PROGRAM REVIEW. M.A. in Special Education. College of Education and Human Services. February 2006

Transcription

1 PROGRAM REVIEW M.A. in Special Education College of Education and Human Services February 2006 Form Created: March 6, 2002 Date Revised: 2/23/2006 C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

2 Program Review Marshall University March 2005 Date: October 2005 Program: M.A. in Special Education Degree and Title Date of Last Review: 2001 Recommendation Marshall University is obligated to recommend continuance or discontinuance of a program and to provide a brief rationale for the recommendation. Recommendation Code(#): 1. Continuation of the program at the current level of activity; or 2. Continuation of the program with corrective action (for example, reducing the range of optional tracks or merging programs); or 3. Identification of the program for further development (Please be specific; identify areas and provide a rationale in your request); or 4. Continuation of the program at the current level of activity, with the designation as a program of excellence (See Series 11 Statement from the Policy Commission); or 5. Discontinuation of the program (Procedures outlined in HEPC Administrative Bulletin 23). Rationale for Recommendation: (Deans, please submit the rationale as a separate document. Beyond the College level, any office that disagrees with the previous recommendation must submit a separate rationale and append it to this document with appropriate signature.) 1 _10/31/05 Recommendation: Signature of person preparing the report: Date: 1 _10/31/05 Recommendation: Signature of Program Chair: Date: 1 _10/31/05 Recommendation: Signature of Academic Dean: Date: Recommendation: Signature of Chair, Academic Planning Committee: (Baccalaureate pgms only) Date: Recommendation: Signature of President, Faculty Senate/ Chair, Graduate Council: Date: Recommendation: Signature of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs: Date: Recommendation: Signature of the President: Date: Recommendation: Signature of Chair, Board of Governors: Date: Form Created: March 6, 2002 Date Revised: 2/23/2006 C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

3 College/School Dean s Recommendation Deans, please indicate your recommendation and submit the rationale. Recommendation: Master of Arts in Special Education: Continue program at current level of activity Rationale: (If you recommend a program for further development identify all areas for specific development; if you recommend a program as a program of excellence address all criteria listed in HEPC Series 11) The graduate program in Special Education has continued to be a strong and viable program during the past five years. The program is available statewide with student enrollments from 43 counties and has produced an average of 70 graduates per year. The program is accredited by the Council for Exceptional Children and all licensure programs have been reviewed and approved by the West Virginia Board of Education. The performance of program graduates on state licensure exams is excellent. Demand for the program is projected to remain stable or increase slightly, depending on the final disposition of West Virginia Board of Education policies and regulations related to NCLB/IDEA changes. Results from employer and graduate surveys indicate both groups are very satisfied with the program. The program has developed a comprehensive assessment system and is utilizing data from the assessment process to inform program direction and revisions. The program continues to be extremely responsive to the needs of the state and has added several new specializations (e.g. VI, D/HH, MultiCategorical, Alternative, Autism, etc.) in the past five years. The program is actively involved with RESAs, school systems and schools across the state. New initiatives for the program include the implementation of a $162,861 WV State Improvement Grant received in July 2005, the development of an area of emphasis in Special Education for inclusion in the EdS in Education, development of additional WebCT courses, and increased involvement of program faculty in the EdD in Education. The major challenge facing the program are the continuous program revisions required to respond to constantly changing state policies. mission Overall, this is a sound and responsive program which is doing an excellent job fulfilling its assigned Signature of the Dean: Ron Childress (GSEPD) Date: _February 2006 Form Created: March 6, 2002 Date Revised: 2/23/2006 C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

4 Program: M.A. in Special Education Marshall University Program Review March 2005 College: School of Education and Human Services Date of Last Review: 2001 I PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Provide a program narrative with information on any options or tracks and describe the program s nature and characteristics. You may include the description from the University catalog. The goal of the Special Education program is to provide educational opportunities for students at the postbachelor s and master s degree level to become teachers of exceptional children in one of nine categories: autism, mentally impaired, multicategorical, vision impaired, specific learning disabilities, gifted, behavioral disorders or preschool/special education. Teachers seeking certification in these areas may come to the program with a background in special education, elementary or secondary education or from noneducation fields in all specializations except Gifted and Deaf and Hard of Hearing.. The Special Education program emphasizes the diagnosticprescriptive model of instruction. As potential special education teachers, students will do most of their work in intensive educational assessment, including the determination and implementation of effective intervention (a testtest model). Additionally, the Special Education program emphasizes different methods of delivering instruction for exceptional children in a variety of placement alternatives. Program graduates are expected to be able to: Understand and apply the current knowledge base for working in preschool, elementary, middle or secondary schools; Demonstrate skills in research methodology, problem solving, and critical thinking in relation to areas of concern in elementary, middle, adolescent and preschool education; Demonstrate the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to function effectively within the social setting of the school, community and society as a whole; Understand and evaluate teacherlearner interactions to facilitate and guide pupil achievement of varied learning outcomes in different instructional situations; Develop and implement a professional approach to testing; Form Created: March 6, 2002 Date Revised: 2/23/2006 C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

