IHE Bachelor Performance Report Lenoir-Rhyne College 2004-2005 Overview of the Institution A small coeducational private college built among the rolling hills of the Western Piedmont region of North Carolina, Lenoir-Rhyne College first opened its doors in 1891. A faith-based institution builds on a liberal arts tradition, the college affiliates with the N.C. Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Currently, the college enrolls over 1,550 students and offers more than forty fields of study leading to a bachelor's degree and five fields of study leading to a master's degree. An Evening College option provides classes to serve working professionals, including those majoring in Birth-Kindergarten and Elementary Education. With emphases in professional leadership and vocation, the college is committed to rigorous academics, engaged learning, personal mentoring, and a faith-centered experience for all. Grounded in reputable, solid academic standards, the college provides strong programs in marketable areas of study including the health sciences, technology, business, and education. Graduate programs in business, counseling, and education provide individuals options for refining their leadership skills and enhancing their professional competence. Enriched by diverse study opportunities and support services, Lenoir-Rhyne students are expected to apply their knowledge in meaningful and practical ways through leadership and service to the world. The college provides opportunities for internships, community service projects, and mentoring connections with successful alumni who support students in their engaged learning efforts. Lenoir-Rhyne administration, faculty, and staff commit themselves to the mentoring and personal development of all students as whole persons. The college provides paths to initial licensure in 17 areas and paths to advanced licensure in three areas (School Counseling, Literacy/Reading, and Birth-Kindergarten). For well over a century, the college has held the preparation of teachers as an important part of its service to the community. Special Characteristics The Teacher Education Program at Lenoir-Rhyne College embodies the college-wide mission of "Mind, Body, Spirit: Discovering the Whole Person since 1891 by building from the conceptual framework of the Reflective Practitioner. Teacher candidates in any of the 17 initial or two advanced teacher licensure areas, who complete a program at Lenoir-Rhyne are expected to know their content, know how to teach, be successful with diverse populations, be leaders, be reflective about their practice for effective change, and be respectful and caring. Likewise, school counselors who complete a program at Lenoir-Rhyne are expected to demonstrate a strong theoretical foundation, mastery of clinical skills, and possess the ability to practice as reflective counselors with diverse populations in the public schools. Such competencies are demonstrated through performance-based projects required by candidates across the licensure programs, which are also heavily field-based. Diverse clinical experiences begin early with 1
teacher candidates working in school settings during their sophomore year. These field experiences continue throughout each candidate s preparatory program culminating in a full year clinical placement during the senior year that includes 15 weeks of student teaching. Graduate candidates also refine their advanced skills and knowledge in numerous field-based settings that allow them to apply and refine their professional expertise and leadership skills. Program Areas and Levels Offered Lenoir-Rhyne offers initial degree programs in Birth-Kindergarten, Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education, and Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Education; Secondary (9-12) Licensure in Biology, Business, English, Mathematics, Comprehensive Science, and Comprehensive Social Studies; and K-12 Special Area Licensure in Reading, Art, ESL, French, Music, Physical Education, and Spanish. For the 2004-2005 academic year, students may also minor one of the following areas: Birth-Kindergarten Education, ESL, and/or Reading Education. Advanced licensure degree programs are offered in Birth-Kindergarten, Reading/Literacy, and School Counseling. I. SCHOOL/COLLEGE/DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INITIATIVES A. Identify the LEAs and/or individual schools with which you have collaborative activities/partnerships. Provide a brief summary of these activities/ partnerships. List of Schools with whom the Institution has collaborative activities. While teacher candidates from Lenoir-Rhyne may receive field placements across the region, the School of Education, with seven full-time faculty members, participates in targeted extensive collaboration with three LEAs. These LEAs are the Hickory Public Schools (HPS), the western North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD), and the Catawba County Schools (CCS). During 2004-2005, L-R faculty provided a number of support and instructional services to area districts. Specific schools with which L-R faculty members and teacher candidates engaged in the collaborative activities mentioned above include, but are not limited to, the following: Hickory Public Schools (specifically Jenkins, Viewmont, Oakwood, Longview, and Southwest Elementary Schools; Grandview and Northview Middle Schools; Hickory High School and Catawba Valley High School), Catawba County Schools (especially Jacobs Fork, Mountain View, Sweetwater, Balls Creek, Sherrills Ford, Startown, Lyle Creek, and Oxford Elementary Schools; H.M. Arndt Middle School, St. Stephens and Fred T. Foard High Schools); the North Carolina School for the Deaf; Burke County Schools (especially, Freedom High School), Lincoln County Schools, Rowan-Salisbury Schools (West Rowan High School and Bostian Elementary School). L-R faculty also had a presence within the schools of the surrounding counties. In particular, Newton-Conover Schools (Conover School), Caldwell County Schools (Granite Falls Elementary School, South Caldwell High School), Burke County Schools (Freedom High School), Alexander County Schools (East Alexander Middle School), and Rowan-Salisbury Schools (Overton Elementary School). 2
