Planning for the 2009-2010 Accreditation Site Visit

1. Planning for the 2009-2010Accreditation Site Visit July 2009

2. Purposes of the Site Visit 1) review the institution against the Commission’s Common Standards (NCATE Unit Standards) 2) verify the Preliminary Findingsfrom Program Assessment on the program reviews completed in Program Assessment 3) Make decisions on all Standards—Common and Program and an accreditation recommendation

3. Site Visit Examines unit integrity and effectiveness and program quality viewed through the lens of Common Standards Biennial ReportsExaminesprogram effectiveness through the lens of program-selected measures of candidate competence and feedback from completers and employers Program Assessment Examines program alignment to adopted CTC Program Standards

4. Standard Decisions • Met, • Met with Concerns, or • Not Met. Team members reach consensus on each Common Standard and all program standards

5. Accreditation Recommendation • Accreditation, • Accreditation with Stipulations, or • Denial of Accreditation. If stipulations are appropriate, options are • Stipulations, • Major Stipulations, and • Probationary Stipulations.

6. Documentation • Carefully choose documentation • Reference documentation in narrative—hyperlinks • Biennial Reports and CTC Feedback • Program Assessment documents and Preliminary Findings from Program Assessment • Common Standards Document • Matrix—Programs, enrollment, completers

7. How should we organize the Document Room? Paper or electronic? • It is the institution’s decision • Can be a blend of paper and electronic • Hyperlinked/Organized/Tabbed • Examples: www.ncate.org/institutions/exhibitRooms.asp

8. What is the Preconditions Report?When is it due? • 3 part document— • Context of the institution— • Response to the Preconditions • Matrix of approved programs, enrollment, and completers • Six months to twelve months prior to the site visit Handout # 4: Precondition Report

9. What is the Self-Study?(IR for NCATE Institutions) • The institution’s response to the Commission’s 1) Common Standards and 2) Response to all the approved program’s Program Standards • Due a minimum of 60 days prior to the site visit • Consult Common Standards Glossary and Common Standards Descriptions

10. Team Size • Smaller teams than in the past years • Common Standards Cluster—2 to 6 team members • Programs Cluster—1 to 4 team members • On some visits: Additional Program Specific Team Members

11. Additional Program Specific Team Members • Preliminary Findingsfrom Program Assessment indicate that one or more programs have a number of standards that have not been preliminary found to be met • When standards are being transitioned or a new program is offered at an institution, a team member may be assigned to review the transitioning or new program at the site visit.

12. What is the ‘2 Month Out Pre-visit’? when does it take place? • Approximately 2 months prior to the site visit • Team Lead and CTC consultant will spend a day with the institution leadership (If NCATE—also NCATE Co-Chair) • Review interview schedule, transportation plans, meal plans • Provide feedback on the self-study

13. Activities during the Site Visit • Document Review • Interviews • Class visits—current candidates • K-12 School Site Visits

14. Document Review • Sunday—team members need an orientation, team meeting and time in the document room • Monday and Tuesday—each team member needs one hour in the document room

15. Interview Schedule • Critical to the success of the visit • Consult Appendix B of the Accreditation Handbook for guidance • Schedule the individuals who can provide information about your programs and institution • Over schedule individuals to ensure sufficient interviews • Plan to remind interviewees

16. How many individuals need to be interviewed? Representative sample from each • approved credential program, • delivery model—traditional, intern, online… • location —main campus, satellite locations, cohorts offsite The smaller the program or institution the larger percentage of stakeholders need to be interviewed !

17. Class Visits at the Institution • For current students—candidates—class visits can be very productive. • Prepare instructors that the team member will ask the instructor to leave the room for 15 minutes or so. Provide a complete class list for the Monday-Tuesday the team is on site.

18. Purpose of K-12 school visits • Some team members may go to a school…selection criteria includes • Proximity to institution • Traffic and travel time • Number of candidates, completers, employers, master teachers at the site • Purpose is to interview candidates, completers, supervisors or employers • Maximize the benefit of the travel • School site visits are optional

19. Length & Size of Interviews? Depends on the stakeholder group— For example-- • Program Coordinators: 1-1 • Faculty: small group • Current students in a class and in groups (8-20) Only one stakeholder group is in an interview Interviews should be scheduled for 30-45 minutes depending on size of group

20. What do we plan for on Sunday? • Purpose: To allow all the institution and its programs to give an orientation to team members • Orientation! Document room& structure of programs/institution • Technology Support • Poster session/reception • CTC Visits: A poster session or reception is optional, if it makes sense for the institution • NCATE: Poster Session is optional

21. Accreditation Handbook • Chapter 7: Planning for the Visit adopted by the COA in June 2009 • COA Decisions and Activities after the Decision • (Chapter 10: Articulation with National Accreditation-NCATE and Professional Associations)

22. Additional Information • Accreditation Web page: http://www.ctc.ca.gov/educator-prep/program-accred.html • CTC Staff: Teri Clark tclark@ctc.ca.gov Teri Ackerman tackerman@ctc.ca.gov Lori Gonzales lgonzales@ctc.ca.gov