| Show State Board of Education Fully i Approves All University of Utah Teacher Education Programs The Utah State Board of Education Education Education tion has fully approved all professional professional professional certification programs offered by the Graduate School of Education at the University of Utah The University of Utah has an excellent teacher education program program program pro pro- gram said Roger C. C coordinator of certification and personnel personnel personnel per per- development at the Utah State Office of Education As a result of our recent site on-site visit applying both state and national nation nation- al standards the institution received very high marks All programs are fully approved he said When a teacher education program program program pro pro- gram has been approved by the State Board of Education individuals who complete that program are considered considered considered con con- certified by the state without the need for a detailed transcript analysis or evaluation Dean Colleen Kennedy of the Graduate School of Education said faculty have worked hard to develop exemplary programs and their efforts ef- ef efforts efforts ef ef- forts are being recognized The state eval evaluators commended commended commended com com- mended our faculty for the high quality of preparation we provide to teachers administrators and school personnel Kennedy said We are extremely please with the outcome of the review At least once every six years the Utah State Office of Education on evaluates educational institutions offering certification certification programs and submits an extensive extensive extensive ex ex- ex- ex report to the Utah State Stale Board of Education with recommendations for program approval As part of this years year's review the theU's theUs theUs theU's theUs theU's Us U's Graduate School of Education compiled a study self-study describing how some 40 programs meet strict standards set by the National Association Association Association As As- 0 of f State Stale Directors of Teacher Education and Certification In February a team of 30 top tol Utah educators and curriculum specialists spent two days on campus evaluating programs in including including including in- in elementary education all major and minors in secondary ed education uca tion special ed education uca ti on educational administration school social work school counseling counseling counseling coun coun- and school psychology The state report commended the Graduate School of Education for establishing close working relationships with the public schools and praised the Education Education- al Studies Department for establishing establishing establishing lishing professional development schools in partnership with local Evaluators offered commendations commenda commenda- in all certification areas They found teach candidates in elementary education strongly prepared in language arts math and science The program prepares students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents to work effectively with parents and involve them in the education of their children the report stated The report said that recent recent graduates in secondary education demonstrated a very strong spirit of professionalism great mastery of those skills necessary for classroom management and clear evidence that they were prepared to deal with today's youth All 27 majors and minors in secondary education received high marks The areas include math history his his- tory English foreign languages art music dance physical education health education computer science social science and other sciences The report said former fonner and current current current cur cur- rent students in preschool special education expressed great tion in the amount and quality of practicum and student teacher supervision supervision supervision super super- vision provided by clinical faculty The educational administration program was commended for its foresight and ability to respond to areas of special concern to current and prospective administrators The educational administration tion program recently received national attention when it ranked among the top 10 programs in the United States according to the April 1995 issue of Contemporary Educational Psychology Ut Utah li State Office of Education evaluators also made recommendations for improvement in a minimal minimal minimal mini mini- mal number of areas said There is always room for improvement We Ve have noted those areas and received a it commitment form the university to pay close at attention attention attention at- at to them Eval Evaluators recommended ad adding adding adding ad- ad ding an adolescent development course in athletic coaching improving improving improving im im- im- im proving the practicum in driver education assigning mentors to foreign language teaching majors and upgrading music teaching facilities |