Brief Summary of Activities. Lenoir-Rhyne College has formal partnering agreements with 15 NC school districts, supported by 7 full-time faculty in the School of Education and 99 full-time faculty members in the college at large. The majority of collaboration occurs within the LEAs around western NC that are proximally closest to the campus. The Hickory Public Schools (HPS), the western North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD), and the Catawba County Schools (CCS) are three of the most frequently engaged partnering districts. During the 2004-2005 academic year, new partnering relationships were created and others continued. Significant expansion of L-R s partnering relationship with the Hickory Public Schools took place through the emphasis on building a professional development partnership with Southwest Elementary School, a diverse Title I school in the Hickory Public School district. Efforts to support this new partnership in 2004-05 included a School of Education faculty member securing a $2500 summer research grant from the college to conduct on-site research with public school teachers, administrators, and faculty from the Schools of Education, Business, Arts and Sciences. Data gathering tools such as surveys, focus groups, and site visits to another partnership school in Salisbury, NC were utilized to investigate the viability of a deeper partnering relationship. Data gathered through this research provided the impetus for extended discussions regarding the needs of both partners and a restructuring of the curriculum to facilitate theory-practice connections and extended early practicum for teacher candidates in the K-6 licensure program. Research results were shared through presentations given to audiences such as faculty attending the L-R Faculty Colloquium, attendees at the National Professional Development Schools conference in Orlando, FL and the Hickory Public Schools higher administration. Middle and secondary schools in partnering districts were also the focus for addition collaborative activities in 2004-2005. Planning sessions with principals were held at and with Arndt Middle School (CCS), Grandview Middle School (HPS), and Hickory High School (HPS) to discuss the creation of tutoring opportunities to support struggling adolescent readers. The result is a new literacy practicum requirement for teacher candidates in middle and secondary licensure programs. Also during 2004-2005, teacher candidates studying adolescent literature collaborated with two middle schools (Grandview Middle and Northwest Middle in Hickory Public School system) for online book club discussions. An established collaboration of several decades also exists with the western North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD). This partnership is facilitated by the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Education program coordinator who acts as a liaison between the institutional partners. NCSD provides office and classroom space for L-R faculty and teacher/counselor candidates as well as a joint library for use by all at both campuses. L-R faculty teach several classes leading to licensure in D/HH at NCSD, and staff from NCSD provide instruction on the L-R campus in courses for the DHH program, the regular teacher education program, and for learning ASL as a second or other language. The DHH faculty continue to support NCSD classroom staff through mentoring, consultation, and problem solving. Other activities during 2004-2005 that have extended our existing partnering relationships with area schools and the community at large include planning and ongoing evaluation meetings that connect School of Education faculty with site coordinators of tutoring and other school-based programs (e.g., SweetHEARTS, AVID, Howard Street Tutoring, Project Heart, Project Gift, and Centro Latino, various programs at NCSD), located within a number of our partner school districts (HPS, CCS, and Newton- Conover City Schools, and the western NCSD).Moreover, teacher candidates in elementary education and reading licensure programs were paired with young children at Southwest 3