5 Analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and apply research findings in an educational setting; Demonstrate a basic understanding of the application of technology to special education in preschool, elementary, middle or adolescent educational settings; Demonstrate a basic understanding of human growth and development and the implications of developmental characteristics for curricular and instructional decisions; Understand significant theory and research in teacher effectiveness and classroom management, and demonstrate skills in instructional implementation appropriate to the developmental level of students; Demonstrate an understanding of cultural diversity and the implications of these differences for curriculum and instruction; Communicate effectively with a wide variety of constituent groups including school personnel, policy makers, parents, and other community members; Plan longrange instructional programs based on student interest, abilities, backgrounds, and aptitudes. The program description from the Graduate Catalog may be seen in Attachment A (Pg. 75). ProgRev2005 SpEd Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 2555

6 II ACCREDITATION INFORMATION (NOTE: If your program has been accredited by a national organization, supply the following information. If your program is not accredited, skip to section III. Use the appendix numbers as indicated in each section. If you skip a section do not renumber the appendices. ) Provide the following information about the program s accreditation status: A Name and description of the accreditation organization: The Special Education program is housed in the Marshall University Professional Education Unit (PEU). The Professional Education Unit is fully accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The most recent NCATE review occurred in October 2004 and resulted in the continuing accreditation of the unit through fall This was the maximum period for which accreditation could be received. The PEU passed all six NCATE standards for advanced (graduate) programs. The Special Education Program has been reviewed and accredited by its respective national professional organization, the Council on Exceptional Children. The specializations for Autism, Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Multicategorical were not offered at the time of the last CEC review but will be submitted for review by that body during the next accreditation cycle. All program specializations leading to licensure were also reviewed and granted continuing approval by the West Virginia Department of Education. See accreditation letters Attachment B (Pg. 79). B Most recent year program accredited: (include a copy of the letter conferring accreditation.) NCATE 2005 CEC 2001 (see Attachment B for copies of letters) C Accreditation status: (regular, probationary, unaccredited, other) NCATE Full Continuing CEC In Compliance D Attach a copy of the accreditation organization s report to the University if different from B. N/A C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

7 E If program deficiencies were noted, attach the report to the accrediting agency outlining the deficiencies and corrective action taken or proposed. No deficiencies noted. F Provide 1 copy of the most recent selfstudy report for final submission to the Board of Governors. (This copy will be returned.) On file in the Office of Academic Affairs. C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

8 III PROGRAM STATEMENT on Adequacy, Viability, Necessity and Consistency with University/College Mission A ADEQUACY Provide a narrative summary for each of the following in addition to the requested appendices. 1 Curriculum: Summarize degree requirements and provide commentary on significant features of the curriculum. In Appendix I, list required courses, elective courses, and total hours required. The list of courses must provide specific course titles and numbers. The Master of Arts degree in Special Education may be earned with a Specialization in one of nine areas of emphasis. Each area of emphasis includes required teacher certification courses (18 24 hours), a set of required foundations and research courses (15 hours) and in some cases electives (0 9 hours). Total credit hours required for the degree is hours, depending upon area of emphasis. See Appendix I for sample Plan of Study forms for each specialization (Pg. 24). 2 Faculty: Summarize significant points relating to faculty teaching courses within the major (percentage of faculty holding tenure, extent of use of parttime faculty, level of academic preparation, faculty development efforts, books & journal articles, papers & attendance at state, regional and national professional organization meetings). Include parttime faculty and graduate assistants you employed during the final year of this review. Prepare an Appendix II Faculty Data Sheet for each fulltime faculty member, parttime faculty member and adjunct faculty member, For parttime faculty members and adjuncts prepare data through question one on the Faculty Data Sheet. Use Appendix IIA for all graduate teaching assistants. The graduate faculty in Special Education consists of twelve fulltime members and a cadre of adjunct faculty. Seven faculty are tenured and twelve of the thirteen faculty slots are tenure tract positions. Seven faculty hold the rank of professor, one is an associate professor, two are assistant professors and two are temporary appointments. Seven fulltime faculty hold doctorates and seven of thirteen (54%) faculty members are tenured. Fulltime faculty members for average 14.8 years of experience and are listed in Table 1 (Pg. 9). Faculty data sheets for fulltime and parttime faculty are included as Appendix II (Pg. 31). A review of C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

