During the 12-13 academic year the Post-Bacc Certification program achieved all of our goals. However, there are a few areas where the faculty will focus during 2013-2014. One area is the candidates ability to modify instruction for all learners.  This trend was identified in the Teacher Work Sample data as well as in the Lesson Plan data.  Another area of focus is the infusing of the technology, understanding student diversity, and ELPS standards throughout the program to improve the candidates’ performance on the new EC-12 PPR.

Efforts were made to improve the Post Bac teacher certification candidates' performance on modifying instruction in both lesson plans and the Teacher Work Sample.  The data were reviewed to indicate most Post Bacc TWS scores were given a "2" in the Design for Instruction domain of the TWS.  Data on the overall performance on the TWS by 61 Post bacc teacher certifcation candidates for 2013-2014 show the following:

3: 20/61 = 33%
2: 33/61 = 54%
1: 8/61 = 13%


The TWS committee reviewed and strengthened the TWS prompts and rubrics to better address all seven of the TWS domains.  A more systematic approach to analyziing the data needs to be in place in order to truly ascertain the impact of these changes on Post Bacc teacher candidates performance on the TWS.  One important adjustment was made with regard to technology integration in Domain 4 of the TWS.  In order for candidates to score a "3" in Use of Technology criterion, they must show evidence that they not only used technology to plan and implement their lessons, they must also engage students in using technology for learning.  This is a major change, that many teacher candidates will have to address in their TWS.  We have also collected data on Teacher candidates' Diversity and Dispositions (DDP's) and this data needs to be reviewed more closely to see how are candidates fare when addressing the ELPS standards and diversity in their classrooms.  We continue to show evidence of high pass rates on the EC-12 PPR exam.  Fifty-three unique PB/Combo students took the PPR in 13-14.  Of these, 50 passed in 13-14 (on first try or on more than one try).  This is a pass rate of 94% for 13-14.

There are several areas of the Post Bacc Teacher certification COMBO program that need to be improved as the data indicate from the 2013-2014 Cycle Findings.  Many of these changes have already been addressed and implemented with the redesign of the TWS rubrics to more clearly specify criterion for scoring each of the TWS Domains. We hope that with the strengthening of these rubrics and prompts, we will raise the 33% of the Post Baccs earning a "3" overall on the TWS will increase to at least 65%. 

The courses that our Post Baccs are required to take also need strengthening, particularly in light of the evidence from scores on the Post Bacc's performance on their Lesson Plans/Design for Instruction and Assessments. Rubrics that assess candidates ability to modify instruction, plan lessons and assessments need to written and implemented in the Post Bacc online courses. 

Since our Post Bacc teacher certification candidates are required to take a Pre-admission content test (PACT) and pass it in order to gain admission to our program, we will now have data to indicate what fields of study our Post Baccs will pursue.  This data might be helpful in tailoring activities that are more content-specifc and therefore provide more suitable examples for student modifications; lesson plans, and assessment.

Finally,  it is important to look at the DDP data and perhaps the PDAS data to see what areas of improvement we need to address in this program.  Perhaps for the next cycle, we need to add an additional objective that is specific to improved performance in our program.