Oklahoma Administrative Code › Title 210 - State Department of Education › Chapter 20 - Staff › Subchapter 11 - Professional Standards: Accreditation Standards for Approved Teacher Education Programs › Section 210:20-11-1 - Evaluation process

Current through Vol. 41, No. 20, July 1, 2024
(a)
Purpose.
Oklahoma teacher education institutions function under an
				"approved program" system which requires the evaluation of teacher education
				units and program on a periodic basis.
(b) Institutions which have no approved
				Teacher Education program and which desire to initiate a certificate program
				shall follow the format outlined here.
(1)
				The application form containing the required information will be completed by
				the director of teacher education at the institution seeking State Board of
				Education accreditation for the certificate programs.
(2) A Self-Study Report addressing the
				following list of areas will be sent to the Administrator of Teacher Education
				along with the application form.
(A)
				Organization/administrative structure of the institution
(B) Organization/administrative structure of
				the program
(C) Admission to and
				retention in the program
(D)
				Admission to the professional education/student teaching component
(E) Need for the program
(F) Objectives of the certificate program(s)
				and an indication of where those objectives are met in the specific program
				curriculum
(G) Syllabi for courses
				in the area of specialization, general education, and professional
				education
(H) Curriculum forms
				shall be provided by the institution indicating the course number, title, and
				semester hours, as well as probable sequencing, for each course in general
				education, professional education, and the area of specialization.
(I) Library resources and other facilities
				for the program
(J) Faculty
				vitae
(3) The following
				timelines apply to the evaluation process.
(A) The director of teacher education and
				Professional Standards personnel will establish an on-site visit date from
				those listed on the application.
(B) The self-study report and college catalog
				shall be sent to the Professional Standards Section six weeks prior to the
				scheduled visit in order that the appropriate informational documents may be
				mailed to visiting committee members.
(C) The visiting committee selection process
				should be completed four to six weeks prior to the on-site visit.
(D) The on-site evaluation will be conducted
				over a three day period.
(E) After
				editing the committee report which results from the on-site visit, the
				Professional Standards Section will send a copy to committee members and the
				institutional director of teacher education before the report and
				recommendation are presented to the State Board of Education.
(4)
Logistics of the On-Site
				Visit.
(A) A visitation schedule will
				be prepared and distributed along with the self-study report approximately four
				weeks prior to the scheduled visit. The schedule will be developed
				cooperatively by the director of teacher education and Professional Standards
				personnel.
(B) The visitation
				schedule will include:
(i) Dates of the
				on-site visit
(ii) Name and
				location of lodging where reservations have been made for committee
				members
(iii) Location of visiting
				committee headquarters on the campus of the institution being
				evaluated
(iv) Meeting time and
				place for committee organizational meeting
(v) Meeting time and place for committee
				interviews with faculty members and administrators regarding the policies and
				procedures affecting all teacher education programs
(vi) Meeting time and place for committee
				members and faculty members representing certificate programs
(vii) Meeting time and place for committee to
				complete writing assignments
(viii)
				Meeting time and place for committee to discuss writing assignments
(ix) Meeting time and place for visiting
				committee to present the exit report
(C) The completed visiting committee report
				will be presented to the Professional Standards Section of the State Department
				of Education
(D) Visiting committee
				members will be reimbursed for expenses incurred in travel, lodging and per
				diem. Reimbursement forms must be signed by committee members on the last day
				of the visit.
(5) The
				visiting committee work will culminate in preparation of a report outlining the
				findings of the committee members as they are presented in their individual
				writing assignments which will be completed prior to the conclusion of the
				visit and which are read to the entire committee with a decision concerning
				approval reached by majority vote.
(A) The
				visiting committee report is to be based on the following:
(i) Applying State Board of Education minimum
				standards to the proposed programs as they are presented in the self-study
				report
(ii) Checking supporting
				documents against State Board of Education minimum standards
(iii) Validating self-study report and
				supporting documents through interviews with faculty members and
				administrators
(iv) Validating
				self-study report by visiting facilities and reviewing records
(v) Specific standards for approved teacher
				education programs
(B)
				At the exit report, the visiting committee will present a summary of its
				evaluation of the program. The summary will include:
(i) Strengths, concerns, and recommendations
				for improving the program.
(ii) An
				indication that a specific timeline has been established prior to which all
				standards not met shall be brought into compliance by meeting the conditions
				set by the committee and that approval will not be granted until all conditions
				are met.
(iii) The recommendation
				of the visiting committee which will be made to the State Board of Education
				regarding approval or nonapproval of the program.
(6) The recommendation process
				will be the final action as result of the evaluation.
(A) Copies of the edited visiting committee
				report will be forwarded by the Professional Standards Section to committee
				members who will be given the opportunity to make corrections or addition in
				their respective assignment areas. Additionally, the director of teacher
				education will be given the opportunity to make corrections but only in factual
				information.
(B) Final action by
				the State Board of Education may include the following options:
(i) Full Approval in which the programs are
				recommended for full approval for accreditation. Concerns and/or
				recommendations made by the visiting committee shall be given careful
				consideration by the institution as a means for improving a program. Compliance
				with such recommendations will be considered by visiting committees on
				subsequent evaluations.
(ii)
				Conditional Approval in which accreditation is based on specified conditions
				being met within a specific timeframe. If the conditions are not met in the
				specified timeframe, accreditation will not continue. Concerns and/or
				recommendations made by the visiting committee shall be given careful
				consideration by the institution as a means for improving a program. Compliance
				with such recommendation will be considered by visiting committees on
				subsequent evaluations.
(iii)
				Nonapproval in which accreditation is denied because the programs do not meet
				State Board of Education minimum standards.