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AAQEP Accreditation

Standard 3: Aspect C

Preparation programs ensure that candidates, upon completion, are ready to engage in professional practice, to adapt to a variety of professional settings, and to grow throughout their careers. Effective program practices include: consistent offering of coherent curricula; high-quality quality, diverse clinical experiences; dynamic, mutually beneficial partnerships with stakeholders; and comprehensive and transparent quality assurance processes informed by trustworthy evidence. Each aspect of the program is appropriate to its context and to the credential or degree sought.

Description of stakeholder engagement in program:
The Education Specialist program engages with a number of stakeholder groups to provide feedback, contribute guidance, and help us craft a vision for new directions in our programs. 

Completers: We recently began to distribute a survey to get feedback from our recent completers. We plan to revise this pilot survey and distribute each year to our alumni.  As we work to reinstitute our Advisory Board (see below), we hope to identify several recent graduates to serve on that board. 

Local Practitioners: One way we get feedback is when local practitioners serve as mentor teachers for our teacher candidates. In addition to triad meetings that involve student teachers, the mentor teacher, and the university coach, the university coach also checks in with the practitioner mentors regularly outside of the three triad meetings. Clinical Coaches then share input and feedback from the practitioner mentors with the Program Coordinator. We have hired some of our former MA candidates to teach courses in the areas of their expertise, and the coordinator is in regular contact with adjunct faculty.

Our program has also tried two different methods for working with local practitioners. First, we gather input and feedback from our Special Education fieldwork supervisors regarding the needs and ideas shared with them from the local practitioners with whom their student teachers are placed. Second, the three basic credential programs offered two workshops in Fall 2020 to local practitioners. The majority of practitioners who attended were from the Multiple Subject discipline. This was expected as most local Education Specialist practitioners hold their IEP meetings with families and students after school, are attending site staff meetings and/or professional development after school or are in other meetings relevant to special education after school. Our program plans to offer some type of online workshops and/or focus group sessions in the 2021-2022 academic year to listen to the ideas and needs of our local practitioners.

Schools/Districts: The Program Coordinator meets with the partner districts when requested. In the 2020-2021 school year, the Coordinator met with six partner districts to answer questions, get their input and feedback and to discuss any concerns they had. There are two residency programs involving Education Specialists. Each of those residencies has a Professor-in-Residence who meets weekly with district and/or site personnel for residence planning, monitoring progress of the candidates, and to facilitate professional learning for the candidates. The Professors-in-Residence communicate regularly with the Program Coordinator. One of our program goals is to pair each tenure-track faculty and/or full-time Lecturer with 1-2 partner districts quarterly for their input and ideas. 

Community College:  Program faculty attend a yearly community college articulation meeting to give feedback and receive input from the local community colleges. 

Advisory Board:  Our Special Education Advisory Board last convened in 2017-2018. Due to a number of challenges with program faculty shortages and lack of clerical support, we have not been able convene in recent years. 

With two new faculty hires, we plan to reinstate this board and reach out regularly to get stakeholder input. 

Stakeholder Data: Across the various stakeholder meetings, our program gained input and insights on the needs of candidates and completer as well as improvements our program might make relative to the standards.  We also gained input and ideas on support that our partner districts, employers and mentor teachers would like to see. 

In the future, our program can further capitalize on stakeholders’ insights by co-collaborating  and co-brainstorming solutions to issues to better support districts, candidates, year 1 Education Specialists, and alumni in real time. We will  develop a needs survey for districts, employers, and mentor teachers, hold focus groups of candidates and completers for insights, and co-analyze program signature assignment data with our district partners. All of these collaborative insights are opportunities to offer future professional development webinars and workshops to the community.

Previous Stakeholder Engagement:

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Education Specialist Clinical Coaches Meeting
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Monthly (2018-present)
  • Cheryl McDonald, Program Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs

CSU Fresno Special Education Coaches:

  • Barbara Williford 
  • Debra Folmer
  • Geoffrey Tiftick 
  • Joanie Muse
  • Karla Dyar
  • Linda Gillis (resigned 2020)
  • Marcia Kraft (resigned 2020)
  • Patricia Lewis
  • Sharon Malang
  • Shelley Franco
  • Sina Shamp
  • Tracy Smith, Ed.D
  • Input and feedback at meetings
  • Needs survey
  • Technology training offered
  • simSchool training offered
  • Tk20 training offered
Clovis Unified District Personnel
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Planning meetings:
09/30/2019
01/30/2020
02/06/2020
02/07/2020
11/12/2020
11/24/2020
  • Dr. Kathee  Godfrey, Interim Associate Dean (2019-2021), Kremen School of Education & Human Development, CSU Fresno
  • Dr. Kimberly Coy, Associate Professor, Special Education, CSU Fresno 
  • Dr. Heather Horsley, Assistant Professor and Residency Coordinator, CSU Fresno
  • Cheryl McDonald, Program Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs 
  • Debbie Parra, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Accountability,   Clovis Unified
  • Sonia Torossian, Director, Instructional Technology & Induction, Curriculum, Instruction & Accountability, Clovis Unified
    
