THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:

The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents

FROM:

Johanna Duncan-Poitier

COMMITTEE:

Higher Education and Professional Practice

TITLE OF ITEM:

Regents Accreditation of Teacher Education

Recommendation of Accreditation Action: Marist College

DATE OF SUBMISSION:

November 19, 2004

PROPOSED HANDLING:

Approval (Consent Agenda)

RATIONALE FOR ITEM:

Marist College relies on the Regents as its accreditation agency for teacher education programs

STRATEGIC GOAL:

Goals 1, 2 and 3

AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

 

 

SUMMARY:

 

 

Marist College, Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, has applied for accreditation of its teacher education programs by Regents Accreditation of Teacher Education (RATE).  The attached Summary of the Application for Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs and Preliminary Recommendation for Accreditation Action lists the registered programs leading to certification in the classroom teaching service offered by Marist College.

 

Founded in 1929 as a seminary for the training of Marist Brothers as teachers in the order’s secondary schools, the College received a provisional charter as Marian College from the Board of Regents in 1946.  In 1950 the charter was made absolute, the purpose was restated as “providing education on the college level,” and the College was authorized to grant the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree.  A charter amendment in 1960 changed the College’s name to Marist College; later amendments added authorization to grant the degrees of Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.), and Master of Science (M.S.), and to operate a day care center.  In 2002-03, the College enrolled 4,866 undergraduates (4,286 full-time and 580 part-time) and 1,000 graduate students (145 full-time and 855 part-time).  In that year, undergraduate enrollment in all teacher preparation programs totaled 572 full-time and 11 part-time.

 

 

 

 

The College’s mission derives from the ideals of its Marist Brother founder:  commitment to excellence in education, the pursuit of higher human values, and the principle of service.  The self-study describes the commitment and vision of the teacher education programs, in keeping with this mission, as follows:

 

At the center of all programs in Teacher Education is the model of teacher as a reflective professional.  This model guides all pedagogical education, as we seek to build upon the knowledge base and core abilities gained from studies in psychology and in the liberal arts and sciences.  It is also at the center of our emphases on the importance of collaboration and teamwork, the connection between theory and practice, the use of problem solving and critical thinking skills, the use of technology, and the understanding of diversity and multiculturalism.  Through this, we seek to develop educators who are capable of helping students with diverse learning and developmental needs achieve the New York State Learning Standards.  As part of our commitment to this endeavor, field experiences are integrated deeply into coursework in the pedagogical sequence. . . . The Adolescence Education programs’ commitment to helping students develop strong content knowledge is exemplified by the rich programs in the content major, which address all aspects of learning of the New York State Learning Standards.

 

Following a review of the institution’s self-study, a peer review team visited Marist College in February 2004 as part of the accreditation review process.  The team conducted an on-site review of evidence, examining facilities and documentation, visiting collaborating schools, and conducting interviews of all on- and off-campus parties involved with teacher education at the College.

 

A draft report of the team’s findings was prepared and transmitted to the College for review and comment.  It was the team’s assessment that the College was in compliance with the standards found in Regents Rules, Subpart 4-2.  Program strengths and areas for improvement cited in the team’s report are listed in the attachment.  Upon receiving the College’s comments, the Department prepared a final compliance review report for consideration by the Higher Education Subcommittee of the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching.  Materials providing further information on the College’s application and the review process are available in the Regents Office.

 

The Department’s preliminary recommendation to the Subcommittee was that the College’s programs be accredited for a period of seven years.  At the Subcommittee’s meeting in October 2004, it considered this preliminary recommendation and the self-study and reports underlying that recommendation and discussed them with representatives of the institution and Department staff.  The Subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend that the Department’s recommendation be adopted as the Deputy Commissioner’s recommendation, with the following stipulations:

 

·        That the annual reports submitted by the College as part of the ongoing accreditation process include, in addition to the other information normally included in the annual report:

-       The progress on increasing collaboration between the Department of Teacher Education and the discipline departments regarding preparation of teachers in all programs, including that of candidates in the Childhood Education/Special Education program, to assist students in achieving the State Learning Standards in the relevant areas;

 

-       The College’s plan for hiring teacher education faculty in keeping with the RATE standards and future program plans and for using existing full-time faculty most effectively in the teacher education programs, and progress in implementing this plan; and

 

-       The College’s comprehensive framework for assessment of the achievement of its teacher education candidates, including its plan to use assessment results for program improvement, and progress in implementing this framework and plan.

 

·        That the annual report sections responding to the above stipulations be provided to the Subcommittee.

