NCATE Institutional Report Introduction

I.1 Summarize the institution’s mission, historical context, and unique characteristics.

Located in Lexington in the Bluegrass Region of Central Kentucky, the University of Kentucky is a public, research, land-grant institution of higher education. The flagship university, UK is one of eight public universities in the Commonwealth. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the university as RU/VH, a research university with very high research activity (cite website). Consistent with its land-grant mission, the university has recently received Carnegie’s reclassification for community engagement, a designation it has held since 2006 when it received the Outreach and Engagement classification and in 2008 when it earned the Curricular Engagement designation (cite website, press release).

Celebrating its 150th anniversary during Founders Week in February 2015 (cite press release and website and history page), the University was established in 1865 with funding from the federal Morrill Land-Grant College Act and private donations as the Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) College, a part of Kentucky University (now Transylvania University). Popularly called State College, the new institution was located in Ashland, the home of Kentucky statesman Henry Clay, and the adjoining Woodlands estate. The first classes at A&M opened in October 1866 with 190 students and 10 professors. In 1878, A&M separated from Kentucky University and moved to UK’s present site on a 52-acre park and fairground donated by the City of Lexington. Three new buildings were constructed at the site and dedicated in 1882. In 1908, A&M College achieved university status, and its name was changed to State University, Lexington, Kentucky. In 1916, the General Assembly renamed State University the University of Kentucky.

From its original three buildings and 52 acres in 1882, today UK’s campus is enjoying tremendous growth in classrooms and campus facilities, including construction of new residence halls, academic and research buildings, and renovation of the Student Center and athletic facilities. The campus now covers more than 918 acres; is home to more than 30,000 students and 14,500 employees including 2,300 full-time faculty; has more than 90 nationally ranked academic programs; and boasts an annual budget of more than $3 billion.

The university benefits the region and Commonwealth by engaging in research and public service. Grant awards to university faculty for fiscal year 2014 totaled over $259.2 million, with awards from federal agencies making up $152.5 million of that total (UKRF website).

The university offers programs across baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctoral levels through its seventeen academic colleges: Agriculture, Food, and Environment; Arts and Sciences; Business and Economics; Communication and Information; Dentistry; Design; Education; Engineering; Fine Arts; Health Sciences; Law; Medicine; Nursing; Pharmacy; Public Health; Social Work; and the Graduate School. UK is one of only eight universities in the U.S. that has well-established programs in agriculture, engineering, medicine, and pharmacy on a single campus.

The mission of the University of Kentucky adopted by the Board of Trustees in 2009 reads as follows: “The University of Kentucky is a public, land grant university dedicated to improving people’s lives through excellence in education, research and creative work, service, and health care. As Kentucky’s flagship institution, the University plays a critical leadership role by promoting diversity, inclusion, economic development, and human well-being.” (cite mission statement webpage). In March 2012, the Board adopted 11 core values which guide the work of the university: integrity, excellence, mutual respect and human dignity, diversity and inclusion, academic freedom, personal and institutional responsibility and accountability, shared governance, a sense of community, work-life sensitivity, civic engagement, and social responsibility. (cite values page)

Development of the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan for the University of Kentucky is currently underway (cite webpage, Tim’s email, and PP presentation to Dean’s Council). Five key goals guide the plan’s design: undergraduate student success, diversity and inclusivity, community engagement and impact, graduate education, and research. It is anticipated final approval of the plan by the Board of Trustees will occur in summer 2015. The professional education unit has had extensive input into the strategic planning process with unit faculty members serving in leadership roles on university-wide strategic planning committees.

Since the last accreditation visit in 2007, university enrollment has steadily increased each year, topping the 30,000 mark for the first time in fall 2014. Of the 30,131 students enrolled that semester, 73.9 percent were undergraduate students, 90.7 percent were full-time, 69.6 percent were in-state residents, 52.4 percent were female, and 21.9 percent represented racial/ethnic diversity (enrollment tables). Out-of-state students (30.1% of enrollment) represented all 120 Kentucky counties, each of the 50 states, and 117 countries worldwide.