Clovis Unified District Personnel
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Weekly meetings to discuss progress, planning, recruitment and curriculum for Dual Mild/Moderate Residency cohort and CLSP Multiple Subject cohort 2020-2022
  • Dr. Michael Mahoney, Assistant Professor, Special Education and Professor in Residence CSU Fresno
  • Debbie Parra, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Accountability Clovis Unified
  • Sonia Torossian, Director, Instructional Technology & Induction, Curriculum, Instruction & Accountability Clovis Unified
  • Carrie Carter, Director of Special Education Clovis Unified
  • Laura Hart, Principal, Miramonte Elementary School, Clovis Unified
  • Tammy Kent, Teacher on Special Assignment
    
Clovis Unified Placement Meeting
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Discussion of Clinical Practice placements In Clovis Unified 2/28/2019, 10/02/2019
  • Dr. Imelda Basurto, Dept, Chair, LEBSE
  • Dr. Tracy Smith, Special Education Placements Lead  
  • Janine Quisenberry, Former Placements Coordinator, CSU Fresno 
  • Cheryl McDonald,  Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs
  • Sonia Torossian, Director, Instructional Technology & Induction, Curriculum, Instruction & Accountability Clovis Unified
  • Martha Lomeli, Administrative Assistant, Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction, CSU Fresno
  • Brenna Barks, Clinical Practice Assistant  
    
Clovis Unified Teacher Residency 
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Recruitment Information Sessions:
10/28/2020
10/21/2020
10/14/2020
10/08/2020
10/28/2020
03/23/2020
03/16/2020
03/09/2020
03/02/2020
  • Dr. Heather Horsley, Residency Coordinator 
  • Dr. Michael Mahoney, Professor in Residence CSU Fresno
  • Cheryl McDonald,  Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs 
  • Debbie Parra, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Accountability Clovis Unified
  • Sonia Torossian, Director, Instructional Technology & Induction, Curriculum, Instruction & Accountability Clovis Unified
  • Carrie Carter, Director of Special Education Clovis Unified
  • Laura Hart, Principal, Miramonte Elementary School, Clovis Unified
  • Tammy Kent, Teacher in Residence, Clovis Teacher Residency 
    
Special Education Clinical Practice Placements
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Discussion/ Collaboration on Special Education Clinical Practice placements
12/14/2016
11/13/2017
08/23/2018
08/24/2018
2/26/2019
0/15/2019
03/15/2019
05/03/2019
08/16/2019
09/06/2019
12/05/2019
01/10/2020
05/01/2020
  • Janine Quisenberry, Coordinator, Clinical Practice Placements [to 2018]
  • Dr. Tracy Smith, Special Education Clinical Practice Placements Lead (2018-2020)
  • Felipe Mercado, Coordinator, Clinical Practice Placements (2020-present)
  • Cheryl McDonald,  Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs
  • Brenna Barks, Clinical Practice Assistant  
 Placement options for candidates Decisions on matches of candidate - placement- coach
Admissions 
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Weekly October- November and March-May 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 
  • Renee Flores, Admissions Specialist
  • Cheryl McDonald, Program Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs
 Data collection of basic skills requirements and subject matter proficiency for admission applicants Tracking Basic Skills requirements and subject matter proficiency of admitted applicants throughout program
Multiple Subject Program Meetings
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Monthly
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 		 Multiple Subject Program Faculty
  • Dr. Michael Mahoney, Assist Professor, Special Education
  • Cheryl McDonald, Program Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs
 Program agendas  Input and feedback to and from Multiple Subject faculty
Single Subject Program Meetings
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Monthly
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 		 Single Subject Program Faculty
  • Dr. William Garnett, Assist Professor, Special Education
 Program agendas  Input and feedback to and from Multiple Subject faculty
TEAM Standing Meetings
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Monthly standing meeting of Kremen staff and faculty on processes, procedures, information and input
  • Dr. Laura Alamillo, Interim Dean [2018-2020], Kremen School of Education & Human Development, CSU Fresno
  • Dr. Randy Yerrick, Dean [2020-], Kremen School of Education & Human Development
  • Dr. Kathee  Godfrey, Interim Associate Dean (2019-2021), Kremen School of Education & Human Development
  • Dr. Emy Lopez-Phillips, Coordinator,  SIngle Subject Credential  Program [until March 2018]
  • Dr. Imelda Basurto,  Coordinator,  SIngle Subject Credential  Program
  • Dr. Heather Horsley, Coordinator, Multiple Subject Credential Program [August 2020-
  • Cheryl McDonald, Coordinator, Education Specialist and Dual Credential  Programs
  • Dr. Felipe Mercado, [2020-] Coordinator of Clinical Practice Placements
  • Ivy FitzPatrick. Advisor
  • Jessica McVay, Advisor
  • Ana Espinoza, Advisor
  • Sherri Nakashima, Credential Analyst
  • Renee Flores, Credential Admissions
  • Brenna Barks, OCP Program Assistant
  • Maria Vargas-Guerrero, Internship  Assistant
    
