Developing Teacher Preparation Standards for Special Education Teachers of the Next Decade

1
Developing Teacher Preparation Standards for
Special Education Teachers of the Next Decade
Fall Intern Program MeetingNovember 17-18, 2008

• Lanna Andrews, Univ. of San Francisco
• Michelle Cepello, CSU Chico
• Jan Jones-Wadsworth, Commission on Teacher
  Credentialing
• Belinda Karge, CSU Fullerton
• Virginia Kennedy, CSU Northridge
• Dee Parker, CSU Dominguez Hills
• Linda Smetana, CSU East Bay

2
Purpose of the Session

• Examine the process that one state used
• to reform requirements for preparation
  credentialing of Education Specialists
• to revise teacher preparation standards
• Outline two phases
• I. Credential re-structuring
• II. Development of program standards

3
Importance of Teacher Prep Standards

• Student achievement is significantly affected by
  teacher quality, which in turn is highly
  dependent on the quality of their preparation.
• States support federal policy, encourage
  educational innovation, and put into action their
  valued outcomes and priorities through the
  standards they set for personnel preparation
  (Doolittle, et al., 2007).

Boe, E., Shin, S., Cook, L. (2007). Does
teacher preparation matter for beginning teachers
in either special or general education? Journal
of Special Education, 41(3), 158-170. Doolittle,
J., Horner, R., Bradley, R., Sugai, G.,
Vincent, C. (2007). Importance of student social
behavior in the mission statements, personnel
preparation standards, and innovation efforts of
state departments of education. Journal of
Special Education, 40(4), 239-245.
4
Legislative Mandate Passage of CA Senate Bill
(SB) 1209 (2006)

• Review and revise the structure and requirements
  for Education Specialist and other Related
  Credentials.
• Amend Ed Specialist Programs to include
  instruction in literacy with English learners.
• Determine stakeholders concerns
• subject matter requirements for HQT
• clear credential (Level II) requirements
• in a series of fourteen statewide meetings
• Select a workgroup of stakeholders
• to examine the effectiveness of the current
  structure and requirements
• to make recommendations for revisions

5
Obtaining Feedback Regarding Special Education
Standards(Surveys, CCC, Forums etc.)

• 1. Do standards address skills, knowledge, and
  abilities that a beginning Special Educator
  should possess to provide the appropriate
  services to students with disabilities authorized
  by the credential?
• A. What should be added/deleted?
• B. Are there redundancies that should be deleted?
  If yes, please identify.
• 2. Are there changes that should be made in
  credential program delivery or in the standards
  to streamline the credential process or to
  improve services to schools and students with
  disabilities?

6
Goals of Special Education Reform

• Improve services to students with disabilities
• Provide more opportunities to become a Special
  Educator
• Improve skill levels and retention rates of
  teachers
• Reduce redundancies, streamline process, improve
  service to districts
• Alignment with state and federal policies, align
  CTC and CDE policies

7
25 Recommendations of Special Education
Workgroup Four Categories

• 1. Structure
• 2. Subject Matter Competence
• 3. Program Content
• Performance Expectations
• 4. Service Delivery

8
STRUCTURE Maintain Teaching Credentials
Expand Authorizations

• Current Education Specialist Certification and
  Other Related Services to be maintained.
• Expand authorizations to allow the credential to
  be more flexibly used.
• Add Autism Spectrum Disorders instruction in all
  credential areas and the credential authorization
  should reflect this preparation.
• Add Communication Development area.

9
Goal Enhancing Access for Special Educators

• 1. Multiple Points of Entry
• 2. Undergraduate Options
• Special Populations Major
• Integrated Option for Secondary Education
  Specialist
• 3. Utilize Distance Learning
• For low-incidence authorizations

10
Entry Points Recommendations
There should be multiple entry points into
special education teacher preparation programs.

