Committee on Teacher Education
The Committee on Teacher Education (COTE) is an interdisciplinary advisory and policy-making council consisting of stakeholders who coordinate the total educator preparation program (EPP) of the institution. COTE meets four times a year, twice each semester. It consists of one representative from each of the licensure content areas (biology/chemistry, English/foreign language, history and social science, math/computer science, music, physical education, visual arts/theater), a representative from graduate teacher education-Harrisonburg & Lancaster, field placement coordinator, elementary/early childhood education faculty, special education faculty, secondary education faculty, three representatives from area public and private schools, two undergraduate candidates (6-12/PreK-12 and PreK-3/PreK-6/SPED), and one graduate candidate. The Chair of Undergraduate Teacher Education and the Director of Graduate Teacher Education serve as co-chairs. To maintain communication between the teacher education program and the core curriculum, the Director of EMU’s Core Curriculum holds a liaison role. COTE stakeholders systematically provide feedback and input into program evaluation, improvement, and decision-making activities.
The committee is supported by three subcommittees: the Teacher Education Admissions Committee (TEAC), the Assessment Committee (AC), and the Graduate Education and Action Research Committee (GEAR). These subcommittees evaluate policy on a systematic basis and make recommendations to COTE.
Teacher Education Admissions Committee
Screens Candidates
The Teacher Education Admissions Committee (TEAC) is composed of eight persons, four of whom are elected from the Committee on Teacher Education, with the Chair of Undergraduate Teacher Education or the Director of Graduate Teacher Education serving as chair and ex-officio members. By virtue of the position, the field placement coordinator and the assistant director of the Graduate Teacher Education program in Lancaster are automatically appointed to the committee. The function of the Teacher Education Admissions Committee is to admit applicants to: undergraduate teacher education, student teaching, M.A. in Education, graduate certificates, and M.A. candidacy on the basis of departmental criteria.
TEAC usually meets six times a year to process candidates (October, December, March, May, July, and August.) Admission criteria for undergraduate programs are outlined in this handbook. Admission criteria for the MA in Education program is outlined in the M.A. in Education handbook. Students are invited to meet with academic advisors in their respective departments and their advisors within the education department if their application is below criteria standards or if they wish to appeal a decision of TEAC (see page 30).
Assessment Committee
Monitors the Assessment System
The Assessment Committee is charged with coordinating the development, implementation, and ongoing review of the Quality Assurance System (QAS). The Assessment Committee ensures that the EPP collects and analyzes data in a manner that ensures the data are used to improve candidates, programs, and the EPP. The Assessment Committee ensures that the QAS is aligned with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) standards and creates proposals for revisions of the system. COTE approves policy revisions of the QAS.
Membership is composed of the Assessment Coordinator, a representative from the Institutional Research Office, the Chair of Undergraduate Teacher Education, the Director of Graduate Teacher Education, one representative from the education department, one other non-education department member of COTE, and a public school representative. The chair of the Assessment Committee is the Assessment Coordinator of the Educator Preparation Provider (EPP), as an appointed position with departmental load hours assigned (Refer to QAS manual for further details).
Working Assumptions and Principles
- Evaluation measures assess candidate performance and EPP operations/effectiveness.
- Candidate assessments measure knowledge, skills and dispositions according to curricula and appropriate standards.
- Candidate performance is measured through multiple assessments and at regular intervals, matching the candidate transition points.
- Assessments are consistent with national, state, and EPP standards, best practice, and research.
- Communication concerning the assessment processes is regular and transparent.
- EPP members work collaboratively with the Assessment Committee to further articulate, implement and review assessments consistent with the EPP Outcomes, the Specialty Professional Association Outcomes (if applicable) and university, state and national standards.
Roles and Processes
- QAS Maintenance and Revision: The committee is responsible for maintaining a QAS that is effective and in alignment with CAEP standards. The Committee may review suggestions for improvement of the system from anywhere within the EPP, and may also receive feedback on such proposals from anywhere within the unit. The Assessment Committee references policy proposals with the education department for information and discussion prior to presentation to COTE for approval. Final proposals for revising the QAS are drafted by the Assessment Committee; such proposals are considered to be a change in policy and, therefore, require the approval of COTE.
- Oversight of the QAS: The Assessment Coordinator, in conjunction with members of the Assessment Committee, provides each level of the EPP with notification of the assessment cycle, assessment instrument(s) to be used, and reporting procedures for the use of data to make decisions. The coordinator/committee provides the appropriate mechanisms for storage and recording of the use of data for decision-making purposes. The Coordinator/Committee may also review data usage reports for trends that may affect the EPP, and/or to determine if data should be shared for further analysis across parts of the EPP. Final responsibility for ensuring that members of the EPP carry out their responsibilities within the QAS rests with the Chair of Undergraduate Teacher Education and the Director of Graduate Teacher Education, as a supervisory function.
Graduate Education and Action Research Committee
The Graduate Education and Action Research (GEAR) Committee manages, assesses and makes policy recommendations regarding the culminating action research process of the graduate teacher education program. In addition, this committee advises the graduate department on program items under consideration. Recommendations are forwarded to the education department and to the Committee on Teacher Education. The Director of Graduate Teacher Education chairs the committee serving as an ex-officio member. The Assistant Director of the Lancaster EMU site serves as a standing member. Also, two EMU tenure-track education faculty and one Lancaster action research mentor will serve two-year terms. The remaining three members are appointed by COTE for a two-year term and may include program graduates, school representatives, and action research mentors. The committee meets four times a year (may meet online) and serves the additional purposes of evaluating and updating "A Guide to Action Research Project."
Ad Hoc Advisory Groups
Provide Program Guidance
Ad Hoc Advisory Groups are formed for each undergraduate and graduate program area for purposes of program consultation, revision, and evaluation. Advisory groups are formed by program coordinators when major curriculum or program revisions are contemplated or when input from P-12 stakeholders would be beneficial for program improvement. The Advisory Groups consist of 5-6 teachers and administrators from area schools who are selected for their expertise. Coordinators are responsible for convening and setting the agenda for their respective advisory group. Feedback from advisory groups is shared as part of program evaluation.