small-group collaboration with faculty and students in a collegial atmosphere, leadership and supervision by one or more faculty members, accomplishment of defined tasks and specific products that directly contribute to student progress. Through the lab experience doctoral students will acquire research skills, develop proposals for their own dissertation work, and support each other in data collection, analysis, and writing. Labs will be parallel in structure and operate contemporaneously, with appropriate differences that are dictated by the lab foci. A faculty member will collaboratively lead each lab while other professors will be partners in the labs as diverse resources to students. Three labs are proposed for the first cohort: (1) Teachers and Learners as Leaders Toward Organizational Effectiveness and (2) Leadership, Policy, and Organizational Improvement and (3) Adult Learning and Professional Development. A basic description of these labs follows.

• Teachers and Learners as Leaders Toward Organizational Effectiveness This lab is a community of scholars who engage in inquiry and offer support to P-16 partners. Collaborative inquiry provides data and analyses to inform decision-making, practitioner development, and organizational effectiveness in providing optimal learning for all students. Faculty and student partners in this lab focus on systemic change and problems of practice within P-16 organizations. Based upon research of systems, educational organizations, teaching, learning, and change, these partners study problems of practice in collaboration with P-16 partners toward the improvement of student outcomes.

• Leadership, Policy, Governance, and Organization Improvement This lab is a community of scholars who engage in inquiry and offer support to school district, university and NGO partners. Faculty and students collaboratively address improvements in schools, NGOs and colleges through organizational leadership, issues of reform related to organizational culture, alternative leadership frameworks, policy, and leadership development.

Collaborative inquiry provides data and analyses to inform policy, decision-making, systemic change, leadership development, and leadership practices within P-16 organizations. Based on research of policy, systems, organizations, leadership, and leadership development, these partners study problems of practice in collaboration with P-16 partners toward the improvement of these organizations and toward progress in student outcomes.

• Adult Learning and Professional Development

This lab is a community of scholars who engage in inquiry and offer support to P-16 partners. Collaborative inquiry provides data and analyses to inform practitioner development toward organizational effectiveness in providing optimal learning for all students. Faculty and student partners in this lab focus on adult development needs and opportunities and their effect on problems of practice within P-16 organizations and NGOs. Based on research of human resources systems, educational organizations, adult learning theory, teaching, learning, and change, these partners study problems of practice in collaboration with P-16 partners toward the improvement of student outcomes.

Course of Study and Sequence Fall 2007 (9 credits)

• Intermediate Quantitative Research and Statistics (3 credits) • Ethical Leadership and Democratic Values in a Multicultural

Society (3 credits) • Doctoral Dissertation (3 credits)

Spring 2008 (11 credits) • Leadership, Power, and Authority in Educational Policy and

Governance (3 credits) • Methods of Qualitative Inquiry (3 credits) • Doctoral Research Lab (2 credits) • Doctoral Dissertation (3 credits)

Summer 2008 (11 credits) • Large Scale Student Assessment (3 credits) • Advanced Quantitative Research and Statistics (3 credits) • Doctoral Research Lab (2 credits) • Doctoral Dissertation (3 credits)

Fall 2008 (11 credits) • Leadership Excellence in Complex Organizations (3 credits) • Applications of Qualitative Research (3 credits) • Doctoral Research Lab (2 credits) • Doctoral Dissertation (3 credits)

Spring 2009 (8 credits) • The Economics of Education (3 credits) • Doctoral Research Lab (2 credits) • Doctoral Dissertation (3 credits)

Summer 2009 (8 credits) • Policy and Educational Program Evaluation (3 credits) • Doctoral Research Lab (2 credits) • Doctoral Dissertation (3 credits)

Subsequent Semesters

• Completion of dissertation (12 credits, 5 of which must be taken concurrent with the oral defense). Candidates must be continuously enrolled with at least 1 credit hour per semester during completion of the dissertation.

c. Sample Curricula

Course Objectives Examples of course objectives for the Research Core classes and the Professional Core classes are listed herein. Full course descriptions, syllabi and requirements will be developed subsequent to program approval. Research Core Intermediate Quantitative Research and Statistics

• demonstrate competency in the design of research projects to address problems of practice.

