COUNCIL FOR EDUCATOR PREPARATION
Minutes for January 8, 2024
Via Teams at 3:15 p.m.
The fifth meeting of the Council for Educator Preparation for the 2023-2024 academic year was held Monday, January 8, 2024 via Teams at 3:15 p.m.
Members present: Kim Anderson, Susannah Berry, Bethann Cole, Tim Dameron, Holly Fales (Chair), Tara Ferguson (Art Grad student rep), Alana Freeman, Dean Andre Green, Jennifer Gallagher, CJ Korenek (LCSN Rep), Laura Levi-Altstaedter, Adelyn Lowry (Elementary UG student rep), Bethany McKissick, Rhea Miles, Jeff Pizzutilla, Robbie Quinn, Sarah Sconyers, Nicole Tripp, Cynthia Wagoner, Christy Walcott, Kevin White, and Jennifer Williams. Absent were, Rob Benson, Phyllis Broughton, Maureen Grady, Lisanne Shaffer-Dickerson, Dawn Shelton and Rita Soulen.
Approval of Minutes December 11, 2023 Meeting
A motion was made by Susannah Berry and seconded by Cynthia Wagoner to approve the minutes from December 11, 2023. The minutes were approved.
Announcements
Holly Fales shared the following announcements with the group:
- The LCSN Joint Advisory Board Meeting will be held February 7 in Harvey Hall. Faculty are also invited. Caroline Murphy with Project LEAP at PCC will be the speaker.
- The Education Career Fair will be held March 13 for Intern II candidates. This is mandatory for interns.
- The Latham Clinical Teacher Conference will be held April 9. Catrina Davis in the Academic Success Center will be sending notices of this event and asking for proposals for breakout sessions that offer resources, tips, and tools that can be easily applied and utilized for PK-12 teachers. The Clinical Teacher of the Year will be announced.
Standing Update from the Office of Assessment, Data Management and Digital Learning
Sarah Sconyers, Director reported the following:
- Unit Assessment Reporting
December 15th was the deadline to make any revisions to last spring’s Unit assessment report. Those reports are now in the process of being archived by IPAR.
Revisions can be made to the plan that will be reported on for the upcoming reporting. Revisions should be sent to to Sarah no later than January 31st. New Graduate Certificates will receive a workbook from IPAR to complete and submit to Sarah for review.
- Canvas and Taskstream
Canvas assignments must be created for any items being collected and evaluated in Taskstream. Instructions for creating linked assignments were sent by OADD last week. Please test course links. Training and resources are in the EPP/COE Support and Resource Hub (Canvas).
- CAEP Annual Report
OADD is waiting for the technical handbook to be released by CAEP, the EPP will be reporting on phase-in plan progress to include graduate program employer and completer satisfaction mechanisms. OADD will be reaching out to graduate program coordinators to continue that work. Work is needed on validating some of our key assessments; MAED assessments and Technology Lesson Plan. Very early planning on graduate program recruitment and retention plans is being done. The new strategic plan will also guide this.
Standing Update from Office of Clinical Experiences & Alternative Licensure
Dr. Nicole Tripp, Lead Coordinator, gave the following report for Clinical Experiences.
Intern I and IIs are engaged in Canvas modules in place of the seminar. University supervisors will meet tomorrow.
A stronger stance on attendance for our interns in the fall semester was taken, interns are only allowed two absences and required to make up beyond two (2). Interns are not counted absent to take their licensure test.
There are 29 Intern Is this term and 275 Intern IIs.
The early release date for this semester will be on April 11, 2024.
Old Business:
Updated Practica and Internship Dress Code
Members were sent the following to share with other faculty in departments.
- When representing the ECU College of Education, it is expected that candidates adhere to a professional or business casual dress code during school-related activities, practica, and internships. Teacher candidates must comply with the dress code of the school site and ECU, prioritizing cleanliness, personal hygiene, and exemplifying a role model for P-12 students. Examples of both acceptable and non-acceptable professional attire were included. A vote will be taken at the February meeting for implementation spring 2024.