9 fulltime faculty data sheets indicates a very productive group, actively involved in scholarly and creative endeavors, University and community service, professional leadership in the discipline in addition to excellence in teaching. In addition, the program uses approximately nine parttime or adjunct faculty each semester. These faculty deliver approximately 30% of class sections in the average each semester. All adjunct faculty are carefully chosen and are representative of the WV Department of Education, Regional Education Service Agencies and leadership positions in local school districts. Adjunct faculty are carefully selected, in many cases have extensive experience in that capacity, and are universally regarded as leaders in their respective areas of expertise. The Special Education program does not use Graduate Assistants to deliver any of the required coursework. Table 1: FullTime Faculty in Special Education Rank Faculty Ed/PhD Tenured Full Associate Assistant Instructor Angel, Robert Guyer, Barbara Lombardo, Victor (4) Meikamp, Joyce Pendarvis, Edwina Sullivan, Michael Wolf, Ronald Ph.D. Ed.D. Ed.D. Ed.D. Ed.D. Ed.D. Ph.D. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes X X X X X X X Reed, Melissa Ed.D. No X Roman, Christine (1) (4) Simonton, Molly (2) (3) Burton, James Connor, Debra (2) Vacant Position Ph.D. ABD EdD No No Temporary No Temporary X X X X (1) Director, Statewide Visual Impairment Project (2) Temporary appointment (3) Director, Statewide Deaf/Hard of Hearing Project (4) Resigned or retired effective May C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

10 3 Students: NOTE: If your program is accredited, refer to the appropriate page numbers in your accreditation report. a Entrance Standards: Describe the admission standards and procedures employed for making the admission decision. (GPA, ACT, other tests) Students seeking admission as degree or professional development students must submit all official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. All applicants must minimally have an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.5. In addition, for full admission to the program applicants must meet one of the following two requirements: A total of 800 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or A score of at least 30 (378 scaled score) on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). The GRE/MAT score requirement is waived for applicants holding a graduate degree. If for any reason the student is admitted provisionally, he/she must maintain a Grade Point Average of 3.25 for the first 12 hours of study. A master s degree may be earned with a specialization in one of nine areas of emphasis. Students without background in education must acquire certification in regular education prior to endorsement in Special Education, or they can enter the Alternative Certification Program. The Preschool Special Education endorsement is exempt from this requirement. b Entrance Abilities: Identify potential ability of students admitted to the program as measured by standardized tests (ACT, SAT, GED, TOEFL, etc.) and high school GPA. GPA Incoming Students. For the fiveyear period Fall , 253 candidates were admitted. The mean undergraduate GPA for this group was 3.09, well above the 2.5 minimum requirement (See Attachment D, Section H) (Pg. 108). C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

11 GRE Scores Incoming Students. For the same fiveyear period (Fall ) 69 candidates opted to take the GRE (Verbal & Quantative). These candidates averaged a quantitative score of 426, an average verbal score of 457 for an average combined score of 883, well above the minimum required combined score of 800 (See Attachment D, Section H) (Pg. 108). MAT Scores Incoming Students. Until Fall 2004, MAT results were reported as raw scores. During the period Fall , 184 candidates opted to take the MAT. The mean MAT score for this group was 38.3, well above the minimum requirement of 30 (See Attachment D, Section H) (Pg. 108). c Exit Abilities: Identify abilities of students who graduate from the program (GPA, licensure exam, certification tests, etc.) GPA Exiting Students. Data provided by the Office of Institutional Research indicate that for the period Spring , the average cumulative GPA for 255 successful candidates was Licensure Exams Those candidates seeking a teaching license must take the Praxis II examination required by the WV Board of Education. During the period Fall , the pass rate for all specializations was 95.00%. Additional detail may be viewed in the Assessment Information found in Item 5 of this section. See also Section H of the Assessment Guide found in Attachment D (Pg. 108). C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

