The CAEP Standards and Research on Educator Preparation Programs: Linking Clinical Partnerships With Program Impact

Abstract

Responding to the challenge of more rigorous and outcome-oriented program evaluation criteria of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), authors take a critical look at the intersection of two standards: Clinical Partnerships and Practice (Standard 2) and Program Impact (Standard 4). Illustrating one aspect of a secondary education teacher preparation program, authors consider how clinical partnerships can be designed in light of these standards to have a positive impact on P-12 student learning. Focusing on the program evaluation framework, authors describe a spectrum of diverse formative and summative growth measures that document the scope of impact for all stakeholders, including students. In light of the Feuer, Floden, Chudowsky, and Ahn (2013) questioning framework, authors assess program outcomes. In closing, the authors (a) conclude that comprehensive evaluation models are needed to document complex outcomes, which will make program impact more visible and measureable; (b) recommend using the Feuer et al. decision-making framework to initiate and guide programmatic design and evaluation model development; and (c) affirm CAEP's expectations—clinical partnerships go beyond positive relationships, coselection of mentor teachers and candidates, and commitment to diverse settings to ensuring P-12 student achievement—as attainable goals for educator preparation accreditation.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tina Heafner

Tina Heafner, Ph.D., is a professor in the College of Education at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. She has produced and contributed to numerous publications on the topic of teacher effectiveness and preparation in social studies education.

Ellen McIntyre

Ellen McIntyre, Ed.D., is the Dean of the College of Education at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Her research interests have been in elementary reading and teacher education. Most recently she has been awarded a $3.1M NSF grant to study the impact of an innovative elementary teacher preparation program.

Melba Spooner

Dr. Melba Spooner is the Senior Associate Dean in the College of Education at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Her research interests are school and university partnership, teacher development and preparation, and alternative methods of course delivery and routes to licensure.