Candidate Measures of Success

Grace College School of Education program completers* effectively contribute to the learning growth of P-12 students. This learning growth is demonstrated through the School of Education’s Action Research Project. Further, Grace completers are able to apply within P-12 classrooms the professional knowledge, skills and dispositions that the preparation experiences were designed to achieve as demonstrated through Indiana’s Teacher Surveys.

*The term “completer” within the context of Impact Data refers to a candidate who successfully satisfied all program requirements of a preparation program at least six months previously and who is employed in a position for which they were prepared for state licensure.

MEASURE 1a: COMPLETER IMPACT CONTRIBUTING TO P-12 STUDENT-LEARNING GROWTH

ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT:

Gathering student impact data has been a challenge for Indiana Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs). Given the state of Indiana does not provide to EPPs the student test data connected to specific teachers, it falls on the EPP to generate meaningful data in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of individual completers’ instruction on P-12 student learning and development. In response to this need for impact data, the EPP developed an action research project in which program completers who are in their first, second or third year of in-service teaching would complete a Professional Teacher Work Sample (PTWS).  The PTWS Project is based on a modified version of the undergraduate Teacher Work Sample project and is executed annually by a new cohort of professional teachers (program completers) at differing grade levels, school districts, and content areas. The PTWS is then presented to the cadre of participants as well as School of Education faculty and student-growth data is highlighted. The assessment employs a range of strategies, and professional teachers provide credible evidence of their ability to facilitate learning-growth for all students.

In the PTWS, participating teachers employ a range of strategies and build on each student’s strengths, needs, and prior experiences. Participants provide evidence of their ability to facilitate learning and document student progress throughout a unit of study aligned to state standards. PTWS participants systematically plan, document and analyze student learning, and reflect on practice to produce student-learning growth.

A sample of 15 completers were evaluated over the course of three applications of the PTWS. Data for spring 2022 (n=5), spring 2023 (n=4), and fall 2024 (n=6) participants demonstrate that professional teachers who have been prepared by Grace School of Education have the knowledge and skills to improve student-learning growth. Across all applications, completers’ ability to link contextual factors and research-based strategies to produce significant student-learning growth is illustrated by all participants scoring at or above target in all categories.

(See link to PTWS Assessment and data for more information)

MEASURE 1b: COMPLETER EFFECTIVENESS IN APPLYING PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND DISPOSITIONS

TEACHER SURVEY:

The Indiana Teacher Survey addresses Knowledge Preparation, Pedagogical Preparation, and Professional Disposition of first- and second-year in-service Initial Practitioners (similar to the Principal Survey of New Teachers).  The survey consists of 21 elements that reflect both national professional standards (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) and model standards for beginning teacher licensing and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC).  The Teacher Survey is an opportunity for teachers to assess the quality of instruction by their Indiana teacher preparation program.

Teachers respond to 21 items regarding how well the new teacher was prepared for service by selecting one of the following four statements:  Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree or Strongly Agree.  Teachers are also asked to give an Overall Assessment rating of how well they were prepared to teach by the EPP by selecting either “Poor”, “Fair”, “Good”, or “Excellent.”  Results are as follows:

2024 TEACHER SURVEY:

The data reflects positive feedback from teachers about their educator preparation programs, with most respondents expressing strong agreement that they were well-prepared across various areas.

Knowledge Preparation:

• A significant majority felt well-prepared to understand learner development, meet content knowledge expectations, adhere to ethical standards, and recognize the importance of professional growth.
• Teachers were also well-prepared to meet legal requirements, though a small number showed some uncertainty.

Pedagogical Preparation:

• Teachers were highly confident in their ability to provide challenging and inclusive learning experiences, create rigorous environments, and collaborate effectively with colleagues.
• A strong majority felt prepared to differentiate instruction, work with students of all exceptionalities, develop quality assessments, analyze student data, manage classrooms, and integrate technology.

Professional Disposition Preparation:

• Teachers overwhelmingly agreed that they were prepared to accept feedback, exhibit ethical practices, collaborate with other professionals, work with parents, and navigate school culture.
• They also felt well-equipped to work with school leaders and effectively contribute to a positive school environment.