12 4 Resources: NOTE: If your program is accredited, refer to the appropriate page numbers in your accreditation report. a Financial: Provide information related to financial support of the program, including what portion of the unit s resources was devoted to this program. Include stateappropriated funds, grants, contracts, supplemental state funds or student fees. If this program were terminated as a major, what resource changes would occur, e.g., reduced faculty, staff, space, courses taught, etc. If this program were reduced or terminated, what changes would occur and how would it affect the university? The Special Education Program is housed in the Professional Education Unit (PEU) within the College of Education and Human Services. Despite a 3% midyear base budget reduction in the fiscal year 2003 and a 6% base budget reduction in fiscal year 2004, the PEU has been able to function effectively. PEU budgets for the past five years were: Area FY2004 FY2003 FY2002 FY2001 FY2000 Personnel* $5,690,159 $6,071,188 $5,773,248 $5,321,670 $4,791,916 Services Operations* $297,793 $333,535 $320,138 $335,177 $366,122 Equipment* $83,354 $31,386 $61,922 $44,797 $0 Faculty Development $69,281 $61,451 $87,957 $92,132 $62,165 Technology $165,465 $150,896 $168,818 $28,345 $79,831 *State appropriated funds These reductions in base budget have been offset with funds received from a variety of external sources (third party contracts, grants, cost recovery accounts, alumni giving, gifts, revenue production, etc). These resources have allowed the Professional Education Unit to remain fiscally viable during a period of tight state appropriations. These resources have included: C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

13 Source FY2004 FY2003 FY2002 FY2001 FY2000 Contracts $915,246 $1,344,258 $1,344,258 $1,053,940 $1,046,551 Grants $5,924,038 $5,263,587 $6,396,065 $3,907,248 $2,606,967 Other Revenue $246,099 $300,984 $361,854 $115,981 $35,126 b Facilities: Describe facilities available for the program including classrooms, laboratories, computer facilities, library facilities, or equipment needed for program delivery. Jenkins Hall, located on the Huntington campus, houses the executive dean s suite, professional staff work stations, offices for faculty of the School of Education, and a variety of classrooms. All classrooms located in Jenkins Hall are equipped with Internet connections and an LCD projector and computer for multimedia classroom presentations. Jenkins Hall also houses the Learning Resource Center, The Susan Runyan Maier Distance Learning Classroom and the Reading Center Classroom. On the South Charleston campus the Professional Education Unit programs are located in the administration building. The administration building has 40,000 square feet and houses faculty and staff offices, two computer labs, 5 classrooms with equipment for multimedia classroom presentations, a polycom for conferencing, and a bookstore. Additionally, on the South Charleston campus is the Robert C. Byrd Academic Center. The academic center has 24,000 square feet and contains a library, the Byrd Center for Manufacturing Technology, three distance learning electronic classrooms, and ten traditional classrooms. The PEU also operates the 3,000 square feet Community Clinical Services Center in Dunbar, a modern clinical teaching facility to support clinical instruction in the human services and teaching areas. The Special Education Program also offers classes, coordinates clinical and practicum experiences, and provides faculty offices at several additional Marshall University satellite campus sites. These include the Beckley Center, C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

14 Beckley, WV; the Dunbar Center, Dunbar, WV; the MidOhio Valley Center, Point Pleasant, WV; the Southern Mountain Center, Logan, WV; and the Harless Center, Gilbert, WV, and at some 30 other locations throughout the state. 5 Assessment Information: NOTE: This section is a summary of your yearly assessment reports. a Summarize the principal goals of the assessment program. During the past two years the assessment model used in Special Education was completely revised due to the assessment requirements specified for the October 2004 NCATE accreditation visit. This revised assessment model reflects a much more databased approach than that used in the past. The assessment model adopted for the advanced program in Special Education focuses on three broad areas; the program, the faculty and candidate performance. This assessment model includes three major components; data/information collection, forming judgments and making decisions. Based on these three components, assessment is operationally defined as a process in which data/information are collected, used as a consideration in forming judgments, and then becomes the basis for making decisions. These decisions involve actions related to the program, faculty and candidates. b Provide summary information on the following elements. Attach Chart I Assessment Summary as evidence. assessment tools; approach standards/benchmarks (HEPC Initiative #3) results/analysis action taken Please see Attachment C (Pg. 94) for summary information. See also Attachment D (Pg. 99) Program Planning and Assessment Guide for Special Education for additional detail. C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