In fall 2013, UK employed 2,227 full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty members (UK FactBook, 2013-2014). Of these, 38 percent were female and 20 percent represented racial/ethnic diversity.

The university is committed to providing the highest quality programs and ensuring that these programs achieve national, regional, and state accreditation. The institution received regional accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in 1915 and has been accredited continuously through reaffirmation visits to award undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees with the most recent reaffirmation occurring in 2013 (cite letter).

I.2 Summarize the professional education unit at your institution, its mission, and its relationship to other units at the institution that are involved in the preparation of professional educators.

Educator preparation at the University of Kentucky began in 1880 when the Kentucky General Assembly established a Normal School to train teachers at what was then the A&M College of Kentucky. In 1908, the legislature established a Department of Education to replace the Normal School, and in 1909 the name of the Department of Education was changed to the Teachers’ College. In 1911, a School of Education was created in the College of Arts and Sciences. A model laboratory school was established in 1918, and the College of Education was created in 1923 with a four-year course of study.

Today, the preparation of professional educators at UK is an institution-wide endeavor. Preparation programs are located in six colleges, including Agriculture, Food, and Environment: Arts and Sciences; Communication and Information; Education; Fine Arts; and Social Work. The professional education unit is defined as the College of Education and the educator preparation programs located in the five additional colleges. The dean of the College of Education serves as the unit head.

Unit programs are governed by individual program faculties, which are collaborative groups comprised of a broad representation of professionals, including education faculty, university faculty from content areas, practitioners from schools and agencies, and undergraduate and graduate candidates. These multi-disciplinary committees are responsible for initiating and revising courses and programs, ensuring and documenting that candidates meet educator standards, administering unit policies in their respective programs, conducting continuous assessment of candidates, and using candidate data to improve and revise programs. To ensure that collaboration and communication occur across the unit, the chairs of the program faculties are organized into the Program Faculty Chairs Group, which has regular monthly meetings convened by the director of the Office of Program Development, Accountability, and Compliance. Established in 1974, the program faculty structure has been instrumental in involving education faculty, content faculty, and P-12 practitioners in the preparation of educators.
The following mission was adopted by faculty in 2006 and has been revisited periodically to ensure its continuing relevance and: The College of Education endeavors to expand the knowledge of teaching and learning processes across a broad educational spectrum. The college fosters a culture of reflective practice and inquiry within a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff. As part of a research-extensive university, the college advances knowledge through research. As part of a land grant institution, the college prepares professionals for a variety of roles in educational settings and community agencies and provides leadership in the improvement of the education, health, and well being of citizens in the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world.

The College of Education was ranked 59th among Graduate Schools of Education out of 277 institutions across the country, according to the recently released 2015 “America’s Best Graduate Schools” list from U.S. News and World Report, placing UK in the top 25 percent of ranked institution.

College of Education enrollment in fall 2014 totaled 2,769, including 2,020 undergraduates and 749 graduate students. Racial and ethnic diversity among candidates mirrors or exceeds the general demographic profile of the Central Kentucky region. During fall 2014, 17.5 percent of students in the college represented racial and ethnic diversity.

During 2014-2015, 120 full-time faculty members, including tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure track, are employed in the unit. In addition to these full-time faculty members, xx part-time instructors and xx graduate teaching assistants teach and/or supervise candidates who are enrolled in educator preparation programs.

I.3 Summarize programs offered at initial and advanced preparation levels (including off-campus, distance learning, and alternate route programs), status of state approval, national recognition, and if applicable, findings of other national accreditation associations related to the preparation of education professionals.