Overall Assessment:

• The overall assessment was highly positive, with most teachers rating their preparation as excellent, highlighting the effectiveness of their programs.

In conclusion, teachers reported feeling exceptionally well-prepared across all areas of their educator preparation programs, with particular strengths in ethical practices, collaboration, and pedagogical strategies. While a few areas, such as legal requirements and some content preparation, showed room for improvement, the general sentiment was overwhelmingly positive.

2023 TEACHER SURVEY: 

Due to fewer than 10 Grace completers being assessed in the 2023 Teacher Survey, no Teacher Survey data was included in the 2023 report.

2022 TEACHER SURVEY

Knowledge Preparation:

• Graduates felt very well-prepared in understanding student development, meeting content expectations, adhering to ethical and legal requirements, and recognizing the importance of ongoing professional development, with most strongly agreeing (7-10 responses in the “Strongly Agree” category).

Performance Preparation:

• Graduates felt confident in providing challenging, inclusive, and rigorous learning experiences, working collaboratively with colleagues, differentiating instruction, and effectively working with students of all exceptionalities. Strong agreement was especially noted in areas like differentiating instruction and using technology.

Professional Disposition:

• Graduates strongly agreed they were prepared to accept feedback, exhibit ethical practices, collaborate with other professionals, and work effectively with parents and school leaders. They also felt prepared to work within the school culture, with a particularly high agreement on collaboration with colleagues and school leaders.

Overall Assessment:

• The overall assessment of the program was overwhelmingly positive, with most graduates rating their preparation as excellent (9 out of 11).

In conclusion, graduates of the Teacher Educator Preparation Program at Grace College reported a strong sense of preparedness across all areas, especially in knowledge, performance, and professional disposition, with the majority giving an excellent overall rating.

Link to PTWS

Link to 2022 Teacher Survey

Link to 2024 Teacher Survey

PRINCIPAL SURVEY:

Grace completers are able to apply within P-12 classrooms the professional knowledge, skills and dispositions that the preparation experiences were designed to achieve as demonstrated through Indiana’s Principal Survey.

The Indiana Principal Survey of New Teachers addresses Knowledge Preparation, Pedagogical Preparation, and Professional Disposition of Initial Practitioners. The survey consists of 20 elements that reflect both national professional standards (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) and model standards for beginning teacher licensing and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC). The Principal Survey is an opportunity for principals to assess the quality of instruction by an Indiana teacher preparation program for teachers who received his/her first Indiana teaching license in the previous two (2) years.

Principals rate how well a new teacher was prepared for service by selecting one of the following four statements:  Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree or Strongly Agree.  Key findings include:

2024 PRINCIPAL SURVEY

• Knowledge Preparation of Teacher:

The survey data on Grace graduates’ knowledge preparation shows positive evaluations in all areas assessed. Teachers were highly rated for understanding how students learn and develop at their grade level (12 agreed, 5 strongly agreed). Teachers also met expectations for content preparation and knowledge (13 agreed, 4 strongly agreed). In terms of professional conduct, teachers were well-prepared to adhere to both ethical (12 agreed, 5 strongly agreed) and legal (12 agreed, 5 strongly agreed) requirements of the teaching profession. Overall, the data indicates strong confidence in the preparation of graduates of Grace School of Education in these key areas.

• Pedagogical Preparation:
  • Strong agreement was found for the teacher’s ability to create challenging (13 strongly agreed), inclusive (11 agreed, 4 strongly agreed), and rigorous (12 strongly agreed) learning environments.
  • Teachers were well-prepared to use various assessment methods (12 agreed, 4 strongly agreed) and develop content-specific assessments (12 agreed, 4 strongly agreed).
  • Differentiation and working with students with exceptionalities were strengths, with most respondents agreeing (9 agreed, 5 strongly agreed for differentiation; 10 agreed, 4 strongly agreed for exceptionalities).
  • Teachers were also strong in data analysis (11 agreed, 5 strongly agreed) and classroom management (10 agreed, 3 strongly agreed).
  • Use of technology for student learning was positively rated (11 agreed, 4 strongly agreed).
• Professional Disposition: Teachers were also positively assessed in several pedagogical categories:
  • accepting feedback (12 agreed, 4 strongly agreed)
  • exhibiting ethical practices (11 strongly agreed, 5 agreed
  • collaborating effectively with professionals, parents, school leaders, and within the school culture (11 strongly agreed, 5 agreed across all areas)

• Overall Satisfaction:

The majority of respondents expressed satisfaction, with 9 indicating they were satisfied and 6 very satisfied, while only 2 were dissatisfied.