15 c. Provide information on how assessment data are used to improve program quality. Include at least 3 specific examples drawn from the past 5 years. A detailed analysis of assessment data was conducted just prior to the NCATE accreditation visit. Please reference Attachment C (Pg. 94) and Attachment D (Pg. 99) for this information. d Graduate and Employer Satisfaction: Provide evidence and results of followup studies to indicate graduate and employer satisfaction with the effectiveness of the educational experience. Indicate the number of individuals surveyed or contacted and the number of respondents. Graduate Satisfaction Special Education graduates responding to the two most recent surveys rated all items in their program as ModeratelytoVery Important on the Importance measure. The same group assigned a GoodtoExcellent rating on each of these items as they relate to Preparation. Although the ratings of Special Education graduates were very strong, the two items rated lowest in terms of preparation were Application of Technology and Communicating With Constituent Groups. The most recent survey was sent to 78 graduates with responses received from 24 individuals. Generally, ratings on both the Importance: and Preparation measures improved between the 2003 and the 2005 surveys. Employer Satisfaction Employer followup studies of Professional Education Unit graduates were conducted in 2000, 2002, 2003 and All principals and school system personnel directors were surveyed regarding the preparation of program graduates across 10 outcome areas. The total number of principals and personnel directors responding included 133 in 2000, 212 in 2002, 159 in 2003 and 160 in Overall, principals and personal directors rated program graduates as either Proficient, or Distinguished, or Exemplary, or Exceeds Expectations across all areas. C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

16 Although respondent ratings across all outcomes were generally positive, the ratings for those outcomes related to understanding cultural pluralism, and applies skills in research methodology tended to be slightly lower than the ratings for the other outcomes. Required courses in research and technology utilization were added and cultural pluralism competencies were added across courses in the most recent program revision. Recruiters who participated in the Marshall University job fair in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005 were also surveyed regarding the preparation of program graduates. Responses were reviewed from more than 200 recruiters during this period. The responses from recruiters were generally very positive and were consistent with those of the principals and personnel directors. e. Attach the previous five years of summary reports provided by the Office of Assessment. Copies of the Office of Assessment Summary Reports may be seen in Attachment E (Pg. 114). 6 Previous Reviews: Describe the last program review action (including committee recommendation) and indicate corrective actions (if necessary) since the last review. The 2001 Program Review (available in the Office of Assessment resulted in the following comment for the Special Education program. The committee concurs with the institutional recommendation to continue at the current level of activity. The Department is commended for a well written report. No corrective actions were indicated. 7 Strengths/Weaknesses: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the program. Describe program plans for removing the weaknesses. No weaknesses were identified for any of the specializations reviewed by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Instead, the CEC review indicated a number of strengths (See Attachment B) (Pg. 79). Nevertheless, program faculty continue to assess C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

17 program effectiveness and to target areas for improvement (see Attachments C (Pg. 94) & D (Pg. 99). In addition, the program has added two new specializations (Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Multicategorical) and will prepare those additions for submission to the next cycle of CEC review. Finally, entry level salaries for advertised positions are not competitive in the market for this specialization and have resulted in very serious difficulties in attracting a qualified applicant pool. A national shortage of doctoral level degrees conferred in Special Education complicates this issue even further. B VIABILITY Provide a narrative summary for each of the following items in addition to requested appendices. 1 Articulation Agreements: Describe program specific articulation agreements with other institutions for delivery of this program. Since the last Program Review, the Special Education program has established a collaborative effort with Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College to provide the Masters Degree program to two cohorts at the Eastern campus located in Moorefield, the county seat of Hardy County in the Eastern Panhandle. During the past four years, over forty students, represented by two separate cohorts, have enjoyed Marshall University courses, delivered by Marshall University faculty, at the Eastern campus. The Eastern facility is a modern one with stateoftheart technology. Support from Eastern has been extraordinary and that institution has identified the Marshall University project as an award winning one. In addition to this project, between Summer 2003 and Spring 2005, the Special Education program has generated thirdparty contracts for the delivery of 40 sections of classes to 21 (duplicated count) agencies throughout the state. Total enrollments for these sections was 396 students (See detail in Section III B2 below). 2 OffCampus/Distance Delivery Classes: Describe/Summarize offcampus (other than the Huntington, or South Charleston campuses) /Distance Delivery courses offered and locations for the past 2 years. (Include locations, courses, enrollments, as Appendix III.) C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