The unit offers initial and advanced teacher certification programs and programs for the preparation of other school personnel. Initial teacher preparation programs are offered in interdisciplinary early childhood education, elementary education, middle level education, secondary education (English, mathematics, science, social studies), special education (learning and behavior disorders and moderate and severe disabilities), art education, music education, agricultural education, health education, physical education, and world languages (Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Russian, Spanish). Advanced teacher preparation programs are offered through the Teacher Leader Master’s Program in educational leadership, interdisciplinary early childhood education, and special education and through Rank I programs which require completion of planned programs of study totaling 30 credit hours beyond the Rank II. The unit also offers preparation programs for other school personnel, including literacy specialists, instructional supervisors, principals, superintendents, school social workers, school media librarians, and school psychologists.

The unit also offers initial certification programs through alternative routes, i.e., Option 6, in moderate and severe disabilities, Chinese, and Japanese. Much of the curriculum in the MSD program can be completed through distance learning. The unit does not offer programs at off-campus sites.

The NCATE/Kentucky Protocol specifies that program approval is the responsibility of the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB). Consistent with this agreement, programs at the University of Kentucky are currently under state review as part of the accreditation process. During this review, the unit has participated in an EPSB pilot of a new program submission process which required use of a new program template and the identification of key candidate assessments for each program.

All programs in the unit for which accreditation is available are accredited. The School Social Worker Program has accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (I.5.d.1), the School Media Librarian Program has accreditation from the American Library Association (I.5.d.2), and the Music Education Program has accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (I.5.d.3). The School Psychology Specialist Program is nationally recognized with conditions by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) (I.5.d.4), and the School Psychology Doctoral Program has accreditation with probation from the American Psychological Association (APA) (I.5.d.5). Although not educator preparation programs, the Rehabilitation Counseling Program has accreditation from the Council for Rehabilitation Education (CORE) (I.5.d.6), and the Counseling Psychology Doctoral Program has accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA) (I.5.d.7).

I.4 Summarize the basic tenets of the conceptual framework, institutional standards, and candidate proficiencies related to expected knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions.

The conceptual framework for the professional education unit at the University of Kentucky is guided by the theme, Research and Reflection for Learning and Leading. This theme is aligned closely with both the institutional vision and mission of UK and the vision and mission of the professional education unit. The theme reflects and guides how we approach preparation of professional educators within the context of a research extensive, land grant university.

Research is a valued activity and tool within UK’s educator preparation programs. Faculty and candidates generate scientific research using a wide range of research methodologies and contribute to the professional literature. Programs use practitioner inquiry and data-based instructional models in applied settings to enhance student learning and professional development. Research findings from the entire field of education inform design of courses, selection of interventions, and features of professional education programs.

Reflection is a long-standing aspect of UK’s educator preparation programs and is, in our view, a hallmark of professional practice. Reflective assessment of performance, outcomes, and approaches to problems is a dynamic process appropriate for faculty, experienced educators, and candidates in initial stages of their careers. Candidates are expected to complete numerous reflective activities as they work to meet standards; the goal is to prepare educators who are capable of analysis and problem solving that will result in improving educational practices and outcomes.

Learning is included as a component within our conceptual framework to underscore our commitment to the many facets of learning and to highlight the ways in which our programs conceptualize, promote, and accomplish learning. As a unit, we do not share a single theoretical view of learning. Faculty and candidates conceptualize learning using a wide range of perspectives including behavioral, constructivist, and social. We believe that our diversity of thought enriches and strengthens our unit. The reference to learning in our conceptual framework encompasses learning among all those who participate in our educator preparation programs and those who are affected by the educational efforts of our faculty and candidates.

Leading is an expectation that faculty hold for themselves and an outcome that is promoted among our candidates. As members of the educational community at Kentucky’s flagship university, we believe it is our obligation and privilege to provide leadership in educational policies and practices across levels and dimensions of universities, schools, and agencies. We believe that as leaders and followers work together to improve student learning among diverse student populations, we can obtain positive results that improve education in Kentucky and beyond.

The four elements of our conceptual framework are synergistic and mutually supportive of our work. Taken as a whole, research, reflection, learning, and leading provide a strong conceptual basis and functional framework for the preparation of educators at the University of Kentucky.