• demonstrate competency in the development of research reports with appropriate application of statistical measures.

• demonstrate competency in selecting appropriate statistical measures to answer research questions, including ANCOVA, MANOVA, MANCOVA, regression and factor analysis.

Advanced Quantitative Research and Statistics

• develop and analyze complex data sets through the application of appropriate statistical measures, including time series analysis, SEM, and HLM.

• conduct and submit critical analyses of published research studies.

• design, implement, and conduct a research project followed by the completion of a professional-level research report.

Methods of Qualitative Inquiry

• identify and discuss differing philosophical orientations in respect to knowledge and inquiry among qualitative researchers.

• recognize traditions of qualitative research that have evolved within disciplines of anthropology, sociology, psychology, and organizational theory.

• critique various qualitative studies. • demonstrate competency in various techniques for gathering,

analyzing, and reporting qualitative data.

Applications of Qualitative Inquiry

• design a research project using qualitative techniques. • collect data through interviews, observations, and archival

records and demonstrate proficiency in analysis of those data. • choose knowledgeably from a variety of techniques of

qualitative data analysis.

Professional Core

Ethical Leadership and Democratic Values in a Multicultural Society

• examine the respective roles of behaviorism and humanism in ethical leadership.

• study models of moral leadership and stages of moral development and their application to ethical decision-making.

• explore social, economic, and political factors that affect the moral development of citizens.

• examine the beliefs and values that contribute to ethical and unethical decisions in society.

Leadership, Power, and Authority in Educational Policy and Governance

• examine the process of developing policy from perceived need. • analyze current educational issues from a policy perspective.

• examine the political relationships among P-16 educational systems, the communities they serve, and governmental entities representing a larger democratic society.

• examine the motivation of various political groups for affecting change in public policy.

Leadership Excellence in Complex Organizations

• analyze organizational metaphors and their application educational organizations.

• examine the role of process, structure, and communication in organizational effectiveness.

• investigate the relationship between and among various systems.

• apply knowledge of adult human development to organizational development.

Large Scale Student Assessment • study and critique qualitative and quantitative large scale

student assessment models in the context of learning and assessment theory

• analyze the alignment of various large scale student assessment programs with established student outcome standards

• develop large scale assessment studies with appropriate statistical models.

The Economics of Education

• examine theories of economic models related to the relationship between human capital and education

• analyze economic state and national policy affecting P-16 education

• undertake international comparisons of education and economic policy

Policy and Educational Program Evaluation

• study and analyze the role of evaluation in policy and program development and implementation

• apply appropriate methods of needs assessment as a function of policy development, program development and the evaluation of their effectiveness

• understand effective policy and program evaluation

d. Assessment Plan

Students in the program will follow specific guidelines for portfolio evaluation at appropriate junctures in their studies. A portfolio is a selective collection of work and reflection gathered across diverse settings over time, framed by topic foci and refined by professorial and peer interaction. The purpose of the portfolio is to promote and represent the student's command of content, research, and leadership knowledge and skills leading toward independent scholarly work on complex problems of educational practice. The portfolio provides the focal point with faculty committees to discuss student progress toward independent scholarly work, professional growth, and development as a researcher. The portfolio demonstrates mastery of knowledge and skills in the domains of: a) core knowledge; b) interpretation and synthesis; c) disciplined inquiry; and d) professional and scholarly leadership. Evaluation criteria for the portfolio include both product criteria and overall portfolio criteria. Product criteria include: a) integration and synthesis of themes; b) independent and original thought; c) adequacy and appropriateness of citations and references; d) logic and coherence of reasoning and argumentation; d) clarity and organization of writing; and e) professional presentation of material. Overall portfolio criteria include: a) appropriate progress; b) attention to improvements; c) coherence and accessibility; and d) philosophical foundation for application of research toward improvement and enhancement of educational programs Doctoral Degree Examinations Each doctoral student will complete the following types of examinations. A student must be registered at the time any of these examinations are taken. Successful completion of the comprehensive examination must precede advancement to candidacy.