18 The Special Education program has three specializations which are the only ones available in the state and are therefore delivered statewide. In addition, the program has served two cohorts in the Eastern Panhandle within the past two years and also delivers a full cycle of coursework each semester at the Marshall University teaching site in Beckley. The outreach efforts are consistent with the University mission and summary data are provided in Appendix III. 3 Service Courses: Describe/Summarize departmental courses that are required for students in other majors and support programs outside the major. (Include enrollment data for these courses in a chart for the past five years as Appendix IV.) Use the table format shown as Appendix IV to present data. The data are prepared by the Office of Institutional Research and is sent to every college dean and chair in November and March. A number of Special Education courses are provided as service classes to support other programs. These courses, however, are also (with rare exception) required courses in the Special Education program. Caution should be used in interpreting the data in Appendix IV (Pg. 63) because the enrollments for each course cannot be broken out between those taking the classes as a service course or those taking them as required classes. 4 Program Course Enrollment: Describe/Summarize program area courses taken by students who are majors and include enrollment by semester for the past 5 years. Indicate required or elective courses. The purpose of this section is to indicate the availability and relative strength of the program area courses. Include all students enrolled in the courses, whether majors or not. (Include enrollment data for these courses in a chart for the past five years as Appendix V.) Use the table format shown in the Appendix V template to present data. The data are prepared by the Office of Institutional Research and are sent to every college dean and chair in November and March. Program Course Enrollment data include core courses required in nearly all of the nine specializations as well as courses required by, and specific to, each specialization. Data are displayed in Appendix V (Pg. 64) in the form of tables specific to the core and to each area of specialization. Note also that some of the core classes (CISP 510, 520, 521 and 535) are not only required in the 18 C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 2555

19 Special Education program but are also utilized by other programs as service courses. They are therefore included in Appendix V because enrollments cannot be broken out between use (i.e. Core vs. Service courses). Note also that the Deaf/Hard of Hearing program, a statewide program, was not offered until Fall 2003 and that the Multicategorical option was added in Fall Program Enrollment: Summarize data indicating the number of new students admitted, number of principal majors enrolled from your college, number of second majors, the number of students enrolled as majors from other colleges (i.e., College of Education specialization majors), the number of minors, and the number of graduates for the program for each of the past five years. (Include a chart as Appendix VI and provide separate data for each option offered under the program.) Data are furnished by the Office of Program Review and Assessment and Office of Institutional Research. Some of these data are available from the Office of Institutional Research website. The Special Education programs admits candidates to either Professional Development status (those seeking teacher certification) or to Masters Degree status (those seeking both teacher certification and the Masters Degree). Both classifications of admission status result in the development of a Plan of Study, assignment of advisors, etc. Because many of these candidates already have earned the Masters Degree but are required to obtain multiple teaching certifications for their job assignments in public schools, they often change specializations (and therefore admission status) as they complete multiple tracks. The data bases do not clearly discriminate regarding this process. The data provided earlier in Appendix V (Pg. 64) do, however, indicate the relative size of each of the nine specializations. Because there is no accurate means by which to break out the information in Appendix VI (Pg. 74) by specialization, the data provided reflect the Special Education Program as a whole. 6 Enrollment Projections: Identify trends that will influence enrollment over the next five years. Provide enrollment projections. For the past 25 years, there has been a national shortage of fully trained Special Education teachers. West Virginia has employed around 30% of its special education teaching force on emergency teaching licenses. During the same period, the percentage of K12 C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

20 students identified as qualifying for these services has grown to approximately 20% of public school enrollments. In addition, the state has a rapidly graying teaching force with large numbers of K12 educators expected to retire in the next five year. For these reasons, it is anticipated that enrollments in the Special Education program will remain stable or increase over the next five years. It should be noted that the federal No Child Left Behind ACT (NCLB) and the reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) both describe new standards/requirements for special educators to be designated Highly Qualified. The net effect of these changes has been to substantially increase the level of preparation required. This may well discourage candidates from pursuing what is already an area experiencing critical shortages of personnel and therefore have a negative effect on program enrollments. In Spring 2005, the Special Education Program applied for and was awarded a $162,861 State Improvement Grant (SIG) to support webbased staff development opportunities for inservice teachers. C NECESSITY: NOTE: If your program is accredited, please refer to the appropriate page numbers in your accreditation report. Provide a narrative summary for each of the following items in addition to requested appendices. The narrative should be in portrait style with the charts/appendices in landscape style. 1 Advisory Committee: Identify whether the program has an Advisory Committee, and, if so, briefly indicate the role and impact of the Committee. The Educational Personnel Preparation Advisory Committee is mandated by the West Virginia Department of Education s Policy 5100, the policy for preparation of educational personnel. The EPPAC committee advises concerning design, delivery, and evaluation of programs for the preparation of teachers and other school personnel. The EPPAC is composed of P12 personnel representing public school districts, faculty from within the Professional Education Unit, faculty from arts and sciences within the university that work closely in the preparation of teachers, a representative from the West Virginia Department of Education, education candidates, and community members involved in the work of the Professional Education Unit. C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