Elementary for extended reading tutorial time, L-R physical education teacher interns facilitated adaptive and regular P.E. classes at Viewmont Elementary (HPS) and the Conover School (NCCS), and teacher candidates volunteered to proctor EOC tests in Wilkes County Schools. Lenoir-Rhyne faculty, teacher and counselor candidates regularly learn and serve public school students through activities in a variety of areas (Examples for faculty are also located in Section B). Also continuing in 2004-2005 was the RIPPELL project, a program funded by a federal DOE grant designed to better prepare educators to serve diverse populations of students for whom English is a second or other language. This project joins L-R with 8 public school partner districts and is guided by an L-R faculty director and an advisory committee made up of representatives from the 7 original partnering LEAs (Hickory, Catawba, Caldwell, Burke, Alexander, Lincoln, Iredell-Statesville, and Newton-Conover) and one newly added LEA, Iredell-Statesville. During the 2004-2005, the RIPPELL grant, which is able to provide tuition vouchers and stipend incentives, enabled many educators and paraprofessionals to broaden their knowledge, refine and extend their teaching skills. B. Brief Summary of faculty service to the public schools. While School of Education (SOE) faculty provided services to the local school districts during 2004-2005, a majority of the Academic Schools at Lenoir-Rhyne also were involved in public schools. During the past year, the college collaborated with schools through the use of its campus facilities, resources, and special guests. The summer Teacher s Academy was held on campus, and area teachers had access to L-R s library holdings and curriculum lab. L-R s Visiting Writerin-Residence read his work to Oakwood Elementary students, and L-R faculty members provided a puppet show on child abuse to 3rd graders (HPS). SOE faculty acted as support mentors to Initially Licensed Teachers, and in addition to the collaborative activities listed in section A, L-R faculty served in leadership positions (PTOs/PTAs officers), modeled best practices (guest teachers), and spoke as guests in high school and middle school classes and PTO/PTA meetings. Faculty members were volunteers in the school libraries on a weekly basis, oversaw SNCAE s book donations to Southwest and Longview Elementary Schools, and provided resources for ESL and beginning teachers. Furthermore, faculty judged poetry and science fair contests and a Black History Month poster contest at the local alternative school, and participated in joint professional development activities (e.g., a balanced curriculum study group for CCS). Collaborative activities from the School of Fine Arts included having 90 singers from area schools (3rd-12th grades) participate in the L-R Youth Chorus. A local high school invited an L-R student teacher to serve as guest conductor for a community performance of the Foard HS orchestra. Jacobs Fork Middle and Campbell Elementary School students were invited to participate in the Percussion Program for Youth. The L-R Brass Quintet, Jazz Ensemble, and ACappela Choir performed at Shelby and Kings Mountain High. Public school musicians were also invited to L-R, as evidenced by the Western Jazz Quartet rehearsing with the L-R Big Band (area high school students from Catawba, Caldwell, Burke, & Davidson Co. Schools), and the L- R sponsored Outdoor Jazz Concert (bands from Foard, Bandys, and St. Stephens High). Music faculty served as adjudicators, rehearsal clinicians, and guest conductors (Freedom HS, Burke Co.) as well as applied lesson instructors for Brass sections (North Gaston HS, Foard HS, St. Stephens HS). L-R co-hosted events that included pubic school music students: the NCBA Jazz West Division Honors Band and NCBA Jazz West Division Jazz Festival. Visual artists were invited to participate in the Full Circle art exhibit hosted by L-R. The exhibit showcased high 4
school students written and visual creations (Hickory Public Schools & Caldwell Co. Schools). L-R's theatre troupe, the Playmakers, performed James and the Giant Peach for after-school programs at Jenkins and Viewmont Elementary. The School of Modern and Classical Languages hosted the 30th Annual Language Festival where L-R faculty served as additional judges. The Festival allowed school-aged students to participate in cultural bees, testing, skits, poetry recitation, singing, and extemporaneous speaking. More than 450 students from 16+ high schools and middle schools attended the Festival this year. C. Brief description of unit/institutional programs designed to support beginning teachers. Faculty maintain ties with our program completers through e-mail, phone and on-site visits if the alumnus/a has remained local. During 2004-2005, a School of Education faculty member invited a first year teacher, as well as pre-service candidates, to serve as co-presenters at the NMSA conference. The following efforts were focused specifically on beginning teachers, in addition to the activities listed under sections A and B of this report, many of which impacted beginning teachers in the LEAs involved. Faculty provided support to recent graduates as they began their first year of teaching. Also, adjunct education faculty served as site support leaders for ILTs at their home schools. Many of our public school partners, who serve on our Teacher Education Council, are assigned mentors to beginning teachers, and L-R s NCTeach program utilizes many retired master teachers to coach and mentor new teachers. Teacher and counselor candidates continue to have access to our curriculum lab and the library for one year after their program completion. As new student teachers are placed in the same schools where beginning teachers are also employed, on-site visits from faculty include not only the student teachers, but the beginning teachers as well. D. Brief description of unit/institutional efforts to serve lateral entry teachers. Lenoir-Rhyne prepares lateral entry personnel