Preliminary Examination. An examination to ensure that a student is qualified for doctoral study.

Comprehensive Examination. An examination in the field of concentration and related fields. This examination will be written and oral, and will test the student's mastery of the broad field of knowledge, not merely the formal coursework which has been completed. The comprehensive examination shall be conducted by an examining board of at least three members appointed by the program director.

Dissertation Proposal. An examination to determine the preparedness of the student and the appropriateness of the topic, prior to commencing work on the dissertation.

Dissertation Defense. After the dissertation has been accepted by the student's dissertation advisor, a final examination of the dissertation and related topics will be conducted by the Dissertation Advisory Committee. The examination is open to anyone who wishes to attend. A successful candidate must receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the dissertation committee. In case of failure, the examination may be attempted once more after a period of time determined by the committee.

A student must be registered for at least 5 dissertation credit hours during the semester in which the dissertation defense is held. The Graduate School must be notified of the dissertation defense at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled date of the defense, which must be no later than 18 days before the final day of the semester of graduation.

Doctoral Dissertation. Every candidate pursuing a doctoral degree is required to write a dissertation based upon original investigation and showing mature scholarship and critical judgment, as well as familiarity with tools and methods of research. The subject must be approved by the student's program director. Each dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a doctoral degree must satisfy the specifications of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Thesis and Dissertation Manual. The dissertation shall represent 30 semester credit hours of work for Ph.D. candidates, but may be less in other doctoral programs.

3. Professional Requirements

a. Accrediting Association Degree programs offered through the College of Education operate under the auspices of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Educational leadership programs are further reviewed by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council. The department of Leadership, Research and Foundations also offers state approved licensure programs in school administration for school principals and central office administrator, e.g., superintendents. These licensure programs function within the standards established by the Colorado State Board of Education and have been approved by the Colorado State Board of Education.

b. Timetables The college and educational leadership programs are currently fully

accredited. c. Faculty Qualifications

The Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Foundations currently has five tenure track faculty lines and a half time instructor. The qualifications of the faculty are exceptionally well suited for the proposed degree program. Each current faculty member has prior experience working with doctoral level students and serving on or chairing dissertation committees. Recruitment for two vacant positions will begin fall term 2006 and provides an opportunity to further enhance the program faculty. Other faculty from throughout the college have expressed interest in working with the Ph.D. candidates. Al Ramirez, Associate Professor – is chairperson in the department of Leadership, Research and Foundations at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. His transition to university level teaching follows a twenty-five year career in pre-k through 14 education. Dr. Ramirez’ experience includes positions as a teacher, counselor, principal, central office administrator and superintendent of schools. He has also held key education policy positions in the Nevada and Illinois state departments of education and served as Chief State School Officer in Iowa. Dr. Ramirez also served appointments to several national education advisory boards and commissions. His research, which focuses on education policy and finance, has been published in such journals as Phi Delta Kappan, Executive Educator, and Educational Leadership, and has been presented at numerous state, national and international conferences.

Dick Carpenter holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in educational leadership. His professional experience includes service as a teacher, principal, and public policy analyst. He has published original research in prestigious academic journals, such as the Journal of School Choice, Education and Urban Society, and the Educational Forum, and widely read practioner publications, such as Phi Delta Kappan and the American School Board Journal. Moreover, the results of his grant-funded research will be used by the Michigan Department of Education in its accountability reporting to the Michigan legislature and has been quoted in newspapers such as the Chronicle of Higher Education, Education Week, and the Rocky Mountain News. He is currently performing original research under a new grant awarded in May, 2006. Nadyne Guzmán, professor. Ph.D. In Educational Administration, 1988, CU Boulder Co-Director, Co-Developer, and Campus Advisor of the UCD/UCCS Collaborative Ph.D. Program in Educational Leadership and Innovation 1998-2003 Dissertation Chair for 13 Doctoral Candidates, 1999-2004 Dissertation Committee Member for 18 Doctoral Candidates, 1999-2004 Areas of Expertise: Qualitative Research, Organizational Development Theory, Leadership Theory,

