Van Dempsey, Fairmont State UniversityJaci Webb-Dempsey, West Virginia UniversityRosalyn Templeton, Marshall University

Documenting Development: Studying a Statewide School/University Partnership

Context Challenging geographic and economic

landscape Mountainous, rural, developing infrastructure Limited resources

Idiosyncratic political landscape Unique cultures of higher education and

public schools Diverse organizational structures of

universities/colleges, partnerships, and teacher preparation programs

Partnerships at varying stages of development

West Virginia Partnerships for Teacher Quality (WVPTQ)

10 Partnerships Bluefield State College Concord University Fairmont State

University Glenville State College Marshall University Shepherd University West Liberty State

College West Virginia State

University WVU - Parkersburg WVU – The Benedum

Collaborative

A common agendaDevelopment of a resource baseEquitable distribution of resourcesShared vision for the work Addressing demands for accountability

Since 2004 Support from the Benedum Foundation, the

WV Department of Education and the Arts, the WV Legislature Creation of statewide network of partnerships Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation funding Development of legislative funding

Development of Board Adoption of targeted NCATE/FIPSE PDS

Standards Framework for developing partnerships Accountability

Addressing accountability Planning session

for WVPTQ Board and stakeholders Jenny Gordon,

Cindy Reed, Lee Teitel

Professional development for partnerships

Targeted NCATE PDS Standards

FIPSE Online PDS Standards Project Pilot

ChallengesLegislative funding commitment

increased, then leveled offBenedum Foundation funding

phased out Increased partnership work,

increased funding requests

WVPTQ Documentation Initiative

Commissioned by primary stakeholders to develop strategies for documenting developmental progress

Supported by funding from the Benedum Foundation

Representative input University faculty/researcher perspective PDS/Partner School faculty perspective Stakeholders

Cross-institutional research team

DesignTargeted PDS/FIPSE Standards

indicators as a framework Developmental perspectivePerspectives of University and PDS

faculty, teacher education candidates

Design Mixed methods Online survey of higher education and

partner school faculty in 10 partnerships

Case studies of 4 partnerships Site visits to the 4 universities/colleges

and a sample of their PDS/partner schools Interviews with higher education and

partner school faculty, teacher candidates Document analysis

Translating standards“AT STANDARD” DESCRIPTIONS (Learning Community, Collaboration, Accountability,

Organization, Roles and Resources, Diversity and Equity ) Standard I: Learning Community - A. Teacher Preparation Developmental Guidelines The PDS recognizes and supports the distinct learning needs of faculty/staff, teacher candidates, students,

parents and community members. Indicator 1: At StandardPDS partners collaboratively integrate PreK-12 instructional content priorities

in the teacher education program and field-based experiences.List of EvidenceSyllabi, Lesson plans, Meeting minutes, Memos/e-mail, Other.

Indicator 2: At StandardIHE and school faculty/staff ensure teacher candidates’ active participation in school and community related projects.List of EvidenceSyllabi, Newsletters, Meeting minutes, Memos/e-mail, Other.(1)

[1] Indicator 3: At StandardTeacher candidates observe, implement, analyze and refine standards-based teaching practices during the extensive internship.List of EvidenceSyllabi, Lesson plans, Reflections, Feedback/evaluation, Other.

Indicator 4: At StandardPDS partners facilitate reflection by collaborating to provide learning experiences that integrate theoretical models with classroom practice.List of EvidenceSyllabi, Lesson plans, Meeting minutes, Memos/e-mail, Other.

Indicator 5: At StandardPDS partners engage in reflection with one another.List of EvidenceReflections, Meeting minutes, Surveys, Memos/email, Other.

Standard I: Learning Community – B. Continuing Professional Development Developmental Guidelines

The PDS recognizes and supports the distinct learning needs of faculty/staff, teacher candidates, students, parents and community members.

[2] Indicator 1: At StandardPDS partners collaboratively create, conduct, and participate in needs-based professional development to improve instruction and positively impact student achievement.List of EvidenceSurveys, In-service/graduate courses, Syllabi, Meeting minutes, Other.

Indicator 2: At StandardPDS partners plan and participate in activities where all school staff is encouraged to support and interact with teacher candidates.List of EvidenceOrientation meetings, Handbook/expectations for mentors, Meeting minutes, Memos/e-mail, Other.

Framework(Organized Around Categories of Developmental Guidelines: Teacher Preparation, Continuing Professional

Development, Research & Inquiry, Student Achievement) Teacher Preparation (1) Standard 1: Learning Community, Indicator 3: Teacher candidates observe, implement, analyze and refine

standards-based teaching practices during the extensive internship. (5) Standard II: Collaboration, Indicator 1: IHE and school faculty collaboratively plan and implement curricula for

teacher candidates to provide authentic learning experiences. (6) Standard II: Collaboration, Indicator 7: IHE teacher education, arts and science, and school faculty collaborate in

planning and implementing content based learning experiences for PDS partners. (11) Standard III: Accountability, Indicator 1: IHE and school faculty collaboratively refine and implement formative and

summative standards based teacher candidate performance assessments. (15) Standard IV: Organization, Roles and Resources, Indicator 1: PDS partners communicate regarding roles,

responsibilities, and operating procedures and use continuous feedback to improve the operation of the PDS. (19) Standard V: Diversity and Equity, Indicator 2: Teacher candidates demonstrate skill in working with diverse

student, parent and staff populations. (20) Standard V: Indicator 3: Teacher candidates demonstrate the ability to work with students with special needs and

collaborate with special educators. Continuing Professional Development (2) Standard I: Learning Community, Indicator 1: PDS partners collaboratively create, conduct, and participate in

needs-based professional development to improve instruction and positively impact student achievement. (7) Standard II: Collaboration, Indicator 3: PDS partners determine professional development needs, plan professional

development activities to meet those needs, implement activities and assess the effectiveness of the implemented activities.