21 2 Graduates: Provide information on graduates in terms of places of employment, starting salary ranges (where appropriate and known), number employed in field of specialization, and/or acceptance into baccalaureate or graduate programs. (NOTE: Do not identify students by name.) Almost without exception, graduates of the Special Education program were parttime students who averaged 37 years of age and were already fully employed by public school systems while matriculating. Employing school districts include every county school system in West Virginia, quite a number of school districts in other states whose boundaries are contiguous to the state, as well as by systems in more distant states. The typical salary for a newly graduated Masters Degree candidate with only a few years of experience is roughly $31,000 in West Virginia. The state continues to be challenged in retaining inservice teachers and recent graduates because of more lucrative salaries in other states. All Special Education graduates have immediate instate employment opportunities if not already employed. 3 Job Placement: If the job placement rate reported above is low, can a course of action be identified that would improve this situation? Provide a summary of procedures utilized by the institution to help place program graduates in jobs or additional educational programs. Include activities supported by both the student s academic department as well as the institution s placement office. This summary should include the institution s procedures and program organization for continuing contact and followup with graduates. The typical Special Education student is an employed professional who is a parttime graduate student seeking to upgrade or acquire new skills. Although the traditional array of job placement services is available through the Huntington campus, (insert program name) students tend to have little need for these services. Information regarding available employment opportunities is routinely made available through local school system job postings and, statewide, through the West Virginia Department of Education. Program graduates are routinely recommended by faculty for other/new employment opportunities and for admission to advanced graduate programs. Followup studies of graduates are conducted annually and program faculty maintain contact with C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

22 employers and graduates through the delivery of staff development, licensure courses, continuing education programs, and involvement in clinical/fieldbased experiences. D CONSISTENCY WITH UNIVERSITY MISSION: NOTE: If your program is accredited, refer to the appropriate page numbers in your accreditation report. Provide a narrative summary. Explain how this program fits into the mission of the institution. Identify the relationship of this program to other programs at the institution, especially in terms of mutual support, e.g., shared faculty, shared facilities, shared course requirements. Institutional Unit and Program Missions The conceptual framework for the teacher education unit has been developed and is implemented within the parameters established by the institutional and unit mission. The mission of Marshall University is that of providing graduate educational opportunities to the people of West Virginia through teaching, public service and research. Special Education programs are delivered in traditional and nontraditional ways using a small number of dedicated fulltime faculty complemented by an excellent cadre of expert adjunct faculty recruited from higher education institutions, Regional Educational Service Agencies, WV Department of Education, and school systems. Throughout West Virginia, the Special Education Department offers licensure and Master of Arts degree programs and professional development programs according to need, without duplicating programs offered in the same geographic area by other institutions. The mission of the Special Education Program (Department) Has been developed within, and flows from the institutional and unit s mission. As such, the mission of Special Education is to provide an array of licensure, degree, and professional development programs, and continuing education opportunities and services designed to address the needs of adult learners. These programs and services are provided primarily for the convenience of fully employed adult students. To accomplish this goal, the Special Education utilizes collaborative arrangements with other programs to both use, and provide, service courses to one another. (See Narrative Summary in Section II of this report. View accreditation letters in Attachment 11). C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

23 IV PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE If this option is marked as the institutional (program) recommendation, include a statement of justification. This statement should be a document (limited to two pages) that provides detailed information on the strengths of the program and reasons why the program should have the designation of excellence. Identify the aspects of your program that qualify it as a Program of Excellence (e.g., accreditation, honors, special recognition, unique characteristics, etc.). All supporting documents must be provided to the Committee. The guidelines Statement on Criteria for Designation of Excellence are attached for reference. No designation sought. C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

24 Appendix I Required/Elective Course Work in the Program Degree Program: M.A. Special Education Person responsible for the report: Dr. Michael Sullivan Courses Required in Major (By Course Number and Title) Total Required Hours Elective Credit Required by the Major (By Course Number and Title) Elective Hours Related Fields Courses Required Total Related Hours (See following pages for each specialization) Professional society that may have influenced the program offering and/or requirements: C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

