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Following
an on-site visit, a review team from the Idaho Professional Standards
Commission has recommended that the 15 education programs with graduates
(or with a student teacher in the final semester) be granted full state
approval.
The
team visited the BYU–Idaho campus Oct. 16-20. During their time in
Rexburg, the team members studied documentation and student work samples
provided by the departments involved in education programs. They
interviewed numerous administrators, faculty members, students and
graduates. They also traveled to various public elementary and secondary
schools in southeastern Idaho
to observe student teachers in action and to chat with their cooperating
teachers. (They had previously visited BYU-Idaho partner schools in Salt
Lake City, Las Vegas
and Seattle.)
At
the exit interview Oct. 20, the review team recommended the following
programs for full approval: Art Education, Biology Education, Chemistry
Education, Earth Science Education, Elementary Education, English
Education, Family and Consumer Science Education, Health Education, History
Education, Mathematics Education, Music Education, Physics Education,
Social Studies Education, Spanish Education, and Theatre and Speech
Education.
The
two programs that will have graduates within this academic year,
Agriculture Education and Early Childhood/Special Education, were
recommended for conditional approval until such time as we have graduates.
The
team’s official report will be sent to the university within the next
30 days for a written rejoinder. The Professional Standards Commission will
review both documents and make their own recommendation to the State Board
of Education, which will render a final decision early in 2005.
Approval is a
status granted to education programs that are found to be in compliance
with the state standards regarding knowledge of subject matter, human
development, instructional strategies, classroom management, communication,
assessment, professional commitment and workplace preparation. As part of
the review, team members also verified that BYU–Idaho is in
compliance with national standards, which address school partnerships,
promote diversity within the teaching profession, and emphasize the need
for well-qualified faculty members who model best practices.
Both full
approval and conditional approval allow the dean of the College
of Education to recommend
graduates for a teaching certificate in the state of Idaho.
Rhonda Seamons, dean of the College
of Education, says the review
team members were impressed with the quality of programs, the strength of
the student body and the collegiality of our faculty.
“They
expressed appreciation for our hospitality and a deep conviction that we
are headed in the right direction,” she says. “We extend a
heart-felt thank-you to all who participated in making the review a
success!”
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