 

Recommendation:  I recommend that the Regents take the following action:

 

VOTED, that the Board of Regents grant accreditation of the teacher education programs offered by Marist College effective December 17, 2004, for a period beginning immediately and ending on December 16, 2011, subject to the stipulations recommended by the Higher Education Subcommittee of the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching.

 

Attachment

 

                                                                               

Marist College

 

Summary of the Application for Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs and Department’s Preliminary Recommendation on Accreditation Action

 

Marist College, Poughkeepsie, has applied for accreditation of its programs of study leading to teacher certification under the Regents Accreditation of Teacher Education (RATE).

 

Preliminary Recommendation for Accreditation Action:           

 

Accreditation for period of seven years.

 

Teacher Education Programs to Be Accredited:

 

B.A., Childhood Education/Special Education 1-6

B.S., Adolescence Education: Biology

B.S., Adolescence Education: Chemistry

B.A., Adolescence Education: English

B.A., Adolescence Education: French

B.A., Adolescence Education: Mathematics

B.A., Adolescence Education: Social Studies

B.A., Adolescence Education: Spanish

B.A./M.A., Accelerated Program for Teacher Education (leading to initial/professional certification in Childhood Education 1-6 and Education of Students with Disabilities 1-6).

 

Summary of Findings and Institutional Response:

 

Following a review of the institution’s self-study, a team visited Marist College in February 2004 as part of the accreditation review process.  It was the team’s overall assessment that the College was in compliance with the standards found in Regents Rules, Subpart 4-2.  The team cited the following program strengths:

 

  1. The programs prepare teachers that are reportedly effective in the classroom.
  2. The teacher education programs are situated within the context of a well organized and stable administrative structure.  The Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Science, in particular, provides strong and effective leadership, supported by faculty members who have assumed additional leadership and administrative duties above their regular responsibilities.
  3. With the College’s emphasis on, and orientation to, instructional technology, such technology is well integrated into all aspects of the teacher education program.
  4. Student support services at the College are strong and comprehensive, contributing to a steady decrease in the number and proportion of teacher education candidates placed on academic probation over the past ten years.

 

The team found several areas for improvement, including:

         

  1. The team encourages the College to make every effort to fill the line now held by the visiting professor with a fully qualified candidate with expertise in literacy.
  2. The plan to insure that more than 50% of sections in pedagogical courses are taught by full-time faculty members needs to be immediately implemented and carefully monitored.
  3. The position of Associate Dean for Teacher Education needs to be filled as soon as possible.
  4. The College needs to find ways to increase the opportunities for collaboration between the Department of Teacher Education and the discipline departments.
  5. The College is encouraged to continue the procedures and activities which it has commenced to assess the achievement of its teacher candidates, and to increase its effort to align these procedures and activities with specific program goals and objectives.  Moreover, results of these assessment activities need to be shared throughout the various parts of the institution involved with teacher education so that this information can lead to appropriate discussions and plans for continued improvement of the teacher education programs.

 

In its response, the College has addressed these and other areas for improvement in substantive ways.

 

 

October 10, 2004

 

 

STATE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND PRACTICES BOARD FOR TEACHING

Higher Education Subcommittee

RATE Accreditation Recommendation

Marist College

          VOTED, That the Higher Education Subcommittee of the State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching, meeting on October 14, 2004, following review and discussion of the compliance review report on the teacher education programs offered by Marist College, on the basis of the record* before it recommends to the Deputy Commissioner for Higher Education that the Department’s preliminary recommendation for accreditation action be adopted as the Deputy Commissioner’s recommendation, with the following stipulations:

¨     That the annual reports submitted by the College as part of the ongoing accreditation process include, in addition to the other information normally included in the annual report:

·       The progress on increasing collaboration between the Department of Teacher Education and the discipline departments regarding preparation of teachers in all programs, including that of candidates in the Childhood Education/Special Education program, to assist students in achieving the State Learning Standards in the relevant areas;

·       The College’s plan for hiring teacher education faculty in keeping with the RATE standards and future program plans and for using existing full-time faculty most effectively in the teacher education programs, and progress in implementing this plan; and

·       The College’s comprehensive framework for assessment of the achievement of its teacher education candidates, including its plan to use assessment results for program improvement, and progress in implementing this framework and plan.

¨     That the annual report sections responding to the above stipulations be provided to the Subcommittee.

 

Approved unanimously with six voting members of the Subcommittee present.

 

________________________________________          __________________________

Higher Education Subcommittee Chair                         Date

 

*Including the Department’s preliminary recommendation for accreditation action, the institution’s self-study, its application for accreditation, other documents relevant to the Department’s preliminary recommendation, and any additional written submissions by the institution.