25 MARSHALL UNIVERSITY GRADUATE COLLEGE SPECIAL EDUCATION AUTISM STUDENTFACULTY PROGRAM CONTRACT DATE: SOCIAL SECURITY NO: STUDENT NAME HOME PHONE: ADDRESS: BUSINESS PHONE: HOURS REQUIRED FOR DEGREE: 36 FACULTY ADVISOR: The following program of courses is hereby agreed upon by both the student and his faculty advisor as fulfilling the academic requirements necessary for certification in Autism. Other actions, such as transfers of credit, course substitutions, and/or course waivers must be approved by the advisor. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Course Title Dept. and Course No. Date Taken Sem. Year Grade Credit 1. Introduction to Exceptional Children or Children with Exceptionalities CISP 520 CISP Introduction to Autism CISP Diagnostic Clinical Practice CISP General Special Education Programming CISP Instructional Characteristics of Autism CISP Field Experience: Autism CISP Educational Research & Writing* Ed.F Advanced Studies Human Development Ed.F Trends/Issues in Special Education or Special Education Seminar CISP 627 CISP Special Education Research Part I CISP Special Education Research Part II CISP *Prerequisite for CISP 611 ELECTIVE: 1. 3 OTHER REQUIREMENTS: **COURSES OVER 7 YEARS OF AGE CANNOT BE UTILIZED IN A DEGREE PROGRAM Student=s Signature Date Advisor Date Program Director Date Dean Date C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

26 MARSHALL UNIVERSITY GRADUATE COLLEGE SPECIAL EDUCATION BEHAVIOR DISORDERS STUDENTFACULTY PROGRAM CONTRACT DATE: SOCIAL SECURITY NO: STUDENT NAME HOME PHONE: ADDRESS: BUSINESS PHONE: HOURS REQUIRED FOR DEGREE: 36 FACULTY ADVISOR: The following program of courses is hereby agreed upon by both the student and his faculty advisor as fulfilling the academic requirements necessary for certification in Behavior Disorders. Other actions, such as transfers of credit, course substitutions, and/or course waivers must be approved by the advisor. Course Title Dept. and Course No. Date Taken Sem. Year Grade Credit 1. Introduction to Exceptional Children or Children with Exceptionalities CISP 520 CISP Introduction to Emotional Disturbances CISP Diagnostic Clinical Practice CISP General Special Education Programming CISP Education of Emotional Disturbances CISP Field Experience: Emotional Disturbances CISP Educational Research & Writing** Ed.F Advanced Studies Human Development Ed.F Trends and Issues in Special Education, or Special Education Research Part I 10. Special Education: Seminar, or Special Education Research Part II **Prerequisite for CISP 611 ELECTIVES: CISP 627 CISP CISP 629 CISP Total _ OTHER REQUIREMENTS: TOTAL 36 **COURSES OVER 7 YEARS OF AGE CANNOT BE UTILIZED IN A DEGREE PROGRAM Student s Signature Date Advisor Date Program Director Date Dean Date C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

27 MARSHALL UNIVERSITY GRADUATE COLLEGE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEAF/HARD OF HEARING PLAN OF STUDY DATE: ID# STUDENT NAME: HOME PHONE: ADDRESS: BUSINESS PHONE: HOURS REQUIRED FOR DEGREE: 39 FACULTY ADVISOR: The following program of courses is hereby agreed upon by both the student and his faculty advisor as fulfilling the academic requirements necessary for certification in Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Other actions, such as transfers of credit, course substitutions, and/or course waivers must be approved by the advisor. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS: Course Title Dept. And Course No. Date Taken Sem./Year Grade Credit 1. American Sign Language (ASL) I CIDH American Sign Language (ASL) II CIDH Auditory Habilitation CIDH Introduction to Deaf and Hard of Hearing CIDH Curriculum and Methods for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students 6. Development and Remediation of Reading, Writing, and Discourse for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 7. Teaching Internship and Practicum (DHH) I (Residential Setting) 8. Teaching Internship and Practicum (DHH) II (Local School District) CIDH CIDH CIDH CIDH Application of Software in Classroom CIEC Advanced Studies Human Development Ed.F Trends/Issues in Special Education, or Special Education Seminar CISP 627 CISP Special Education Research Part I CISP Special Education Research Part II CISP Total 39 OTHER REQUIREMENTS: **COURSES OVER 7 YEARS OF AGE CANNOT BE UTILIZED IN A DEGREE PROGRAM Student Date Advisor Date Program Director Date Dean Date C:\Documents and Settings\hicksb\Desktop\Program Review\PR200506\Graduate0506\ProgRev2005 SpEd doc Office of Program Review and Assessment, Academic Affairs, Marshall University, Huntington, WV