• Those who know they want to be special education
  teachers when they enter college.
• Undergraduate options should be encouraged
  undergraduate Special Populations major that
  integrates
• -core academic subject matter instruction
• -special populations coursework
• -special education pedagogy
• -field experiences.

11
Entry Points Recommendations

• Secondary special education programs that combine
  a major in core academic subject and special
  education should be available, streamlined and
  encouraged.
• Earning two credentials e.g., Multiple Subject
  and Mild/Moderate or Mild/Moderate and Moderate/
  Severe should be available and encouraged.

12
Clear Teaching Credential Recommendations

• Program that combines advanced coursework and
  supported induction
• If an individual holds more than one credential,
  the Individualized Induction Plan that guides the
  teachers advanced preparation should be written
  to clear all preliminary credentials held
• 12 units maximum for the coursework

13
Goal Align with Federal Policies
Three Settings Related to Subject Matter

• 1. Education Specialists serving in schools
  designated as teaching the elementary curriculum
• 2. Education Specialists serving in schools
  designated as teaching the secondary curriculum
• 3. Education Specialists serving in schools
  teaching to Alternative Academic Standards

14
SUBJECT MATTER COMPETENCE 3 Choices

• Passage of the appropriate exam
• 2. Completion of a degree major or major
  equivalent (a minimum of 32 semester units)
• 3. Commission-approved subject matter program
  (for single subject area only)

15
Expanded Program Delivery and Recruitment

• Share candidates-- to support instruction in
  foundational knowledge, core curriculum and early
  field experiences in locations convenient to
  their home or through distance learning.
• Encourage transfer of credit and multi-campus
  programs-- so expertise in content areas can be
  shared.

16
Expanded Program Delivery and Recruitment

• Pay particular attention to actively recruiting
  diverse candidates into Education Specialist
  programs including
• candidates with disabilities
• candidates from ethnic and racial groups
  underrepresented in the teaching workforce
• males, as they currently represent only about
  fourteen percent of special education teachers
  nationwide.

17
Goal Improve Services to Districts through
Higher Skill Levels of Teachers

• 1. All Ed Specialists take shared, core,
  coursework
• 2. All take Specialty Specific coursework
• 3. Authorizations are expanded
• 4. Adding an Authorization is simplified (e.g.
  Autism Spectrum Disorder)
• 5. Better match between Authorization,
  Preparation, and Field Experience

18
Authorizations

• Designate acceptable settings
• Authorizations for each Specialty Area services,
  disability categories, age range
• Draft Specialty Specific Standards
• Starts with Authorization
• First standard characteristics of the disability
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities specific to the
  disability
• Most standards have a performance expectation

19
Program Standards 1-8

• Apply to all Education Specialist Teaching and
  Other Related Services Credentials
• Include those aspects generic to all Special Ed
  Credentials

20
Program Standards 9-16

• Those aspects specific to Teaching as an
• Education Specialist
• Reading
• Teaching English Learners
• Developmental Issues
• Support Positive Behaviors
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Health
• Field Experiences
• Performance Assessment

21
Disability Specific Knowledge

• Knowledge/strategies geared to specific
  disability
• Emphasis on assessment strategies
• Skill to adapt, modify, accommodate, supplement
  the core curriculum
• Teach in a full range of service delivery
  options/roles (Special Education is a service not
  a place)

22
Goal Improving Services to Students with
Disabilities

• More attention to core curriculum
• More attention to typical/typical behavior
• IEP as bedrock of process
• Teaching the full range of students
• LRE, Inclusive setting, access to the core
  curriculum

23
Communication Development Authorization

• Focusliteracy, communication, language
  development, pragmatic skills
• Goalsimprove knowledge and skills necessary for
  success with academic setting and in the core
  curriculum
• Targetthose identified in IEPs who need special
  assistance in language development, social
  communication, school readiness or literacy
  development

24
For more information

• CTC web page (www.ctc.ca.gov)
• http//www.ctc.ca.gov/reports/Special-Education-Ce
  rtification-Report-2007.pdf