The conceptual framework is aligned closely with the missions of both the university and the professional education unit, as described earlier in this report. The knowledge bases upon which the unit conceptual framework is based apply to all educator preparation programs at the University of Kentucky. The complete conceptual framework document is included as exhibit I.5.c.

Candidate proficiencies are aligned with institutional, state, and national standards. Evidence of this alignment can be found in program review documents, course syllabi, and candidate assessments. Institutional standards, which initial and advanced candidates must demonstrate throughout their programs, include the four elements of the conceptual framework, research, reflection, learning, and leading; the Unit Functional Skills and Dispositions; and the Unit Technology Standards. Advanced candidates in Teacher Leader masters programs must demonstrate proficiency with the institutional Teacher Leadership Standards and Action Research Standards.

In addition to institutional standards, candidates must demonstrate they meet state standards that are pertinent to their programs. Initial teacher certification programs in Kentucky are required to document how candidates meet the ten Kentucky Teacher Standards (cite link) which were adopted by the Education Professional Standards Board in 2008, replacing the New Teacher Standards and the Experienced Teacher Standards which were in effect during the last accreditation visit.

Candidates in initial certification programs in interdisciplinary early childhood education are required to meet the nine Kentucky Teacher Standards for Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (IECE) Birth to Primary (link). These standards, adopted by the EPSB in January 1995 and revised in March 2003, identify what novice IECE teachers are required to know and be able to do. Thus, they guide the curriculum and field and clinical experiences for candidates in the IECE program at the University of Kentucky.

Candidates in educational leadership programs are required to document their proficiency on each of the six Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards for School Leaders (link), which were adopted by the EPSB in November 1998 as the state standards for instructional leaders. In addition, candidates must also demonstrate their ability to meet the five ISTE Standards for Administrators in all educational leadership programs.

In addition to alignment with institutional and state standards, programs are further aligned with national standards of the respective specialized professional associations (SPAs) that are endorsed by NCATE. Additionally, NCATE recognizes those programs that have been accredited by their respective accrediting agencies. In some disciplines and/or program levels, NCATE has not endorsed standards. In these instances, program faculties have identified standards with which to align their programs.

Since the last site visit, the conceptual framework has been reviewed and revised to reflect new standards, policies, and research as follows:

• Integration of the Kentucky Teacher Standards into framework, programs, and syllabi in 2008
• Integration of the unit teacher leader standards and unit standards for action research in framework, programs, and syllabi in 2010-2012
• Alignment of programs and syllabi with Kentucky Core Academic Standards and Unbridled Learning initiatives
• Incorporation of new regulatory requirements regarding program admission, field experiences, and student teaching
• Review and reaffirmation of the college mission statement in conjunction with strategic planning
• Revision of the conceptual framework document by updating the literature review to reflect recent research, policy documents, and best practices

The Conceptual Framework Committee proposed and the unit faculty approved the most recent revisions in December 2014.

In summary, the conceptual framework guides unit programs and is represented in many different documents, including course syllabi, newsletters, websites, and handbooks. The conceptual framework is an evolving document that will continue to be refined over time as input is gathered from program faculty and administrators in the professional education unit, content faculty, and P-12 school partners.

