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Project CREATE: Growing a Highly Qualified Special Education Teacher Force in South Carolina

______________________

SUSAN DURANT

SC Department of Education

JANICE PODA

SC Department of Education

JOE SUTTON

Bob Jones University

_______________________ 2007 CENTER FOR IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY NATIONAL INVITATIONAL FORUM ARLINGTON, VA

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Centers for the Re-Education and Advancement of Teachers in Special Education

Our Mission To Grow a Highly Qualified Special Education Teacher Force in South Carolina

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CREATE of South Carolina

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States with Emergency/Temporary Teacher Licenses in Special Education

(USDE, 2005)

43 of 50 States (24,458 of 386,522 teachers or 6.33%

• f national SpEd teacher force)

Exceptions include Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Wisconsin

Data reflect 2003-2004 year

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CREATE is a Re-Education Initiative

Implemented in other states, e.g., Virginia

(Kneedler & Sutton, 1987-1990)

Found to be successful at preparing teachers in new content areas (Adelman, 1986) Consistent with the concept of strengthening and expanding partnerships among teacher education institutions and local/state agencies, for the purpose of increasing the number of highly qualified teachers (USDE, 2005)

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CREATE represents a consortium of SC universities with NCATE/State-approved teacher preparation programs in SpEd,

• ffering a range of add-on certification

courses reflecting CEC Standards in a variety of course formats, including:

On-campus courses Contract courses Satellite/distance courses Online courses

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• CREATE Centers at 8 Universities

UPSTATE: Clemson University Lander University USC–Upstate Winthrop University MIDLANDS: SC State University USC–Columbia Francis Marion University LOW COUNTRY: College of Charleston

Key Statistics on CREATE for the Three-Year Period, 2003-2006

643 SpEd teachers on waivers identified 421 teachers enrolled in the project 820 courses completed by enrolled teachers 226 teachers completed required courses 154 teachers achieved full certification 69 of the State’s 85 districts participated

Sutton et al. (2007)

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9 3 33 5 3 1 3 10 2 11 11 1 3 1 7 1 17 1 6 15 3 9 9 2 8 4 3 8 6 5 5 4 2 1 4 4 5

• No. of Completers in SC Counties (n=226)

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Gender of Completers (n=226)

87% 13% Female Male

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Ethnicity/Race of Completers (n=226)

24% 69% 0% 7% 0% African-American Caucasian Hispanic Unknown American-Indian

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Certification Area of Completers (n=226)

7% 73% 2% 18% Emotional Disab. Learning Disab. Multi-Categorical Mental Disab.

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Completers Teaching in High Student Risk School Districts in South Carolina

38% 62% High Risk Low Risk

Praxis II-LD Scores of Teachers Certified Through Add-on Compared to Teachers Certified Through a BS Degree Program

ANOVA Results: F=2.95, df=1, p=.09 No significant difference CREATE (Add-on) Private SC

• Univ. (BS)

Sample n=50 n=23 Mean Score 174.78 178.74

• Std. Dev.

10.57 13.01

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Mean Praxis II-LD Scores of Add-on Completers and BS Degree Completers

174.78 178.74 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 Add-on Completers BS Degree Completers

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Praxis II-Core Scores of Teachers Certified Through Add-on Compared to Teachers Certified Through a BS Degree Program

ANOVA Results: F=2.37, df=1, p=.12 No significant difference CREATE (Add-on) Private SC

• Univ. (BS)

Sample n=45 n=11 Mean Score 173.16 179.08

• Std. Dev.

11.43 11.46

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Mean Praxis II-Core Scores of Add-on Completers and BS Degree Completers

173.16 179.08 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 Add-on Completers BS Degree Completers

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Variables that Predict Success in Teachers Who Complete Certification Course Work

Analysis: Multiple regression (backward elimination) Dependent Variable: Completion of SpEd Course Work Independent Variables: 15 demographic descriptors Sample: n=196 R-Squared: .42 or 40% Results: F=28.42, df=5,191, p<.001 Significant Predictors: No. GenEd Certifications (p=.02),

• No. SpEd Certifications (p<.001), Race (p=02), Years
• f Teaching Experience (p=.005), Years of Total Work

Experience (p=.01)

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Effective July 2006 NCLB prohibits States from issuing emergency waivers or permits to teachers in any specialty area, including special education

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CREATE 06-07 is Growing a Highly Qualified SpEd Teacher Force From 4 Groups: SpEd teachers w/ restricted alternative certificates (RAC) SpEd teachers in the State’s Program of Alternative Certif. for Educators (PACE) SpEd teacher assistants (TA) wanting to upgrade to full certification General Ed (GEN) teachers wanting to become special educators

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Participants Pursue Certification Through 4 Preparation Approaches: Add-on certification for RAC, GEN, and TA’s (that have GEN certification) Alternative certification for PACE Initial certification (MAT degree) for TA’s with non-education degrees Initial certification (BS degree) for TA’s with a minimum of 60 credits CREATE Web Site Home Page

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Sample Semester Course Matrix

SUMMER 2007

= Regular campus course = Distance course = Online course

Courses / University Centers CU CofC FMU LU SCSU USCC USCU WU Introduction to Exceptional Learners EDSP 370 EDFS 710 EDUC 760 SPED 223* SPED 550 Characteristics: Emotional Disabilities EDUC 677 SPED 581 Characteristics: Learning Disabilities EDSP 670 EDUC 761 EDUC 677 Characteristics: Mental Disabilities EDUC 677 Characteristics: Severe Disabilities Methods for Emotional Disabilities SPED 582 Methods for Learning Disabilities SETE Q690E Methods for Mental Disabilities Methods for Severe Disabilities EDFS 796 Behavior Management EDFS 725 EDUC 624* EDUC 656 PSYC 510

• Teach. Reading in General/Special Ed.

EDUC 745 READ 461/571 Lang./Communication for Excep. Ls. Assessment for Exceptional Learners EDUC 622 EDUC 676 EDEX J790 SPED 671

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Success Factors of CREATE

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Cooperation of SDE, IHEs, and LEAs Vision for a Greater Common Cause Mechanism for Touting Success Efficient Data Management Shared Funding Sources Identification of Competency Needs of Tchrs. Communication and Promotion Rigorous Content Preparation Levels of Project Managers University- based Centers Varied Course Formats Instructors with Doctorates

References

Adelman, N. C. (1986). An exploratory study of teacher alternative certification and retraining programs. (Contract No. 300-85-0103). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Kneedler, R. D., & Sutton, J. P. (1987-1990). Central Virginia Retraining Institute for experienced teachers in special education. Personnel preparation project funded by the Virginia Department of Education, Richmond, VA to the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Sutton, J. P. et al. (2007). Success of South Carolina Project CREATE: 2003-2006. Unpublished raw data. U.S. Department of Education. (2005). The Secretary’s fourth annual report on teacher quality: A highly qualified teacher in every

• classroom. Retrieved on April 8, 2007, from http://www.ed.gov/

about/reports/annual/teachprep/2005Title2-Report.pdf

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