The Annsley Frazier Thornton School of Education (AFTSE) systematically collects and analyzes data on candidate growth and performance based on multiple forms of assessment from candidates, faculty, cooperating teachers, building leaders, and other education professionals, as detailed in the Continuous Assessment Plan (CAP) (Exhibit 2.3.a.1). Additionally, the AFTSE (unit) uses both aggregated and disaggregated data for program feedback, evaluation, and refinement. Data analysis and program evaluation are ongoing in both formative and summative capacities, with continuous input from stakeholders including candidates, education faculty, arts and sciences faculty, P-12 school and community partners, and the Advisory Committee for Education (ACE). Additional sources of data for program evaluation include survey data from employers and graduates (including the New Teacher Survey as part of the KEPP Report Card from the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board), Title II reports, and placement and retention data from internal and external sources.
Oversight of the CAP is the responsibility of the unit's administrators and faculty, with the day-to-day processes managed by the unit's data manager, who coordinates the unit's primary data management system, LiveText. The CAP is fully integrated with the conceptual framework of the AFTSE through its connection to the missions of the university and the unit, and the unit's theme, program objectives, and vision for the 21st century educator. The framework of the CAP centers around three transition points of assessment (Transition Point 1, Transition Point 2, and Transition Point 3/Exit) for both initial and advanced programs, with a variety of assessments and evaluation measures at each point. At the heart of each transition point is the theme of the AFTSE, Educator as Reflective Learner. All benchmark and anchor assessments, dispositions assessments, and Capstone projects in initial and advanced programs, are aligned with the AFTSE's Program Objectives, Kentucky Teacher Standards and/or ISLLC standards, and Valli's (1997) types of reflection. Specialized Professional Association (SPA) standards, Kentucky Common Core Standards, and the Core Content for Assessment/Program of Studies are addressed through course assessments, specifically lesson planning and implementation. All field and clinical experiences are undergirded by reflective practice and analyzed using Valli's types of reflection.
The continuous assessment system tracks candidates from course level to program level, then from the department level (ie., the undergraduate Transition Point Committee or the Master of Arts in Education (MAED) Transition Point Committee) to the unit level. As initial and advanced candidates progress through their respective programs, they participate in a variety of assessments conducted internally at the course, program, department, unit, and university levels as well as externally with mandated certification exams. All courses within the unit have syllabi matrices that align assessments with the unit's conceptual framework, state standards, and SPA standards, as well as each program's benchmark or anchor assessments, designed to measure candidates' performance on aligned proficiencies (Exhibit 2.3.a.2). Additionally, candidates are expected to follow their program's requirements in terms of curriculum and assessment expectations as detailed in their respective program's handbook, such as the Advising, Benchmarks, and Data (ABD) Handbook for initial certification programs (see Exhibit 1.3.c in Standard 1). Candidates are informed of assessment requirements and program expectations through EDUC 112/131: Introduction to the School of Education (undergraduate initial certification), graduate program orientations, program advisors, and field/clinical orientations and seminars.
Exhibits
1.3.c ABD Initial Certification Handbook
2.3.a.1 Continuous Assessment Plan
2.3.a.2 Course Syllabus Assessment Matrix Sample