The professional education unit at the University of Kentucky consists of the College of Education; the agricultural education program in the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment; art education and music education programs in the College of Fine Arts; the school social worker program in the College of Social Work; the school media librarian program in the College of Communication and Information; and the world languages program in the College of Arts and Sciences. Professional education programs in the College of Education are located in the departments of Curriculum and Instruction; Early Childhood, Special Education, and Rehabilitation Counseling; Educational Leadership Studies; Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology; Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation; Kinesiology and Health Promotion; and Kinesiology and Health Promotion. The dean of the College of Education serves as the head of the unit with overall responsibility for the unit. In this capacity, the dean oversees and provides leadership and support for all programs in the unit and serves as the unit liaison with the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board. Department chairs report to the dean who reports to the provost (6.4.b.1). The unit is guided by the UK Administrative Regulations (6.4.a.1), Governing Regulations (6.4.a.2), Senate Rules (6.4.a.3), and Student Rights and Responsibilities (6.4.a.4) and by the COE Faculty Handbook (6.4.a.5). Part 1 of a new COE Rules document was developed by the Faculty Council and approved at the March 2015 faculty meeting (6.4.a.6). Unit programs are governed by individual program faculties, which are collaborative groups comprised of a broad representation of professionals, including education faculty, university faculty from content areas, practitioners from schools and agencies, and undergraduate and graduate candidates. These multi-disciplinary committees are responsible for initiating and revising courses and programs, ensuring and documenting that candidates meet educator standards, administering unit policies in their respective programs, conducting continuous assessment of candidates, and using candidate data to improve and revise programs. To ensure that collaboration and communication occur across the unit, the chairs of the program faculties are organized into the Program Faculty Chairs Group, which has regular monthly meetings convened by the director of the Office of Program Development, Accountability, and Compliance (6.4.b.2). In addition to program faculties and the Program Faculty Chairs Group, various councils and standing committees facilitate leadership and faculty governance within the unit. The Council of Chairs, Faculty Council, Staff Council, and Council of Student Leaders serve as advisory groups to the dean. The Council of Chairs is chaired by the dean and includes the department chairs, associate deans, the chief finance officer, and the chair of the Faculty Council. The Faculty Council is comprised of one faculty representative from each academic department and three elected at-large members. The Staff Council includes representatives from each academic department and unit in the college. Membership on the Council of Student Leaders includes the presidents of each student organization. Standing committees, as described in the new Rules document (6.4.a.6), include the Courses and Curricula Committee, the Inclusiveness Committee, …… Membership and functions of standing committees are described in the new Rules document (6.4.a.6). The unit is guided by the UK Administrative Regulations (6.4.a.1), Governing Regulations (6.4.a.2), Senate Rules (6.4.a.3), and Student Rights and Responsibilities (6.4.a.4) and by the COE Faculty Handbook (6.4.a.5). Part 1 of a new COE Rules document was developed by the Faculty Council and approved at the March 2015 faculty meeting (6.4.a.6). Admissions criteria, policies, and practices; curricula, including course descriptions; academic calendars; financial aid information; and candidate support services are described in The University of Kentucky Bulletin (Exhibit 6.4.e.1) and The University of Kentucky Graduate School Bulletin (6.4.e.2) and on the UK website (6.4.d.1) and the COE website (6.4.d.2). The unit provides candidates with specific information regarding procedures in the unit through departmental handbooks. Additionally, candidates are provided with advising sheets which identify curriculum requirements, and grading policies are described in the UK Bulletin (6.4.e.3). Candidate support services available through the university’s Counseling Center (x), Career Center (x), and the Disability Resource Center (6.4.i.1) are also described on the respective websites. The unit’s office of Undergraduate Advising and Student Success provides student services related to enrollment and advising. The office consists of an advising staff comprised of an associate dean and seven full-time advisors. Candidates in initial teacher preparation programs are required to meet with an advisor at least once each semester. Candidates in advanced teacher preparation and other school professional programs meet with assigned faculty advisors each semester. The unit has sufficient budgetary resources to support the work of faculty in preparing candidates to meet professional, state, and institutional standards. The budget for the College of Education for FY 2014 totals $x,x,xxx; the budget has steadily increased over the past five years (6.4.f.1). Funding from private gifts, grants, and