through both a traditional post-baccalaureate licensure-only program, and as a host site for NCTeach. In the 03-04 year, lateral entry or initial licensure-only programs of study were issued to 36 individuals. Twenty-three of those individuals followed through to enrollment. The number of plans of study issued in 04-05 increased to more than 50 and many have enrolled. All 17 of our licensure areas are available through licensure-only, and middle grades and secondary programs are available through NCTeach. Efforts are made for greater flexibility in designing programs of study for lateral entry teachers through intense analysis of transcripts and alternative means of competence. Three of the 17 licensure programs (Elementary Ed, ESL, B-K) are available for candidates who must attend in the evenings. Because of L-R s Evening College program, content area courses are periodically offered in the evening times, which is helpful for lateral entry teachers needing to earn credits in their content disciplines. Faculty in many of the academic and professional schools or departments also serve the lateral entry population. During 2004-2005, college faculty specializing in the middle grades and secondary content areas (specifically History, Spanish, Art, and Math) worked on a directed study basis with lateral entry teachers who are not available to attend day time classes. In Spanish, modern language faculty offered content testing to allow lateral entry teachers to demonstrate competence in the foreign language as a part of licensure. Whenever possible, classes were scheduled in the late afternoon (4:00pm), particularly if an 5
awareness existed that lateral entry teachers were in need courses not traditionally offered at night. Moreover, L-R has continued to offer professional education courses during the summer for lateral entry teachers such as courses in teaching exceptional children, content area literacy, educational technology, and methods for secondary teachers. The on-site NCTeach program has been such as success that L-R has enrolled more than 80 students in the program over the past 3 years. L-R also continues to host an NCTeach site, in 2004-2005 welcoming 21 new lateral entry teachers from western North Carolina into the rigorous alternative licensure program. In addition to all the activities already listed as collaborative or service, (Sections A and B) faculty also supported lateral entry teachers in specific ways. These ways included supporting, teaching, and mentoring lateral entry teachers through the PRAXIS II process. The Director of Teacher Education consulted with individual students on course loads, study resources, and transcript reviews. In response to requests by the state to articulate with RALC program of study templates, L-R maintains an on-going review of licensure-only requirements and allows candidates to demonstrate their competence through alternative, as well as traditional means. E. Brief description of unit/institutional programs designed to support career teachers. All career teachers who work with L-R candidates as cooperating teachers during the candidate s full time teaching practicum or counseling internships receive a small remuneration as well as one tuition-free course for each candidate with whom they work. Also, L-R offered, as in previous years, continuing education opportunities for career teachers through special programs such as participation in the L-R Concert band, ESL training, and service as NCTeach Master Teachers. In 04-05, ESL Sheltered Instruction Operations Protocol, or SIOP, workshops were provided for career teachers who wished to receive additional preparation in assisting ELL learners. Resources for this workshop were provided through a federal DOE grant, RIPPELL. Additionally, college faculty provided support for career teachers by nurturing on-going mentoring relationships with Title I Reading teachers and elementary science teachers, participating in co-presentations with career teachers at national conferences (NMSA and the National PDS Conference), facilitating contact between a career teacher and a state consultant, and providing the opportunity for a National Board Certified Teacher to teach pre-service candidates in elementary education areas. One of the most critical ways L-R has provided support for career teachers has been through the time teacher candidates tutor students identified as below grade level. This one-on-one focused time provides the teacher flexibility to assist a wider range of students. L-R faculty also have utilized career teachers in the elementary grades who use best practices in literacy as models for both pre-service and beginning teachers during field-based tutorials and guided observations. This collaboration has enhanced the reciprocal relationship between L-R and Southwest Elementary School within the Hickory Public Schools, with committed participation by career teachers in partnership research and public presentation on the topic. L-R also supports career teachers through the invitation to provide feedback and to participate in program and candidate evaluation and initiation. Career teachers served as guests on panel discussions for senior seminars, as interviewers with college faculty to evaluate student teaching candidates and participants in mock-interviews for graduating seniors. Career teachers, serving as cooperating teachers, were asked to provide letters of recommendation to support student teaching award nominations. Annually, the L-R School of Education invites career teachers to teach in the Kids in College summer program for upper elementary AIG students 6