Office of Clinical Practice and Program Coordinators
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Monthly: October 2020- present
  • Dr. Felipe Mercado, Coordinator of Clinical Practice Placements
  • Dr. Imelda Basurto,  Coordinator,  SIngle Subject Credential  Program
  • Dr. Heather Horsley, Coordinator, Multiple Subject Credential Program 
  • Cheryl McDonald, Program Coordinator, Education Specialist and Dual Credential  Programs
  • Dr. Kathleen Godfrey, Interim Associate Dean [2019-2021], Kremen School of Education & Human Development
 Current processes and procedures for placements Determining procedures for placements
Regional Coordinating Council Standing Meeting
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Standing monthly collaborative meetings to plan and share professional learning opportunities for valley special educators, service providers,  and parents of children with disabilities
09/01/2017
10/13/2017
01/12/2018
04/13/2018
10/02/2019
  • Cheryl McDonald, Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs
  • Dr. Tangee Pinheiro, Executive Director of Special Education, Fresno County Office of Education
  • Trina Frazier, Chief Student Services Officer, Fresno County Office of Education
  • Dr. Adrian Varanini, SELPA Director, Fresno Unified 
  • Julie Wheelock, Program Specialist, Fresno Unified
  • Nancy Miser, Special Education Program Manager, Fresno Unified
  • Susan Coston, Assistant Superintendent, Merced County Office of Education
  • Tammy Bruce, Tulare County Office of Education Program Manager
  • Theresa Pafford, Director of Special Education, Clovis Unified 
  • Shannon Greene, Assistant Director of Special Education,  Clovis Unified
  • Carin Jackson, Parent Engagement Center, Clovis Unified
  • Vickie Benson, Exceptional Parents Unlimited Agency
 Discussion of professional learning Share and plan professional learning for parents/families and teachers
Special Education Advisory Board
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Invitational meeting for Central Valley SELPA Directors, Directors of Special Education, and Superintendents to discuss Fresno State’s ES program and requested program changes
04/18/2017
  • Dr. Colleen Torgerson, Professor
  • Dr. Tangee Pinheiro, Executive Director of Special Education, Fresno County Office of Education
  • Trina Frazier, Chief Student Services Officer, Fresno County Office of Education
  • Cheryl McDonald, Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs, CSU Fresno
  • Dr. Adrian Varanini, SELPA Director, Fresno Unified 
  • Julie Wheelock, Program Specialist, Fresno Unified
  • Nancy Miser, Special Education Program Manager, Fresno Unified
  • Susan Coston, Assistant Superintendent, Merced County Office of Education
  • Tammy Bruce , Tulare County Office of Education Program Manager
  • Theresa Pafford, Director of Special Education, Clovis Unified 
  • Shannon Greene, Assistant Director of Special Education,  Clovis Unified
  • Carin Jackson, Parent Engagement Center, Clovis Unified
  • Vickie Benson, Exceptional Parents Unlimited Agency
 Discussion of program changes and input from districts Informed our practice
“Carolyn Dobbs Special Education Teacher of the Year” annual event 
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Carolyn Dobbs Special Education Teacher of the Year,  CSU Fresno-sponsored event
  • Dr. Paul Beare, Dean, Kremen School of Education & Human Development, CSU Fresno
  • Dr. Laura Alamillo, Associate Dean, Kremen School of Education & Human Development, CSU Fresno
  • Dr. Kathee Godfrey, Interim Associate Dean, Kremen School of Education & Human Development
  • Dr. Dana Powell, Professor, Special Education Program, CSu Fresno
  • Dr. Colleen Torgerson, Professor, Special Education Program, CSu Fresno
  • Dr. Sara Juarez, Assistant Professor, Special Education Program, CSU Fresno
  • Dr. Willam Garnett, Assistant Professor, Special Education Program, CSU Fresno
  • Cheryl McDonald, Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs, CSU Fresno

Superintendents, Board Members, Program Specialists, Principals, Event Nominees and Guests: 

  • Central Unified School District
  • Chawanakee Unified School District 
  • Clovis Unified School District 
  • Fresno Unified School District
  • Kings County Office of Education 
  • Madera County Office of Education
  • Madera-Mariposa SELPA
  • Mariposa Unified
  • Merced County Office of Education
  • Sanger Unified School District
  • Tulare County Office of Education
 Premier event across seven counties to acknowledge the work of special education teachers Good public relations
Central Unified School District Personnel
How often meet Who involved + Role Data analyzed Resulting actions
Discussion of Central Unified Expansion Grant
12/19/2018
  • Dr. Cathy Yun, Chair, Dept. of Literacy, Early, Bilingual and Special Education
  • Dr. Lisa Bennett, Coordinator, Multiple Subject Credential Program 
  • Dr. Colleen Torgerson, Professor, Special Education Program, CSU Fresno
  • Cheryl McDonald, Coordinator and Faculty, Education Specialist and Dual Credential Programs
  • Ketti Davis, Assistant Superintendent, Central Unified School District
  • Tami Boatwright, Area Administrator, Central Unified School District
    

Aspect D →