2023 PRINCIPAL SURVEY: 

Due to fewer than 10 Grace completers being assessed in the 2023 Principal Survey, no Principal Survey data was included in the 2023 report.

2022 PRINCIPAL SURVEY:

• Knowledge Preparation:

Grace program completers received strong positive evaluations in their understanding of how students learn and develop (8 agreed, 6 strongly agreed), content knowledge preparation (5 agreed, 7 strongly agreed), and adherence to ethical (5 agreed, 9 strongly agreed) and legal (6 agreed, 8 strongly agreed) requirements. There was general consensus that they were well-prepared in these areas, with no strong disagreement.

• Pedagogical Preparation: Teachers were also positively assessed in several pedagogical categories:

• • Providing a challenging and appropriate learning experience: 9 agreed, 4 strongly agreed.
  • Providing an inclusive and rigorous learning environment: 6 agreed, 7 strongly agreed for inclusiveness; 9 agreed, 4 strongly agreed for rigor.
  • Using assessment methods to guide instruction: 9 agreed, 5 strongly agreed.
  • Developing content-specific assessments: 10 agreed, 4 strongly agreed.
  • Differentiating instruction: 7 agreed, 5 strongly agreed.
  • Working with students with exceptionalities: 6 agreed, 6 strongly agreed.
  • Analyzing student assessment data: 11 agreed, 3 strongly agreed.
  • Using strategies for effective classroom management: 8 agreed, 4 strongly agreed.
  • Integrating technology into teaching: 9 agreed, 5 strongly agreed.

Grace graduates showed strong competency across these pedagogical areas, with mostly positive responses, especially in using assessments, differentiating instruction, and analyzing data to improve instruction.

• Professional Disposition: Teachers were highly rated in their professional dispositions:

• • Accepting feedback: 3 agreed, 11 strongly agreed.
  • Exhibiting ethical practice: 4 agreed, 10 strongly agreed.
  • Working with other professionals: 3 agreed, 11 strongly agreed.
  • Working with parents/guardians: 5 agreed, 9 strongly agreed.
  • Collaborating with school leaders: 4 agreed, 10 strongly agreed.
  • Fitting within school culture: 3 agreed, 11 strongly agreed.

Grace program completers were evaluated very positively in terms of their professional dispositions, particularly in accepting feedback, working with colleagues, and integrating into the school culture.

• Overall Satisfaction:

Overall, satisfaction with Grace graduates’ preparation was high. Most respondents (9 strongly agreed, 4 agreed) were satisfied with the training teachers received, indicating strong confidence in the teacher’s preparedness and performance.

     CONCLUSION:

The survey results reflect a highly favorable assessment of Grace graduates’ preparation in all three categories: Knowledge Preparation, Pedagogical Preparation, and Professional Disposition. Teachers were well-prepared to meet the expectations of a beginning educator, showing competence in understanding students, delivering effective instruction, managing the classroom, and working collaboratively with others. The strong overall satisfaction rating suggests that the EPP’s training program effectively prepared teachers for success in the classroom.

Link to 2024 Principal Survey

Link to 2022 Principal Survey

In order to ensure candidates have met program completion requirements, the EPP has identified the overall GPA as the final measure of competency at completion.  All candidates must achieve an overall GPA of 2.5 as a graduation requirement. In addition to individual GPA monitoring, the EPP is responsible to demonstrate each graduating cohort has attained a grade point average of 3.0 or higher as required by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP, the professional accrediting organization of Grace College School of Education).