from area schools. Career teachers from Hickory, Catawba, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg school districts team with SOE faculty to plan and implement this program. All school personnel have access to our library, including the curriculum lab through interlibrary loan. Additionally, a satellite curriculum lab located in a resource center of an LEA created unlimited and direct access to state-adopted materials that had not been locally adopted. This satellite resource lab increased the resources available to teachers and students. Since its creation, the satellite curriculum lab has served not only career teachers but lateral entry and pre-service teachers as well. F. Brief description of unit/institutional efforts to assist low-performing, at-risk, and/or priority schools. No schools have been identified as low performing in our area. However, three schools (Southwest Elementary, St. Stephens Elementary, and Oxford Elementary) did not meet the 2003-2004 AYP goals as identified by the NCLB legislation. While L-R had candidates assisting at all three schools, two were targeted specifically because of their close proximity to the campus. In 2004-2005, L-R education students spent much of their time in field placements working with at-risk students, including those with racial, socioeconomic, and ELL differences as well as those simply performing below grade level. Lenoir-Rhyne targets schools within the partner LEAs that have a higher percentage of racial diversity among students as well as a higher percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunches. The one-on-one time our candidates spend with the children, under the guidance of the classroom teacher, tutorial director, and college supervisor, increases the chances for success for these children and adolescents. For example, during the 2004-2005 academic year, L-R candidates, enrolled in Foundations of Reading course, worked with elementary students identified with deficits in reading fluency and comprehension. Additionally, L-R has maintained a specific focus on assisting the teachers of English language learners through the resources and instruction of the RIPPELL program, supported, in large part, by a federal DOE grant. During 2004-2005, the RIPPELL program exceeded its goal of preparing twenty (20) licensed ESL teachers by 2007. There have been thirty-two (32) licensure completers since the grant began three years ago, and an additional thirty-eight (38) candidates have either been accepted into licensure or have started the application process. G. Brief description of unit/institutional efforts to promote SBE priorities. Licensure programs at L-R include a significant amount of time for all licensure candidates to work in the field tutoring or counseling academically fragile students. During 2004-05, the college teacher/counselor preparation programs maintained continued focus on the SBE priority of closing the achievement gap. L-R connected with organized tutoring programs, primarily in the Hickory and Catawba County schools (e.g., HOSTS, Howard Street Reading, SweetHEARTS, AVID, More-At Four) that serve target populations of students most at-risk for failure. At the elementary level during 2004-2005, continued focus was on Southwest Elementary School, a school with a high percentage of low income families. Supervised on-site tutoring was a course requirement in the Reading Foundations course. Within the Diagnosis and Remediation in Reading course, candidates conducted diagnostic case studies to support the development of reading plans to ameliorate reading delays. Further, recognizing the need for 7
teachers to diagnosis and remediate delays in adolescent readers, the School of Education faculty developed a plan to require an on-site tutorial for middle and secondary candidates, the first of which will begin during the summer of 2005. As an institution, L-R has sponsored additional programs with a regional reach that help schools close the gap. The CIMAS (Carolina Institute for a Multicultural Approach to Science) program brings minority middle and high school students to campus for a summer camp experience designed to increase their exposure to science in a culturally meaningful approach to increase meaningful understanding of science concepts. The CIMAS program was recently renewed for a second grant cycle at L-R. Understanding the part of the achievement gap occurs because of language challenges for ELL learners, as mentioned previously in this report, L-R has provided the RIPPELL program to increase the number of teachers licensed and paraprofessionals trained in English as a Second Language. With the increase in numbers of ESOL students to the Hickory Metro Area, RIPPELL helps prepare preservice and inservice educators to better serve the needs of all students. During 2004-2005.the reach of the program was expanded to serve 8 school systems, Hickory, Catawba, Newton-Conover, Iredell-Statesville, Caldwell, Lincoln, Burke, and Alexander. In an effort to increase the pre-service candidates awareness of the achievement gap among P-12 students, senior student teaching seminar sessions turned a spotlight on topics connected to assisting low performing students and closing the gap priorities. A panel discussion was hosted by L-R School of Education faculty with public schools