Title: The Accreditation Team Experience: Ten Steps for Team and School Success
1The Accreditation Team Experience Ten Steps
for Team and School Success
- CEASD Conference
- Great Falls, Montana
- May 5, 2008
- Claire Bugen and Joe Finnegan
2WHATS IT LIKE TO SERVE ON A CEASD ACCREDITATION
TEAM?IN FIVE WORDS OR LESS!
- INTENSE
- TEAMWORK
- STIMULATING
- INTELLECTUAL
- COLLEGIAL
3TEN STEPS TO TEAM SUCCESS
- Know Accreditation
- Know the Process
- Be Insightful About School Needs and Expectations
- Know Your Standards!
- Know Your Role and Play It Well
- Analyze Self-Study and Prepare On Site Work Based
on Analysis - Interview, Observe, Review
- Write a Great Report
- Know Your CEASD and Regional Resources
- Good Home Etiquette
4STEP ONE KNOW WHAT ACCREDITATION MEANS
5Accreditation
- Voluntary School Improvement
- A planning process of self-evaluation
- An internal and external scan of the school
environment - An analysis of critical issues impacting the
school - An analysis of strengths and weaknesses in the
school - The development of action plans to achieve
school improvement
6STEP TWOKNOW HOW ACCREDITATIONIS DONE
7ACCREDITATION AND PLANNING CONCEPTUAL
TIMETABLE TWO-YEAR PROCESS
PRIOR YEAR PLANNING ASSESSMENT DATA
COLLECTION ANALYSIS OF STANDARDS
FALL YEAR TWO SELF STUDY CIRCULATED FOR
COMMENT AND REVISED
SUMMER YEAR TWO SELF STUDY DRAFTED
WINTER YR TWO SELF-STUDY SUBMITTED TO VISITING
TEAM
AUGUST YEAR ONE OUTLINE STEERING CMTE DATA
COLLECTION DOCUMENTATION
SPRING YR ONE SPRING 05 COMMITTEES DEVELOP
REPORTS
SPRING YEAR TWO TEAM VISIT TEAM REPORT
TO CEASD/REGIONAL
SEPT YR ONE STAFF VISIT
FALL YR TWO PRELIM VISIT TEAM CHAIR
OCTOBER YR ONE DESIGN FOR SS SUBMITTED COMMITTEE
S UNDERWAY
END YR ONE BY END OF YR ALL COMMITTEE REPORTS DUE
CEASD/REGIONAL ACTION ON ACCREDITATION
AC YR ONE_________________________________________
__________________AC YR TWO_______________________
_ _____________________ AUG SEP OCT
NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY
JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE
8STEP THREEBE INSIGHTFULABOUT SCHOOL NEEDS
ANDEXPECTATIONS
9What Do Schools Expect of Teams and Chairs?
- Respect for Time and Effort in Self-Study
Respect for the Schools expertise about itself - Collegiality with appropriate professional
distance - Fairness and Integrity
- Compassionate Rigor
- Expertise in Applying Standards and Interpreting
School Conditions - Thorough Preparation and Earnest Interest in the
Story of the School - Consistency with Role Expectations and Conduct of
the Visit
10What do Teams and Chairs Expect of Schools?
- Good Logistics (meeting room, computers, privacy,
transportation, interview rooms) - Tech Support (screen, LCD, power cords, multiple
laptops) - Must See versus Everything You Ever Wanted to
Know Document Room - On-Site Coordinator/Runner. (Schedule
interviews, coordinate with interpreters,
coordinate necessary transportation, find
documents, etc.) - A Host First Night Program chance to get to know
individuals - A well organized Self-Study
- Flexibility with the schedule
- Electronic copy of the Standard Assessment
Reports - FOOD!!!!
11STEP FOURKNOW YOUR STANDARDS!
12TEAM ANALYSIS OF THECEASD/REGIONAL STANDARDS
- ALL TEAM MEMBERS SHOULD READ THE STANDARDS
THOROUGHLY AND FLAG ISSUES PARTICULARLY RELEVANT
TO THE AREA EACH MEMBER WILL REVIEW AT THE SCHOOL
UNDER STUDY - ANALYZE SELF-STUDY IN LIGHT OF THE STANDARDS
- PREPARE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS DRAWN FROM THIS
ANALYSIS
13CEASD Standards
- Standard 1 Philosophy/Mission
- Standard 2 Governance and Leadership
- Standard 3 School Improvement Planning
- Standard 4 Finances
- Standard 5 Facilities
- Standard 6 School Climate and Organization
14CEASD STANDARDS
- Standard 7 Health and Safety
- Standard 8 Educational Program
- Standard 9 Assessment and Evidence of Student
Learning - Standard 10 Student Services
- Standard 11 Student Life
- Standard 12 Information Resources and
Technology
15STEP FIVEKNOW YOUR ROLEAND PLAY IT WELL!
