Standard 1. Element Two: Content Knowledge for Other Professional School Personnel

Advanced programs in the unit evaluate the content knowledge of candidates in their programs. Each program uses the outcomes from their Specialized Professional Association standards, state standards and the conceptual framework to collect data on candidate content knowledge. The tables below show how candidates performed on selected assessments in the program.

Educational Administration and Supervision (M.Ed.)

The candidates in Educational Administration and Supervision evaluate the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures delineated in state and professional standards required for the role they will assume. A variety of internal and external assessments are used to measure candidate performance. The tables below show the results of those assessments. The State of Virginia has adopted the School Leadership Licensure Assessment, developed by ETS, to measure content knowledge of candidates seeking endorsement; this assessment became effective in July 2005. Results are collected by the unit and reported as a part of the assessment system. The Educational Administration and Supervision program has also assessed candidate content knowledge through a Comprehensive Examination required for all candidates. Pass rates in Table 9 reveal that the majority of the candidates scored at the proficient and exceptional levels. Fall 2005 results indicate 67% of the candidates scored at the exceptional level on the comprehensive examination. Further analysis of the data indicates a stronger score on the written component verses the oral component of the examination. Candidates who were assessed during the Fall 2003 semester scored higher on the examination than those who were assessed during the Spring 2003 semester. 100% of the candidates passed the examination from Spring 2003 through Fall 2005.

The Educational Administration and Supervision Exit Survey results corroborate with the Comprehensive Examination data. Table 10 shows that 89% of the respondents strongly agreed that the program prepared them to know the facts and principles of the subject matter in the field of educational leadership.

School Counseling (M.Ed.)

The School Counseling program evaluates content knowledge of its candidates by administering internal and external assessments. The internship provides performance assessment data of the candidates’ content knowledge. Internal assessments occur during content courses in this program. During the fall 2005 semester, candidates were evaluated and the results are reflected in Table 11. Overall, the candidates performed at the above average and excellent levels on the items reported. 55% of the candidates performed at the excellent level and 45% were above average during internships. Disaggregated data revels that 100% of the candidates are performing at the above average and excellent levels. Course level assessments indicate that candidates in the program have a proficient and exceptional level of understanding with regard to counseling theory and intervention techniques.

Educational Administration and Supervision (Ed.D.)

Content knowledge for the doctoral program is measured at different phases of the program. The program utilizes a combination of internal course level assessments and external assessments. Table 13 indicates how the candidates in the program are performing. The data collected from the internship assessment related to content knowledge show that 76% of candidates in the program are performing at the proficient and exceptional levels.