New Business: None
Standing Committees
Curriculum: Rita Soulen, Chair –no report
Evaluation & Planning: Jenni Gallagher and Cynthia Wagoner, Co-Chairs –no report
Admission and Retention: Susannah Berry, Chair
- The following was sent to members to share with other faculty in departments regarding recommendations on the revision of the Upper Division process. Of the 17 members surveyed 12 responded. A vote will be taken at the February meeting for implementation spring 2024.
Recommendations on Revision to Upper Division Process
Recommendations are based upon survey results administered to all program areas during Fall 2023.
Recommendation 1: No longer require candidates to demonstrate computer competency (BITE 2000, MIS 2223, or related competency exam)
- 92% of responses indicated they would no longer like to require. In addition, removal of the requirement will eliminate the “hidden” requirement for many programs that do not have these courses listed in the degree program.
Recommendation 2: Interviews will not be required for all candidates. Candidates identified as needing additional support as outlined below will be required to meet with program faculty for a “Candidate Success Meeting.”
- Candidates that have a 2.8 or lower GPA would be required to attend a “Candidate Success Meeting” to discuss candidate’s GPA and time to Internship. Candidates would meet with faculty to develop a “Growth Plan” that would incorporate input from instructors (Starfish reports), advice from advisor about grades required to achieve or maintain 2.7 GPA, input from Dispositional Coordinator, and the student. This would serve as chance to connect students with appropriate academic and non-academic resources that could assist in retaining candidates in the educator prep program.
- Programs can have optional interviews for all students, but these could not be consequential for admission to Upper Division. If dispositional concerns arise during the interview process, then programs must follow the Dispositional process to document and follow those procedures for additional meetings.
Recommendation 3: Essays will not be required for admittance to Upper Division
Early experience courses can still require “Why do you want to become a teacher” essay and programs can continue to utilize across the degree if they are already doing so. However, producing the essay again at time for admittance for Upper Division will no longer be required.
Recommendation 4: Early Experience courses will still be required for Upper Division
- Students must complete the Early Experience course with a C or better to be admitted to Upper Division. Program areas can allow an Early Experience course substitution for Associate in Teacher Preparation transfer candidates that have scored a C or better in EDU 250 as outlined by program specific transfer degree plans.
Recommendation 5: Upper Division Applications move to SONIA
- The Upper Division application will be developed in SONIA for candidates to complete when they have met the 2.7 GPA, passing PRAXIS score, and early experience course requirements. Advisors and Program Coordinators will be the only faculty signing off on these applications.
- On the application, the Criminal Record question will still be asked, and the established procedure will still be in place for any students with a serious offence.
Timeline: All current Upper Division procedures will remain in effect until July 1, 2024. New requirements would go into effect in Fall 2024.
The new Upper Division Requirements with these proposed recommendations would read as follows in the Educator Preparation Handbook:
- A grade of 2.0 or higher in Early Experience course taken at ECU or completion of NC Community College AA/AS in Teacher Preparation program with a grade of C or better in program approved course substitution (EDU 250).
- Adequate individual scores or the composite total score on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators tests (CORE) in reading, writing and mathematics; or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT); or American College Testing Program (ACT) as set forth in NC general statute.*
- A minimum 2.7 or higher overall grade point average, no rounding.*
- Disclosure and documentation of any prior or current criminal background, student code of conduct violations and/or unprofessional ratings on EPP candidate dispositions rubric (Appendix 9).
- Acknowledgement of understanding of ECU Teacher Candidate Technical Standards (see Appendix 12).
*Minimum admission test scores and GPA requirements are set forth by the state of North Carolina and cannot be waived by the EPP. See § 115C-269.15. Minimum admissions requirements for educator preparation programs, item (b). https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2017/Bills/Senate/PDF/S599v7.pdf
Note: Disclosure of criminal background, student code of conduct and unprofessional ratings would still be addressed by OCE. This may require and additional candidate meeting with OCE depending on the situation. This process will not change.
- Policy: Kevin White and Nicole Tripp, Co-Chairs—No Report
With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m. The next CEP meeting will be February 12, 2024.
Future Meeting Dates:
- February 12, 2024
- March 11, 2024
- April 8, 2024
Respectfully submitted,
Sherry S. Tripp