16Role of the Team Chair
17Role of the Team Chair
LEADER Team and School look to YOU as the
representative of the CEASD Accreditation
Process and the partner/arbitrator with the
Regional Chair
FACILITATOR/COACH Develop Strategy for the Team
Visit Review with Team the Role of Team Members
and Ground Rules for Visits Review with Team
CEASD Standards and related accreditation
materials/Crosswalk with Regional Standards
ORGANIZER WITH CEASD HOME OFFICE Set Dates for
Visits Conduct Preliminary Visit
Manage Communications Final Report Review
Visit Arrangement Review Documents
Make Team Assignments Chairs Brief Contract
Reimbursement Issues Analyze SS
Oral Exit Interview Eval. Cmte.
Meeting
18 Things That Can Go Bad
- Runaway Team Chair Loses Control of Team
Direction - Bully on the Team Chair Fails to
Confront/Resolve - Institutional Hide n Seek Chair Ignores
Reality - Scrooge Chair Keeps Team Working Past
Reasonable Hour - Leviathan Chair As Control Freak
- Terminator Chair Bullies/Threatens Institution
19Role of An Evaluator
- You are Invited because of your expertise, but
remember the peer in peer review - Expected to be thoroughly prepared in advance of
the visit - KNOW CEASD STANDARDS and SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
PROCESS - Cooperate with Team Chair in Site Visit
Assignments, and maintain collegiality with team
members - Prepare each interview with care, and record
notes carefully - INTERVIEW, do not monologue!
- (If you hear yourself talking for more than 3
minutes, stop! Ask questions, dont make
speeches.) - Refrain from making statements comparing this
SCHOOL to yours - Avoid Prescriptive Pronouncements--Be Objective
- Make Every Effort to Understand the SCHOOL
Mission, Goals and Strategies - Make sure that evaluative comments are rooted in
CEASD AND REGIONAL STANDARDS
20When Good Teams Go Bad
- The Inspector General Persona and Gotcha! Games
- Well, at MY Institution heres how its done.
- I am the Great Oz and I know what you need to be
doing - Lets slam them on this
- Could You Believe That President??
- Ive arranged a small meeting with a few
disaffected faculty to hear whats REALLY going
on at this place. - Forget the Characteristics, this place is a mess
and we need to fix it or shut it down. - Theyre lying.
21STEP SIXANALYZE THE SELF-STUDYAND PREPARE ON
SITE WORKBASED ON THIS ANALYSIS
22PRIOR TO THE VISIT TEAM ASSIGNMENTS
- Chair Establish a pre-visit work plan for the
team to guide members in preparation - Identify key areas for each team member to
review, but stress that all team members must
read the entire self-study and participate in the
full review - Ask team members to prepare written outline of
the issues and questions they are likely to
review on the campus visit - Review the team outlines and questions to be sure
that all team members understand their roles and
are heading in the right direction prior to the
visit - Team
- Study SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT THROUGH CEASD
ACCREDITATION to create mental framework for
analysis - Read and Analyze Self-Study
- Prepare written outline of issues to probe during
campus visit and likely questions to ask - Communicate with team chair about any
questions/concerns regarding role, issues,
preparation
23Sample Matrix for Team Assignments
24Understanding the Self-Study
- Designs The self-study process enables the
campus community to examine the schools
strengths and challenges relative to
accreditation standards. The process also
enables each school to develop solutions to
problems, and to identify opportunities for
growth and development. The aim is to
understand, evaluate and improve, not simply to
describe or defend. -
25Understanding the Self-Study
- Designs Common to All Protocols
- Self-Study
- Involvement and collaboration of stakeholders
- Definition of the schools purpose through
mission/vision/philosophy/school profile - The assessment process to collect, disaggregate
and analyze student performance data - Organization for student learning that supports
high achievement for all students - Curriculum and Instruction that supports high
achievement for all students. - Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth
- Resource Management
- Alignment of planning processes and capacity to
implement - Reflection of status against Standards
-
26Problem Set Self-Study Meltdowns and Team
Response Strategies
PROBLEM
ACTION STEP
- Self-Study lacks the basics
- SS is disorganized and badly written
- Gaps in Data
- Too superficial/too self-congratulatory without
analysis/too descriptive without analysis - Overly self-critical where data and information
suggests otherwise - Political tensions on campus come through in
report and create analytical skews in the
narrative and data - A significant problem or concern surfaces on site
that is not in the self study.
- Chair discuss with Accreditation chair and Home
Office staff - Chair Discuss with Accreditation Chair and School
prior to the visit, correct as possible in
advance - Be prepared to identify what data sets are
necessary for the team visit to be successful and
request the data - Team must probe beneath the writing to get the
insightful analysis that the document may lack.