partners as invited panel participants (career, beginning and lateral entry teachers, central office staff, and school administrators). Pre-service candidates were encouraged to share ideas in an on-line discussion group format throughout the semester of their full-time practicum. H. Special Emphasis for the Year of Record (which of the above [if any] did you put special emphasis on from the preceding year). Several areas received special emphasis within the year of record (2004-2005). The continued expansion of the ESL program, with the strong support and direction of Project RIPPELL, has now completed its third year. The program has exceeded its DOE target for increasing the number of licensure completers in TESL. During 2004-2005, the program began offering a local endorsement certificate (LEC) as a recruitment and retention tool, began offering on-line components, as well as continuing alternative delivery models such as designing and delivering instruction at partner schools sites, when the school community commits to participate with 75% or more of the faculty and staff. The RIPPELL program also provided outreach and instruction to IHE faculty by hosting a SIOP workshop for the IHE education methods faculty, and established an on-line coaching component for program completers and current RIPPELL participants through Nice-Net which is manned by the RIPPELL Project staff and select ESL licensed instructors. The project also collects and analyzes test scores to assess the training of ESL teachers from initial partner LEAs, comparing that data with baselines from the second year of the grant, as well as collecting data to establish baseline data for new partners as they begin. A second emphasis during 2004-2005 was on curriculum revision of the academic major in Middle School Education to better reflect the latest program standards and needs of professionals working with young adolescents. Through a college sponsored mini-grant, a faculty member specializing in middle grades researched and proposed a revised program of study. The new Middle Grades major provides an expanded literacy component that includes an ESL emphasis, a more deliberate focus on understanding the middle grades model and philosophy, and a provision 8
for flexibility in choosing one primary area of specialization or two full areas of specialization (if one area is chosen, candidates are still required to choose a 2nd area for some extended study). A third emphasis for 2004-2005 was laying a strong foundation for a professional development partnership with Southwest Elementary School (HPS). Analyses of data from summer research by an L-R School of Education faculty member during 2004 encouraged the partners to continue to carefully craft the necessary structures for a successful partnership. During 2004-2005, an advisory committee was formed, a joint visit to another partnership of similar size was taken, information was gathered through joint attendance at a national PDS conference, and the college schedule was realigned to facilitate partnership activities for the next academic year. Lastly, the emphasis from the previous year on the recruitment and retention of high quality applicants for NCTeach continued during 2004-2005. Changes to the program statewide, including many sites using an on-line model, influenced the decision to keep the program at the L-R host site face-toface, operating from a belief that teacher candidates in such an intensive fast-paced program should have the option of having a physical site for instruction and cohort interaction. Thus, maintaining high standards for admission and providing support directly to candidates were priorities for 2004-2005. Supplemental Information (Optional) I. Brief description of unit/institutional special efforts to improve NTE/Praxis scores. In general, our candidates have done well on the PRAXIS tests. For the 03-04 academic year, L- RC has a 100% pass rate (note: 1 candidate has been listed as a fail for Title II due to late taking of re-test. Candidate did pass prior to the 1-year NC DPI deadline.) Learning Plus continues to be available free to candidates to participate in self-assessments and tutorials in preparation for PRAXIS I. The conceptual foundations mathematics course required of all elementary, DHH, and middle grades students is in its 7th year. Additionally, to better prepare candidates to teach science in the elementary schools, the School of Natural Sciences has developed a physical science course for K-6 licensure students. Additionally, our student education organization, SNCAE, has sponsored weekend "PRAXIS I-Prep" workshops. It is hoped that these efforts will also contribute to increased success with the PPST (reading, writing, and mathematics) tests, particularly for students with poor test taking skills. In the area of preparation for PRAXIS II, faculty continue to use ETS study guides, case studies and reflective writing in courses to support candidates thinking though application of course content to real situations such as those found on PRAXIS II. Additionally, several members of the methods faculty have taken a variety of specialty area PRAXIS II tests and therefore, can better assist candidates in their test preparation. PRAXIS II TAAG booklets from past years, as well as PRAXIS help worksheets are available in the School of Education area. These same supports are offered to licensure only, lateral entry and NCTEACH candidates enrolled in L-R's program. J. Brief description of unit/institutional special efforts to recruit students into professional education programs leading to licensure. To encourage enrollment, Teacher Education faculty and program coordinators participate in the admissions sponsored freshman previews, known as "Southern Fried Fridays," and "JumpStart." 9
