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Title: The Accreditation Team Experience: Ten Steps for Team and School Success


1
The Accreditation Team Experience Ten Steps
for Team and School Success
  • CEASD Conference
  • Great Falls, Montana
  • May 5, 2008
  • Claire Bugen and Joe Finnegan

2
WHATS IT LIKE TO SERVE ON A CEASD ACCREDITATION
TEAM?IN FIVE WORDS OR LESS!
  • INTENSE
  • TEAMWORK
  • STIMULATING
  • INTELLECTUAL
  • COLLEGIAL

3
TEN 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

4
STEP ONE KNOW WHAT ACCREDITATION MEANS
5
Accreditation
  • 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

6
STEP TWOKNOW HOW ACCREDITATIONIS DONE
7
ACCREDITATION 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
8
STEP THREEBE INSIGHTFULABOUT SCHOOL NEEDS
ANDEXPECTATIONS
9
What 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

10
What 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!!!!

11
STEP FOURKNOW YOUR STANDARDS!
12
TEAM 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

13
CEASD 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

14
CEASD 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

15
STEP FIVEKNOW YOUR ROLEAND PLAY IT WELL!
16
Role of the Team Chair
17
Role 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

19
Role 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

20
When 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.

21
STEP SIXANALYZE THE SELF-STUDYAND PREPARE ON
SITE WORKBASED ON THIS ANALYSIS
22
PRIOR 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

23
Sample Matrix for Team Assignments
24
Understanding 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.

25
Understanding 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

26
Problem 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.

27
STEP SEVENINTERVIEW, OBSERVE, REVIEW MAKE
GOOD USE OF TIME ON CAMPUS
28
MAXIMIZING 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

29
How 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.

30
STEP EIGHTWRITING A GREAT TEAM REPORT
31
TEMPLATE 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

32
Completing 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!

33
Commendations, 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

34
STEP NINEKNOW YOUR RESOURCES!
35
Resources for Team Support
  • All of the CEASD and Regional Documents
  • CEASD Home Office
  • Experienced Evaluators
  • Team Chair
  • Accreditation Chair

36
STEP TENGOOD HOME TRAINING
37
Good 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!
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