Leadership and Spirituality, Cultural Competence, Adult Development, Systems Theory Doctoral Level Courses Developed and Taught: Leadership and Innovation in Education, Methods of Qualitative Inquiry, Applications of Qualitative Inquiry, Doctoral Research Lab, Readings in Leadership, The Nature of Work in Schools, Organizational Theory.

Lindy Crawford is department chair and an assistant professor in Special Education at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Dr. Crawford completed her doctoral studies at the University of Oregon where she taught doctoral level courses in the Leadership program. Courses included: Interpreting Quantitative Research, Measurement for Decision Making, Professional Writing, Action Research, and Introduction to Research and Statistics. Carol de Casal is associate dean in the college of education. She holds a doctorate in education administration and law. Her extensive career in education includes leadership positions at every level of the system. Dr. de Casal’s research agenda reflects her expansive knowledge and experience in the field.

4. Institutional Factors

a. Diversity Goals This program will advance the campus diversity goal - “We will aggressively seek the development of a multicultural campus environment in which each person contributes unique talents to make the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs a better place and in turn is fully valued and supported. We will reaffirm the tradition of shared governance and encourage all members of our campus community to join together in creating a positive working environment where all enjoy respect, fair treatment and a voice in campus decisions.” b. Affect on Instructional, Research and Service and other Campuses It is anticipated that this program will enhance instruction, research and service on the campus by modeling exemplary practice in these areas. Other campuses will not be affected by this program c. Affect on Existing Resources This program will have minimum impact on existing resources and will add financial resources to the college, campus and university. d. Formal Relationships

There are no formal relationships associated with this program at this time. Discussions have taken place with areas school districts and institutions of higher education regarding the potential for collaboration on research projects.

5. Physical Capacity and Needs

a. Space Estimates The program will require three regular classrooms one day per week and the occasional use of a computer laboratory. b. Program Delivery The program is designed to be cohort based and delivered on campus through a schedule that accommodates working professionals.

b. Remodeling or Renovation Needed None.

6. Cost Description and Sources of Funds

1. Five Year Cost Estimates (see Table 3) 2. Program Costs

7. Other Relevant Information

1. N/A

8. Reviewers Comments In process

TABLE 1: ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS

Name of Program: Ph. D., Education Research and Policy

Name of Institution: College of Education, UCCS

DEFINITIONS:

Academic year is the period beginning July 1 and concluding June 30.

Headcount projections represent an unduplicated count of those students officially admitted to the program and enrolled at the institution during the academic year.

FTE is defined as the full-time equivalent number of those students majoring in the program, regardless of the classes enrolled, during the academic year.

Program graduate is defined as a student who finishes all academic program requirements and graduates with a formal award within a particular academic year.

SPECIAL NOTES:

To calculate the annual headcount enrollment, add new enrollees to the previous year headcount and subtract the number who graduated in the preceding year. Adjust by the anticipated attrition rate.

To calculate FTE, multiply the number of students times the projected number of credit hours students will be typically enrolled in per year and divide by 30.

The data in each column is the annual unduplicated number of declared program majors. Since this table documents program demand, course enrollments are not relevant and shall not be included in the headcount or FTE data.

Continued on next page

Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5 Full Implementation

1-a

In-state Headcount 15 30 45 45 45 45

1-b

Out-of-State Headcount

2 Program Headcount

3-a In-state FTE 15 30 45 45 45 45

3-b Out-of-state FTE

4 Program FTE 15 30 45 45 45 45

5 Program Graduates 5 5 5 15

Attach a brief description explaining the specific source data for projecting the program headcount (e.g., actual enrollment in a similar program at a comparable college).