(12) Standard III: Accountability, Indicator 4: PDS partners work together to meet one another’s professional development needs.

(16) Standard IV: Organization, Roles and Resources, Indicator 1: IHEs recognize and reward the PDS work of IHE faculty and staff through organizational structures and incentives that fully integrate PDS work with the mission of the teacher education program.

(21) Standard V: Diversity and Equity, Indicator 2: PDS partners engage in actions to support broad involvement of stakeholders in PDS activities and assess the results of stakeholder involvement.

(3) Standard I: Learning Community, Indicator 1: PDS partners collaboratively engage in inquiry and/or action research.

(8) Standard II: Collaboration, Indicator 1: PDS partners collaboratively examine the action research/inquiry process. (9) Standard II: Collaboration, Indicator 2: PDS partners identify the research/inquiry agenda based on the data-driven

needs of the PDS. (13) Standard III: Accountability, Indicator 1: IHE and school faculty collaboratively develop assessments and feedback

tools to be used for PDS program planning and improvement.

Teacher preparation Partnerships have improved teacher preparation

Increased collaboration and communication between PDS and IHE faculty

Improved clinical experiences Practitioner expertise valued

Teacher Education Coordinator Network Teaching Fellows Professional Development Fellows Clinical instructors

All candidates have placements in PDSs; either for all or select placements Host PDSs PDSs hosting particular courses

Coursework aligned with needs of clinical settings PDS faculty teach courses in their classrooms IHE faculty integrate focus on needs in courses

Teacher preparation Coursework and placements include a

focus on meeting the needs of low-income, at-risk students Candidate case studies PDS professional development integrated into

coursework Teaching standards have been

developed and/or adopted, and are used as part of benchmark decision-making 10 Characteristics INTASC Dispositions

Research and inquiryProfessional development agenda

includes action research AR Fellows TeamsAR professional development, funding for site-

based initiatives coupled with AR projectsPrograms include action research

experiences for teacher candidatesCourseLesson analysis

Research and inquiryCollaborative research efforts

among PDS and IHE facultyIntrinsic and extrinsic motivatorsStudying aspects of teacher

preparationStudying effects of program on

graduates’ beginning teaching experiences

Professional development Partnerships have a positive impact on

professional development More relevant “Field-tested”

Varied strategies for professional development Sharing expertise across schools, between schools

and universities, across partnerships Partnership-wide PD Embedded PD (action research, book studies, etc.)

with PDS, IHE faculty, teacher candidates around PDS needs

On-site courses, customized courses Online PD Teacher candidates developing and offering PD

Professional developmentLeveraging/pooling professional

development fundsMatching funds for grantsCounties/Boards of Education

providing resources to support PD in partnerships

Counties/schools/partnerships sharing resources around a common agenda

Schools pooling funding from a variety of sources

Student achievement Partnerships have a positive impact on student

achievement Improved professional development Improved teaching Improved teacher candidate performance

Professional development targeting areas of student need IHE faculty developing customized PD Focus for partnership PD agenda

Course assignments linked to clinical placements include an analysis of the impact of teaching on student achievement

Contributing to longitudinal study of the effects of tutoring Individual case studies in reading, special education Journal entries/focused reflection Sustained AR projects during fulltime teaching placements

Student achievement Teacher candidates involved in

assessment of student achievement data Candidates as resources for addressing needs of

low-performing students Targeting areas of need for AR projects

Concern with documenting impact on student achievement Studies of the impact of PD initiatives, of

PDS involvement, of teacher candidates, of graduates

Partnership structures and governance

Partnerships have created opportunities for redefining roles Teacher leaders

Collaborative, representative decision making Smaller partnerships: Partnership Council, Advisory

Board Larger partnerships: representative groups for roles,

Executive Committee, systematic PDS input in teacher preparation

Key roles Partnership director – added to existing IHE faculty

responsibilities, new position, or rotating position Liaisons – IHE faculty working with individual schools,

working with particular needs/site-based courses, members of LSICs

Aggregate findings Partnerships are idiosyncratic

Leadership IHE and program structures Negotiation of benefits

Development is not steady progression, renewal is not always simultaneous Loss of key leaders, faculty Political and practical demands

Varying degrees of development across partnerships, across standards Newer partnerships able to “fast track,”

established partnerships need to assess and focus

Next steps Inform stakeholders Install longitudinal documentation

strategiesCollaborative exchange within

networkShare promising practices broadly

Paper and PPT notes available at: http://www.fairmontstate.edu/cea