Accreditation

CAEP R4.1a

Data Collection:

During the 2020-2021 academic year, the availability of completer data was still being negatively impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and limited access to schools. The School of Education faculty were able to recruit five graduates for our yearly focus group, four were Elementary Education candidates and one was Secondary English Education candidates.

N = 5 (4 Elementary, 1 Secondary English)

SLO data (Student Learning Outcomes) = 2 Elementary Education graduates

Completer Effectiveness (contribute to student learning growth):

Many states have implemented policy in the use of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) as a way to measure student growth and teacher effectiveness. The state of Connecticut has implemented such a policy, and all teachers must submit SLO goals to their administrators each spring as part of their yearly evaluations. Teachers are allowed to choose the best method for measuring their students’ growth in terms of their instruction. Teachers set initial goals for their students in October of each year. Then in February of each year they have the opportunity to revise these goals based on student progress thus far. Finally, in April of each year, teachers add their students’ final scores and analyze their yearly progress, at which time all data is submitted to their administrator.

Our graduates involved in our focus group were asked to provide some form of student impact data on a purely voluntary basis. Only two out of the five graduate participants in the focus group during the 2020-21 academic year provided student data. One elementary graduate shared their SLO data demonstrating that 90% of students met or exceeded their outcome goals. The second elementary candidate shared their SLO data that demonstrated 95% of students met or exceeded their outcome goals. This voluntary data indicated that our UB graduates’ students were indeed progressing in learning under their tutelage.

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CAEP R4.1b

Completer Effectiveness (apply skills in P-12 classrooms that preparation experiences were designed to achieve):

During the 2020-21 academic year data collection cycle of the five graduates participating in the focus group, only one elementary graduate was able to actually be observed due to Covid restrictions. This graduate scored Proficient (level 3) or above in all categories on the Danielson rubric. The data reveal that some areas of strength for our graduates are creating a caring environment of respect and rapport with students (2a) scoring level 3 Proficient, and also in Establishing a culture for learning (2b) scoring level 3 Proficient. Two additional categories are engaging students in learning (3c) and communicating with students (3a) scoring level 3 Proficient for both as well. This data demonstrates that UB graduates have the ability to meet expectations in the areas of establishing a culturally sensitive environment, respecting all learners in an engaging environment and demonstrating the ability to communicate with their students.

Some additional areas of strength as indicated by receiving all proficient or above (levels 3 Proficient) were knowledge of students, knowledge of resources, managing classroom procedures, managing student behavior, organizing physical space, and engaging students in learning (Danielson 1b, 1d, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 3c).

The one candidate that was observed in the spring of 2021 did not receive any scores below level 3 Proficient, so areas of improvement cannot be specifically highlighted from this data set.

CAEP R4.2, R5.3

Satisfaction of Employers:

In the 2020-21 academic year, a total of five graduates participated in the data collection. Two different administrators completed the online survey, resulting in a 40% response rate. School administrators experienced a great deal of stress during the continuation of the Covid-19 restrictions on schools.

Some highlights from the survey results of these two administrators of UB SOE graduates were very positive. Two survey items that received the highest rating of strongly agree (4.0 out of 4.0) related to the candidates’ ability to infuse technology into their instruction and secondly, their ability to collaborate with colleagues and families. One of the candidates received a lower rating of disagree related to the graduate’s ability to plan for differentiated instruction, including modifications and accommodations in anticipation of student learning needs. Overall, 96% of survey question ratings for our two graduates were at the two highest levels indicating a positive satisfaction of our UB graduate’s administrators.

Stakeholder Involvement:

The SOE holds an Education Advisory Council (EAC) meeting every semester where stakeholders, community members, and faculty come together to share data, ideas, and provide feedback on the SOE initial and advanced preparation programs. A general invitation is sent to all of our participating field district leaders or representatives. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions the Education Council was held virtually in Zoom for the 2020-21 academic year. Topics discussed were university transitions, overview of certification, non-certification, and cross-endorsement (computer science) programs. A special introduction was made regarding our advanced programs with the inclusion of the CAEP advanced program standards. The SOE shared our goal of developing an East Hartford cohort with classes to be held on the Goodwin University campus (new parent organization of UB). Updates were provided for partners on the CAEP accreditation timelines and procedures. Finally, program accolades were shared as well as data reports.

Data sets shared with partners consisted of the previous terms edTPA overall pass score results disaggregated by program. The institutional averages were shared in comparison to state and national averages where four out of seven programs exceeded both. Specific data points were shared regarding continuous improvement with a focus on Task 3 Assessment as one area of candidate performance needing improvement.

Stakeholders were asked to share feedback using four inquiry prompts. One major stakeholder present shared that “he is happy in working with the University of Bridgeport; he was an Intern and also did his undergraduate degree at UB.”

Another stakeholder from our local urban district shared, “that Bridgeport Public Schools welcomed 14 student teachers from UB. He said students that taught from the fall were about 8 candidates and they have hired 6 of them as full-time faculty. All but one of the fall placements accepted a positon with Bridgeport Public Schools. A representative said BPS is dedicated to with working with partners especially with UB. They have placed about 120 student teachers this year. He said they would like to retain as many as possible. All 6 students had a fantastic teaching experience and came with tremendous recommendations for hire.”

One stakeholder also shared the following regarding the relaxing of the edTPA requirement: "For several years he has felt student teaching is an experience which needs to be put onto itself without edTPA assessment; he does not disagree with what it assesses and it’s all great but he is seeing a lot more of authentic learning now that it is not consequential.”

CAEP R4.3

edTPA Score Results: 2020-21 * 2020-21 edTPA Portfolios were scored locally by Supervisors due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Candidates were not required to submit to Pearson for scoring, but a few elected to do so and their scores are presented below. Candidates also only were required to complete Tasks 1 & 3 for local scoring. 98% of all candidates who submitted for local scoring passed the edTPA.
Program	*N =	% Pass	Institutional Average	State Average	National Average
Elementary	13	90%	48.4	50.3	51.5
Music	2	*low N	*low N	43.1	44.3
ELA	1	*low N	*low N	46.1	45.8
Soc. St	4	*low N	*low N	44.5	44.6
Math	0	*low N	*low N	39.4	40.0
Science	5	*low N	*low N	43.1	42.1
Business	2	*low N	*low N	*low N	44.6

edTPA Score Results: 2019-20
Program	N =	% Pass	Institutional Average	State Average	National Average
Elementary	70	97%	51.4	48.4	52.2
Music	11	100%	48.0	40.5	45.6
ELA	7	*low N	*low N	46.8	46.3
Soc St	8	*low N	*low N	45.0	45.1
Math	3	*low N	*low N	40.5	40.7
Science	8	*low N	*low N	42.6	42.4
Business	7	*low N	*low N	*low N	43.8

University of Bridgeport Completer Data – CT Data Dashboard