Need to distinguish between writing style
preferences of team members and real problems
with the self-study - Chair and team discuss gaps between reality and
statements in the report and reasons - Team cannot get drawn into campus political
issues need to pierce through the tension to get
at facts and analysis of performance and outcomes - Chair must discuss issues with the institutional
president as soon as the facts are in hand
consult with CEASD staff if necessary - Problems of collegiality in the self-study
process can be addressed in the team report.
27STEP SEVENINTERVIEW, OBSERVE, REVIEW MAKE
GOOD USE OF TIME ON CAMPUS
28MAXIMIZING TIME ON THE CAMPUS VISITINTERVIEWS,
OBSERVATIONS, REVIEWS
- Chair and On-Site Coordinator Prepare interview
list and schedule well in advance in consultation
with the school and the team changes can and
will occur during the visit, but have a game plan
in advance and change strategically - Team All members should have a prepared set of
issues and interview questions for the
appointments - Observe An important part of the campus visit
is observation of the environment, facilities,
availability of services, general conditions - Review A large part of time on campus is also
spent reviewing source documents that support
assertions in the self-study the team should
come prepared with a list of topics that bear
additional research time when on campus
29How to Conduct InterviewsDuring a Team Visit
- Be neutral/open Interviews test and illuminate
the self-study. Good interviews start with
thorough knowledge of the self-study and
institutional materials. Teams divide up
interview assignments according to the expertise
of the team or the Standard assigned. - Develop Interview Objectives and Questions For
each interview, the team member should know the
objectives of the interview, develop clear
questions, and be sure those questions relate to
the self-study and accreditation criteria. - Seek Dialogue, NOT Cross-Examination Questions
should be designed to evoke analysis and
dialogue. This is not a cross-examination or
interrogation, and questions that make the
interviewee feel put on the spot are generally
not helpful. - Identify Key Players in Different Areas Dont
be afraid to ask who would know about_____? - Avoid Monologue and Prescription Team members
must not use interview times to lecture the
interviewee, monologue about your opinions, or
offer prescriptions about what the school should
do. - Take Careful Notes Interviews form an important
part of the background for the team report, and
often a statement in an interview can shape the
teams understanding of some dimension of the
self-study. Notes taken during the interview
facilitate accuracy and completeness.
30STEP EIGHTWRITING A GREAT TEAM REPORT
31TEMPLATE FOR TEAM REPORTSCEASD Chair will defer
to Regional Template for ReportEveryone writes
one or two areas
- Context and Nature of the Visit
- a) School Overview
- b) Scope of School
- c) Self-Study Process
- d) Visiting Team Process
-
- Compliance with Accreditation Standards
- For each standard (or by major heading in the
self-study, with standards identified) the report
should follow this outline - a) Summary of Evidence and Findings
- b) Significant accomplishments/progress/exemplary
practices - c) Significant recommendations
- c) Standard Reports
- Summary of Team Recommendations and Findings
-
-
32Completing the Visit
- Combination of Team time and Time in the field
- Reach consensus on school wide commendations and
recommendations - Rate Compliance with Standards
- Prepare the Oral Exit Report
- Tell them what will happen next
- Give them KUDOS!
33Commendations, Recommendations, Strengths, Areas
for Improvement Whats the Difference?
- Commendations and Recommendations School Wide (No
formula) - Usually the need for improvement is reflected in
more than one standard - May set forth steps a school should take and
could affect accreditation status - may reflect ideas for improvement in performance
within accreditation standards - May be something that if addressed will have the
greatest student impact - May be something with legal or safety
implications - Commendations cut across standards and are
reinforced throughout the visit - Commendations are often systemic or systematic
- Areas of Strength in a Standard
- identify something you saw in a standard that is
making a difference - Usually has evidence to support
- Why is this particular practice/program important
- Praises the school for its practices
- Opportunities for Improvement in a Standard
- When possible recommendations should begin with
an action verb stating what action needs to be
taken - Opportunities to build upon strengths
34STEP NINEKNOW YOUR RESOURCES!
35Resources for Team Support
- All of the CEASD and Regional Documents
- CEASD Home Office
- Experienced Evaluators
- Team Chair
- Accreditation Chair
36STEP TENGOOD HOME TRAINING
37Good Home Training
- Things that shouldnt need to be said, but
sometimes have to be - Leave your biases at home.
- Flash drives RULE!
- If you have a conflict of interest, reveal it
before the visit. - Respect the privacy and reputation of the school.
Do not share what you have learned about the
school when you get home. - Keep your sense of humor apparent, but mild.
This is not the time to try out for Second City. - Do not be angry, or difficult, this is a TEAM and
we all need to get along. - Dont include bar bills or movies or personal
phone bills. - There are no job opportunities for you at this
school. - If you hate the experience, do not volunteer for
this gig again. - If you love the experience definitely sign-up
again. - Be open to learning new things you didnt
anticipate. - Put things back where you found them.
- Shred your notes.
- Expect to work hard!
- Always remember that this is a BIG deal!