contracts and from endowment income totaled $xx,xxx for FY 2014 (x), and external grant funding for FY 2014 totaled over $21.3 million (6.4.f.3). Three-year trend data indicate the level of funding for the College of Education is comparable to that of other similar units on campus (6.4.f.2). The unit provides faculty with sufficient resources to fund travel and continuing professional development. The amount of expenditures for professional development has increased over the three-year period from xxx to xxx (6.4.f.4). Additionally, the university and unit provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, as described in Standard 5. The university and unit have faculty workload policies, which are described in Exhibits 6.4.h.1 and 6.4.h.2. Unit faculty members negotiate their workload with department chairs each year using the university’s Differentiated Distribution of Effort. According to unit policy, faculty members in tenure-track positions are expected to teach the equivalent of a 2-2 load, that is two three-credit courses each semester. New tenure-track faculty members typically receive a course reduction during their first year to develop their research and service agendas. The supervision of six candidates during student teaching, graduate practicum, and internships constitutes the equivalent of teaching one three-credit course. The maximum supervisory load for a full-time faculty member is 18 candidates per semester when supervision is their only responsibility. Faculty members may teach an additional three credits for additional compensation. Faculty members receive additional payment for teaching summer school classes. Data on faculty workloads confirm adherence to these guidelines (x). The unit has adequate personnel to support the work of candidates, faculty, and administrators. The unit employs 29 staff members and 24 graduate/teaching assistants (x). Staff members include seven undergraduate advisors, director of recruitment, director of retention, director of online education, director of Information Services, and support staff in the various administrative and support offices in the unit. The unit has adequate campus and school facilities. The College of Education is located in five buildings on campus: Dickey Hall, Taylor Education Building, Seaton Building, the School Psychology Clinic, the Early Childhood Lab, and the Human Performance Lab. Facilities include classrooms equipped with technology support, conference rooms, computer labs, and a new café in Dickey Hall. Recently renovated spaces include classroom spaces in Dickey Hall, Taylor Education Building, and Seaton Building; the café in Dickey Hall; and the Student Success Center. Renovation of the Dean’s Office suite and development of two courtyards were funded through private donations. The Early Childhood Lab recently moved into renovated facilities and can now accommodate up to x children (6.4.i.4). The unit ensures candidates, faculty, staff, and administrators have technology resources needed to meet the mission of the unit and help candidates meet professional, state, and institutional standards. All classrooms are equipped with technology support. Faculty and staff are provided technology support through COE Information Systems (6.4.i.1). Candidates enrolled in online courses are provided resources and support through and the IT Helpdesk (6.4.i.1). Candidates and faculty have complete access to the University of Kentucky Libraries, a major research library system, which is centered in the main William T. Young Library (6.4.i.2). Its collection exceeds three million volumes and includes over 27,000 journal titles. The Education Library, housed in Dickey Hall, is devoted to materials related to education and psychology (6.4.i.3). In addition to its monograph and journal collection, the Education Library houses the Kentucky school textbook examination collection, children’s and adolescent literature, teaching guides, activity books, manipulatives, videos, P-12 textbooks, and other instructional materials. An education librarian collaborates with the Library Committee to purchase education materials and assists with faculty and candidate research.

Since the last accreditation visit, the unit has engaged in continuous improvement in several areas related to Standard 6, Unit Governance and Resources.

1. Enhanced candidate voice through the establishment of the Council of Student Leaders
2. Development of the College of Education Rules document
3. Increase in external grant funding from $10,360,114 in 2009-2010 to $21,328,265 in 2013-2014.
4. Establishment of the Student Success Center to provide a more student-centered environment as candidates transition through all phases of their programs
5. Hiring of new directors of recruitment, retention, online learning, information systems, communications, and development
6. Updating of the College of Education website
7. Hiring of a new CEPIS data portal systems analyst and programmer
8. Establishing a new assistant dean for program assessment position which oversees the OTIS open portfolio system
9. Named a new associate dean for clinical preparation and partnerships
10. Secured approval through University to hire faculty in the clinical title series, with the unit now employing 11 clinical faculty
11. Increased the number of professional advisors from ? in 2007 to seven currently
12. Hired ? new lecturers in Kinesiology and Health Promotion in response to rapidly increasing enrollments

There were no areas for improvement from the previous accreditation review.