The College of Education (COE) offers four undergraduate degree programs (1) Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education leading to state certification in Early Childhood Special Education Blended preschool through grade three; (2) Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education preparing teachers for grades K‑8 with 10 endorsement options; (3) Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education leading to 25 subject‑specific endorsements in middle school, junior high school, and high school; (4) Bachelor of Arts in Special Education. The Bachelors of Music Education is a shared degree with the College of Arts and Letters. The COE also offers three graduate degrees that prepare candidates for initial certification; Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Master of Education in Special Education (M.Ed. SPED), and Master of Science in Deaf Education (M.S. Deaf).
Because multiple departments in the College of Education, the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Science and Engineering, and the College of Health participate in the delivery of the undergraduate programs in teacher education, the preparation of teachers for public and private schools and related fields is a university-wide effort. For example, the core teacher preparation courses in the secondary education program are taught by faculty in the College of Education while the content‑specific courses for the specialty areas (e.g., English, History, Art, etc.) are offered through departments in the College of Arts and Letters. Hence, teacher education faculty in the College of Education share responsibility for delivery of the undergraduate programs in the College of Education with the faculty members of the specialty areas.
The core teacher preparation curriculum was designed as a way to ensure that teacher candidates had systematic preparation relative to the Idaho Core Teacher Education Standards for Beginning Teachers , the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium’s Model Core Teaching Standards (InTASC Standards), and that graduates of the College of Education’s initial certification programs met the program goals. Candidates seeking a BA in Special Education deviate from the Core Assessment Plan by three courses, however, they meet the same standards in their Special Education specific courses. The BME Music Education degree is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The teacher education core courses provide a broad foundation in principles of teaching with particular attention to general pedagogy, educational psychology, child growth and development, behavior management, and assessment aligned to InTASC standards and all state certification requirements. Table 1 outlines the nineteen assessment points and clinical experiences of the Idaho State University teacher preparation programs into gateways. The distribution of standards across the assessment plan is made evident in the scaffolded progression of the curriculum and clinical experiences. Several assessment points were developed in collaboration with our university partners, partners from the PK-12 schools, and the community. Clinical experiences are scaffolded to support candidates as they take on more responsibility for classroom instruction with the culmination of the student teaching experience. This transition from preparation for teaching to actual teaching is provided under the guidance of competent and experienced inservice teachers and seasoned university supervisors (faculty and retired teachers).
Table 1. Teacher Education Content Assessment Plan by Standard and Gateway
Gateway 1 | Gateway 2 | Gateway 3 | |
Learner and Learning | |||
Standard 1: Learner Development | UG - 1, 3 GRAD - 9, 10 | UG - 4, 5, 7 GRAD - 13 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 |
Standard 2 : Learner Differences | GRAD - 10 | UG - 4, 5, 6 GRAD - 12 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 |
Standard 3 : Learning Environments | GRAD - 10 | UG - 4, 5 GRAD - 11 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 |
Content | |||
Standard 4: Content Knowledge | UG - 3 | UG - 5, 7, 15 GRAD - 13, 15 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 |
Standard 5: Application of Content | UG - 5, 7, 16 GRAD - 13 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 | |
Instructional Practice | |||
Standard 6: Assessment | UG - 3 | UG - 5, 7 GRAD - 13 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 |
Standard 7: Planning for Instruction | UG - 5, 6, 7 GRAD - 12 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 | |
Standard 8: Instructional Strategies | UG - 5, 6, 7 GRAD - 12, 13 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 | |
Professional Responsibility | |||
Standard 9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice | UG - 3 | UG - 5, 7 GRAD - 13 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 Dispositions - 17, 18 |
Standard 10: Leadership and Collaboration | UG - 5, 7 GRAD - 13 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 | |
State Specific Standards | |||
Standard 11: American Indian Tribes in Idaho | UG - 2 GRAD - 9 | UG - 4 GRAD - 10 | |
Standard 12: Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators | UG - 3 | UG - 5, 7 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 Dispositions - 17, 18 |
Standard 13: Digital Technology and Online Learning | UG - 5 | UG - 5 GRAD - 11 | UG - 8 GRAD - 14 |
Core Courses and Key Assessments:
EDUC 2201 Development and Individual Differences Syllabus
EDUC 2204 Family, Community, and Culture Syllabus
*EDUC 3308 Observation and Analysis Folio (OAF)
EDUC 3302 Motivation and Management Plan/ SPED 3340 Functional Behavioral Analysis
EDUC 3311 Technology Portfolio
SPED 3350 UDL Lesson Plan
*EDUC 4408 Comprehensive Teaching and Assessment Plan (CTAP)
*EDUC 4493 Student Teaching Portfolio
EDLA 6630 Case Scenario/Reflective Analysis
EDUC 6620 Motivation and Management Plan
EDLT 6616 Technology Portfolio
SPED 5550 UDL Lesson Plan
EDUC 6630/31 Advanced Elementary/Secondary Methods Syllabus
EDUC 6651/6652 Student Teaching Portfolio
Praxis II -Subject Area Tests
Content Area Methods Courses
Employer Surveys
Completer surveys
Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessment
*Denotes clinical experience requirements.