Source of projection is actual enrollment in a similar program at a comparable college. Program demand is strong, so actual enrollments may be higher.

Signature of Person who completed the Enrollment Table Title

__________________________________________ ____________

Al Ramirez

Signature of Governing Board Information Officer Date

TABLE 2 : PHYSICAL CAPACITY ESTIMATES

Name of Program: Ph. D., Education Research and Policy

Name of Institution: College of Education, UCCS

Purpose: This table documents the physical capacity of the institution to offer the program and/or the plan for achieving the capacity. Complete A or B.

_______________________________________________________________________

Part A

I certify that this proposed degree program can be fully implemented and accommodate the enrollment projections provided in this proposal without requiring additional space or renovating existing space during the first five years.

X

____________________________________________________ ___________________

Governing Board Capital Construction Officer Date

Part B

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Column 4

Column 5

Column 6

ASSIGNABLE SQUARE FEET

TOTAL NEEDED

AVAIL-

ABLE RENOVATION

NEW CONSTRUCTION

LEASE/

RENT

REVENUE

SOURCE*

TYPE OF SPACE

Immed.

Future

Immed.

Future

Classroom

Instructional Lab

Offices

Study

Special/General Use

Other:

TOTAL

* Capital Construction Fund (CCF), Research Building Revolving Fund (RBRF), Gift (GIFT), Grant (GR), Auxiliary Fund (AUX)

Attach a narrative describing the institutional contingency plan that addresses the space requirements of the proposed program or alternative delivery options, in the event that the request for capital construction or renovation is not approved.

__________________________________________________ ____________

Signature of Person who completed the Institutional Physical Capacity Table Title

_________________________________________________ ______________

Governing Board Capital Construction Officer Date

TABLE 3: PROJECTED NEW EXPENSES FOR NEW PROGRAM

(Do not include an inflation factor when projecting over 5 years)

I. Expenses

Below, list all new expenses that will be incurred over the first five years (by year) of the new program, broken into the categories provided. Following the table, provide a narrative that, for each category of expense, identifies the source of funds that will cover these expenses: tuition, COF or fee-for-service funds, clinical income, and endowment, gift, grant or contract funds.

If expenses are to be covered by reallocation of existing resources, specify what activities and costs will be discontinued and how existing resources/responsibilities will be reallocated. Be quite specific.

Will any new cash revenue be generated by this new program? How much and from what sources?

ESTIMATED AMOUNT in DOLLARS

YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5

Operating Expenses

1 Faculty 45,500 103,200 161,250 161,250 161,250

2

Financial Aid specific to program

3 Instructional Materials

4 Program Administration 13,000 14,000 15,000 15,000 15,000

5 Rent/Lease

6

Laboratory & Other Operating Costs 11,200 14,250 16,300 16,300 16,300

7 Total Operating Expenses 69,700 131,450 192,550 192,550 192,550

Program Start-Up Expenses

8 Capital construction

9 Equipment Acquisitions 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000

10 Library Acquisitions 5,000 7,000 10,000 10,000 10,000

11 Total Program Start-Up Exp. 7,000 9,000 12,000 12,000 12,000

TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENSES 76,700 140,450 204,550 204,550 204,550

II. Narrative Explaining How Costs are to be Covered

Cost for the program will be completely covered by tuition and fees. Students will average nine credits per semester, including summer semester. This calculates to: 15 students, times 27 credits per year (9 credits each semester), times $317 per credit, which generates $128,385 for year one. In year to the program revenue will increase to $256,770 as the second cohort of students is added. In year three the program revenue stabilize to $385,155 per year.

III. Dean’s Statement.

Attach a statement from the Dean verifying Adequacy of Resources to Support New Program and confirming that the projected resources and reallocations are reasonable.