If you asked a group of educators about CAEP accreditation Standard 4, chances are you’d hear a few groans. And for good reason: proving a program’s impact is no small feat.
How to pass CAEP Standard 4 with flying colors #CrushingIt Click To TweetWhile the first three CAEP accreditation standards address preparation, the fourth focuses on results. Standard 4 is full of challenging aspects, and many schools struggle to satisfy the demands. But that doesn’t have to be you. In fact, we’re about to reveal exactly how you can pass Standard 4 with flying colors.
The Challenge of Standard 4
To pass Standard 4, applicants must prove that their program fosters student growth. Several measures are required to demonstrate the program’s impact: growth evaluations, indicators of teaching effectiveness, employer satisfaction, and graduate satisfaction with preparation.
Each component must be met for full CAEP accreditation. Failure to meet even one component of a standard can result in stipulation. That’s what happened at the University of Utah. In an interview with Education Week, Mary Burbank, an Assistant Dean for teacher education, expressed her dissatisfaction:
I’ll be honest with you, to miss the entire standard when we have provided data that shows we meet multiple benchmarks, it’s frustrating.
The standards must be met with exactness, and CAEP doesn’t give much elbow room. Programs need to prove that their results matter. How? With data.
Obtaining Data
Applicants bend over backwards to obtain the data to become accredited. Gathering the data for Standard 4 requires the cooperation of districts, schools, the university, FERPA compliance, program completers, and an institutional review board clearance.
Educator Preparation Provider representatives said they “have little or no control over in-service data and would face difficult hurdles in gaining access.” There are differences across states and school districts in what is measured and how. And some states are forbidden to provide data due to privacy laws.
Possible Solutions
When states don’t give any or enough data, EPPs have a few options to collect the data needed for CAEP accreditation.
Elliott’s Ideas
In a presentation all about Standard 4 at a CAEP Spring Conference, Emerson J. Elliott suggested alternative methods to obtain data:
Surveys
EPPs can conduct their own employer and completer surveys.
Collaboration
Local school districts may have data from value-added measures, structured teacher observations, or student surveys. Collaboration with other EPPs may also be helpful.
Case studies
Plan to document the impact candidates have on P-12 students through a case study.
LCAS
LCAS is a web-based application designed to provide Educator Preparation Programs with direct-from-the-classroom data to demonstrate program impact. The software helps implement communication solutions that allow providers to share program impact data and trends with school administrators, cooperating teachers, and accrediting bodies. LCAS helps collect important data, making Standard 4 slightly less daunting.
CAEP accreditation Standard 4 doesn't have to be so daunting. Click To TweetGoReact
GoReact is an online video recording tool that makes it easier to measure impact, especially with program completers. With GoReact you’ll be able to compare scores and the number of markers on videos to measure certain indicators like percentiles.
Achieving Excellence
According to CAEP:
The intent of Standard 4 is to judge programs by examining how well P-12 students learn and develop from the completers of the preparation program. This is a complex and evolving effort that will take creativity, courage, and hard work on the part of all—the EPPs, the states, and CAEP.
While Standard 4 is tough, gathering the necessary data can be done with the help of various tools. It is possible to meet CAEP accreditation Standard 4 and prepare your students for great careers. Scaling this feat is sure to have a lasting impact on teacher education.
If you’re interested in learning more about CAEP accreditation, check out The Beginners Guide to CAEP Accreditation.
Sources
“Standard 4: Program Impact.” CAEP.
“What Is CAEP Accreditation?” Masters in Education.
“Questions and Answers on Standard 4, Program Impact.” CAEP.
Iasevoli. “17 Teacher-Prep. Programs Meet ‘Tougher’ Standards.” Education Week.
Smith, Jones, Kram. “LCAS: A Window Into Program Impact) CAEP Standards 2 and 4.”
Eldridge. “CAEP Standard 4: Its language, suggested evidence, and questions to address.” CAEP.
Elliott. “CAEP Standard 4, Program Impact.” CAEP Spring Conference.
Abby works with the content marketing team at GoReact, the best way to give feedback on student videos. She is currently studying communications at Brigham Young University. Abby has previously worked in human resources, as a custom specialist, and as a volunteer in Russia. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, cookie dough, and spending time with her family.
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