The Praxis Content and Pedagogy licensure tests measure knowledge of specific subjects that K-12 educators will teach, as well as general and subject specific teaching skills and knowledge. Individuals entering the teaching profession take the Praxis Subject Tests as part of the teacher licensing and certification process required by Indiana.

Before the start of the professional internship semester, candidates are required to attempt the appropriate developmental and content assessments aligned to their program of study and grade level in which they plan to teach. While candidates are expected to take the assessments, a passing score is not required for degree attainment (a passing score, however, is required for initial licensure). The assessment attempt prior to the student teaching experience allows the EPP the opportunity to assist with remediation of content and/or pedagogical knowledge prior to program completion if the candidate does not pass licensure assessments at first attempt.

The table below shows, in corresponding years, a snapshot of candidate competency at completion.

* <10 indicates fewer than 10 completers during a reporting cycle. 

**Aggregate pass rate for secondary education programs; For more information regarding this report or to receive specific secondary education passage rates, contact the Grace College School of Education.

Link to Praxis Licensure Exams

Link to Title II Report (2023)

Grace College Center for Career Connections conducted a First Destinations Survey of 2023-2024 Grace College graduates. Of the 22 survey responders who identified themselves as School of Education completers, 100% were successful in their “first destination” with 22 completers employed in full-time positions.

The School of Education collects ongoing employment data on graduates through surveys, personal contact, and social media. Of the 41 2023-2024 completers, 38 (93%) have been licensed either with the Indiana Department of Education or the Department of Education of their home state.  Most 2023-2024 completers are working within their field of study with 37 of 41 completers (90%) teaching full-time in P-12 schools

Results from the First Destination Survey as well as ongoing School of Education data collection demonstrate Grace School of Education successfully prepares teachers to be hired in the positions for which they have been prepared.

Link to 2024 First Destinations Report

PRINCIPAL SURVEY:

Grace College graduates are equipped to apply the professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions developed through their preparation experiences in P-12 classrooms, as demonstrated by the Indiana Principal Survey.

The Indiana Principal Survey of New Teachers evaluates the knowledge, pedagogical skills, and professional dispositions of newly licensed teachers. Comprising 20 elements, the survey aligns with both national professional standards set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the model standards for beginning teacher licensing established by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC). This survey offers principals an opportunity to assess the quality of instruction provided by an Indiana teacher preparation program for teachers who obtained their first Indiana teaching license within the past two years.

Principals rate the effectiveness of a new teacher’s preparation by selecting one of the following responses: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, or Strongly Agree. Key findings include:

2024 PRINCIPAL SURVEY:  No Data Available

To ensure candidates meet program completion requirements, the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) has established the overall GPA as the final indicator of competency at graduation. All candidates must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.5 to meet graduation requirements. In addition to monitoring individual GPAs, the EPP is responsible for demonstrating that each graduating cohort has achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher, in accordance with the standards set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the professional accrediting body for Grace College’s School of Education.

The Praxis Content and Pedagogy licensure tests assess candidates’ knowledge of the subjects they will teach, as well as their general and subject-specific teaching skills. These tests are a requirement for individuals entering the teaching profession in Indiana as part of the licensing and certification process.

Before beginning the professional internship semester, candidates must attempt the appropriate developmental and content assessments relevant to their program of study and the grade level they intend to teach. While taking these assessments is required, passing scores are not necessary for program completion; however, a passing score is required for initial licensure.

The table below shows, in corresponding years, a snapshot of candidate competency at completion.

* <10 indicates fewer than 10 completers during a reporting cycle. 

**The first cohort of secondary education candidates in advanced programs began coursework during the summer of 2024. Data on secondary education program completers will become available with the 2024-2025 academic year reporting.

The School of Education continuously gathers employment data on graduates through surveys, direct outreach, and social media. In the 2023-2024 academic year, the first and only graduate of the advanced Transition to Teaching Elementary Education program was licensed by the Indiana Department of Education and secured a full-time teaching position at a P-12 school. This achievement underscores the success of Grace School of Education in effectively preparing teachers for the roles they are trained to fill.