Additionally, faculty have attended open house lunches that target prospective Deaf and Hard of Hearing students that are interested in education at a career. Faculty also personally call and email high school seniors who have shown an interest in Lenoir-Rhyne College and the Teacher Education or Counselor Education programs. Prospective students are encouraged and welcome to observe classes as they review colleges. Once enrolled in the college, the School of Education faculty advise students expressing an interest in teaching and volunteer to advise many undeclared majors in efforts to plant seeds for the teaching profession. Annual "interest" meetings are held in the Fall for traditional students interested in pursuing licensure as part of their educational experience at L-R. Many undeclared students also attend many of introductory education/special education classes, which can result in attracting students to the major. A key component of these introductory classes is field experience in classrooms and after-school tutoring program. These experiences often attract "new" students to the major. Through the Educational Foundations course, L-R students are required to observe teachers at multiple levels of instruction to help them choose a level that is the best fit for their teaching or introduce them to a level that perhaps they had not considered. Finally, this year for the second time, the administrators in the School of Education offered a guest lecture in the honors section of our freshman seminar course in an effort to entice the best and brightest into the field. To recruit career changers and adult learners into teaching, the NCTeach Coordinator attends Job Fairs and Forums, informing adult applicants and facilitating the admission process for prospective participants into the NCTeach Program. Faculty have also attended the Homegrown Teaching Scholar Interest Programs sponsored by the Higher Education Center in Hickory, NC. Finally, we have two active honorary societies: one for educators (Kappa Delta Pi) and one for counselors (Lambda Rho Chi college chapter of Chi Sigma Iota). A third organization for student educators, SNCAE (North Carolina Association of Educators Student Program) has enjoyed growth and increased attention through public bulletin boards. This group has worked diligently to become a friendly face for students who are education majors as well as undeclared students through participation in the campus activities board (CAB) open house each fall. These groups sponsor activities to keep students involved and build campus awareness of programs in education. Examples from 2004-2005 include (1) "Pi a Professor", a fundraising event sponsored by Kappa Delta Pi, with the funds collected donated to Reading is Fundamental (RIF), (2) an SNCAE raffle, with funds used to purchase school supplies for two local schools (Sweetwater and Longview Elementary). K. Brief description of unit/institutional special efforts to encourage minority students to pursue teacher licensure. At Lenoir-Rhyne College, the recruitment of minority students is more than providing just scholarships. During 2004-2005,the college President commissioned a new Multicultural Taskforce, on which the School of Education is represented. The goal of this group is to identify ways to better recruit diverse students, staff, and faculty to Lenoir-Rhyne College. The Director of Multicultural Programs chairs this Taskforce. Additionally, recruiting minorities into education programs continues to be positively impacted by experiences L-R students have while enrolled in a program that models inclusive practice. Lenoir-Rhyne College, the School of Education, and the Teacher Education Council are committed to honoring diversity and have actively sought opportunities to support the professional development of minority students and future teachers. Visible signs of diversity within the SOE allow all L-R students, particularly 10
those of color, to see positive role-models within the classroom settings at L-R. For example, African-American faculty members serve as the Art Education Coordinator, Field Placement Officer and as the NCTEACH Site Coordinator. However, having a diverse group of faculty and staff is not the only way in which L-R encourages diverse students to pursue teacher licensure. Diversity and multiculturalism are topics that are threaded throughout each course taught in the School of Education. Our candidates must complete a wide variety of field placements beginning in the very first education course. Throughout the course of study, candidates observe, tutor, mentor, assist, and teach in schools where there are large populations of ethnically, as well as socio-economically, diverse children. Embracing diversity (in the largest sense) is viewed as integral to who we are and the values we hold. We model, nurture, and assess our candidates to hold the dispositional belief that ALL children deserve to learn. Campuswide L-RC also recognizes the importance of advocating diversity in education. During 2003-2004, L-R's NCTeach Coordinator facilitated a panel discussion on the works and impact on education by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for one of the college s campus convocations. Finally, we are hopeful that the CIMAS program (a program strongly supported by the college President), mentioned in the section on SBE priorities, will help increase the numbers of racially diverse students who pursue science and math related degrees, as well as teaching degrees within these high need areas. L. Other (if applicable): Brief description of new initiatives (if any) not detailed previously in the narrative section. NA 11
II. CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENTS A. Headcount of students formally admitted to and enrolled in programs leading to licensure. Undergraduate Licensure-Only Undergraduate Licensure-Only Full Time Male Female American Indian/Alaskan Native 0 American Indian/Alaskan Native 0 Asian/Pacific Islander 0 Asian/Pacific Islander 1 Black, Not Hispanic Origin 1 Black, Not Hispanic Origin 0 Hispanic 0 Hispanic 0 White, Not Hispanic Origin 9 White, Not Hispanic Origin 48 Other 0 Other 0 Total 10 Total 49 American Indian/Alaskan Native 0 American Indian/Alaskan Native 0 Asian/Pacific Islander 0 Asian/Pacific Islander 0 Black, Not Hispanic Origin 0 Black, Not Hispanic Origin 0 Hispanic 0 Hispanic 0 White, Not Hispanic Origin 1 White, Not Hispanic Origin 0 Other 0 Other 0 Total 1 Total 0 Part Time Male Female American Indian/Alaskan Native 0 American Indian/Alaskan Native 0 Asian/Pacific Islander 0 Asian/Pacific Islander 0 Black, Not Hispanic Origin 1 Black, Not Hispanic Origin 0 Hispanic 0 Hispanic 0 White, Not Hispanic Origin 0 White, Not Hispanic Origin 4 Other 0 Other 0 Total 1 Total 4 American Indian/Alaskan Native 0 American Indian/Alaskan Native 0 Asian/Pacific Islander 0 Asian/Pacific Islander 1 Black, Not Hispanic Origin 1 Black, Not Hispanic Origin 7 Hispanic 0 Hispanic 4 White, Not Hispanic Origin 40 White, Not Hispanic Origin 134 Other 0 Other 3 Total 41 Total 149 12
B. Lateral Entry/Provisionally Licensed Teachers Refers to individuals employed by public schools on lateral entry or provisional licenses. Program Area Number of Requesting Program of Study Leading to Licensure Number of Issued Program of Study Leading to Licensure Number Enrolled in One or More Courses Leading to Licensure Pre-Kindergarten (B-K) 3 3 2 Elementary (K-6) 1 1 1 Middle Grades (6-9) 2 2 2 Secondary (9-12) 4 4 1 Special Subject Areas (K-12) 2 2 2 Exceptional Children (K-12) 10 10 9 Vocational Education (7-12) 1 1 1 Special Service Personnel (K-12) 4 4 4 Other 2 2 2 Total 29 29 24 Comment or Explanation C. Quality of students admitted to programs during report year. Baccalaureate MEAN PPST-R 181 MEAN PPST-W 177 MEAN PPST-M 181 MEAN CBT-R 331 MEAN CBT-W 325 MEAN CBT-M 328 MEAN GPA 3.26 Comment or Explanation 13
D. Program Completers (reported by IHE). Program Area N= #Completing NC=# Licensed in NC Baccalaureate Degree Undergraduate Licensure Only N NC N NC Pre-Kindergarten (B-K) 1 1 3 3 Elementary (K-6) 9 6 4 4 Middle Grades (6-9) 2 2 8 6 Secondary (9-12) 4 3 3 3 Special Subject Areas (K-12) 8 5 10 7 Exceptional Children (K-12) 6 6 0 0 Vocational Education (7-12) 0 0 1 1 Special Service Personnel 1 1 1 1 Total 31 24 30 25 Comment or Explanation E. Scores of student teachers on professional and content area examinations. 2003-2004 Student Teacher Licensure Pass Rate Specialty Area/Professional Knowledge Number Taking Test Percent Passing ESL 1 * Elementary Education 14 100 English 1 * MG-Lang Arts 1 * Math (9-12) 1 * Music 1 * Physical Ed 2 * Spanish 1 * School Summary 22 100 * To protect confidentiality of student records, pass rates based on fewer than four test takers were not printed. 14
F. Time from admission into professional education program until program completion. 3 or fewer 4 Full Time 5 6 7 8 Baccalaureate degree 7 18 2 2 1 1 U Licensure Only Part Time 3 or fewer 4 5 6 7 8 Baccalaureate degree 1 1 U Licensure Only 3 6 4 9 1 7 Comment or Explanation G. Undergraduate program completers in NC Schools within one year of program completion. 2003-2004 Student Teachers Percent Licensed Percent Employed Bachelor 27 96 74 State 3,241 91 69 H. Top10 LEAs employing teachers affiliated with this college/university. Population from which this data is drawn represents teachers employed in NC in 2004-2005 LEA Number of Teachers Catawba County Schools 243 Burke County Schools 124 Caldwell County Schools 103 Hickory City Schools 70 Alexander County Schools 67 Gaston County Schools 63 Iredell-Statesville Schools 60 Lincoln County Schools 53 Newton Conover City Schools 34 Rowan-Salisbury Schools 32 15
I. Satisfaction of program completers/employers with the program in general and with specific aspects of the program, as rated on a 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest) scale. Satisfaction with... Program Completers Employer Mentor quality of teacher education program. 3.36 3.46 3.25 preparation to effectively manage the classroom. 3.27 3.38 3.00 preparation to use technology to enhance learning. 3.80 3.15 3.33 preparation to address the needs of diverse learners. 3.82 3.46 3.25 preparation to deliver curriculum content through a variety of instructional approaches. 3.82 3.23 3.42 Number of Surveys Received 11 13 12 Number of Surveys Mailed 19 19 19 III. Teacher Education Faculty Appointed full-time in professional education Appointed part-time in professional education, fulltime in institution Appointed part-time in professional education, not otherwise employed by institution 11 13 18 16