It is important to describe each gateway. The first set of gateway courses for initial certification provides a foundation of typical learner development and addresses the influence of culture on P-12 students. Understanding the role of the family in education and how to collaborate with parents is stressed at this introductory level. The technology course serves to lay the groundwork for more advanced technological applications in the learning environment to meet the needs of diverse P-12 students. Candidates are admitted into the Teacher Education program based on their cumulative GPA and prerequisite coursework at this juncture.
Gateway Two focuses on learning theory and pedagogical strategies for the unique content endorsements areas of the candidates. Methods courses allow candidates to peer-practice integrating appropriate instructional strategies into lesson plans while the clinical practice courses allow candidates to demonstrate instruction with P-12 students. Coursework focuses on ways to plan for instruction using assessment strategies and data analysis to guide the development of lessons. A variety of content-specific instructional strategies are utilized to provide equitable and inclusive learning experiences for diverse P-12 students. Each candidate-developed lesson plan is required to include state-approved P-12 content standards. Additionally, each lesson plan is partial evidence for meeting Idaho Preservice Technology Standards for Teachers (aligned to the ISTE Teacher Standards). Additionally, lesson plans provide detailed assessments and instructional strategies to be implemented. Student teaching eligibility is met during Gateway Two. Candidates are required to pass their Praxis II content knowledge assessments, meet the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Standards (ICLS), submit to a fingerprinting and background check, and pass all endorsement-related courses with a C or better.
Gateway Three, Student Teaching, provides another opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their performance with an instructional sequence plan and comprehensive lesson plans. Key assessments in student teaching demonstrate the abilities of our teacher candidates to show evidence of their impacts on PK-12 student learning. Table 1 shows how the assessment plan components (see the number code) yield data on candidate content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills, dispositions, and evidence of our candidates’ assessments of their impacts on PK-12 student learning for each of the core standards assessed in Gateway 3. An Institutional Recommendation is issued when candidates have met all testing requirements, successfully complete their student teaching portfolio and performance observations, and submit an acceptable Common Summative Assessment with an Individual Professional Learning Plan.
Guidelines, protocols, and scoring rubrics have been developed for all of the identified key assessments. Assessments are reviewed and revised regularly by course teams for consistency and validity. Annual assessment reports are submitted to review the performance levels of our teacher candidates aligned to the Idaho Teacher Education Core Standards for Beginning Teachers. These reports encourage reflection and an opportunity to close the assessment loop with a review of the outcomes and measurement tool for continuous improvement.
Targeted Standards- Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Standards
Targeted Standards- Standard 4: Content Knowledge
Targeted Proficiencies- Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Content Knowledge
The State Board of Education requires all candidates recommended for State of Idaho teacher certification to meet qualifying scores on the Praxis II Subject Area Test(s) in their teaching endorsement areas.Table 2 summarizes Praxis II first time pass rates across multiple years. Praxis-II is a series of achievement tests that assess subject-matter content knowledge and principles of learning and teaching. Idaho adopts the multi-state cut score for all tests. The required tests and current qualifying scores for each endorsement area are available to candidates and faculty from the Kent Center, the Office of the Advising Coordinator, and the College of Education student resources webpage. Faculty use the same data to improve pedagogical content knowledge where candidates have an identified achievement gap.
Table 2. Aggregate Summary of Praxis II Tests First Attempt Pass Rates
Year | Number of Subject Areas or Subtests | Number of Tests Taken | Number Passed | Percent Passed |
2020 | 34 | 178 | 136 | 76.40% |
2021 | 31 | 177 | 123 | 69.49% |
A comparison of the past two years indicates an overall decline of approximately 7% in first attempt pass rates. Upon closer inspection, (5047) Middle School English and (5169) Middle School Science have the lowest first attempt pass rates. It may be due to COVID and the change in testing protocols.
Idaho State University 2019-20.pdf
Idaho State University 2020-21.pdf
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