strategic action initiatives

Action Priorities—College of Education and Human Services

PI 34 new teacher licensure initiatives

Identify pilot districts to work with and develop PI-34-related programs that would assist those districts with professional development. Develop a long-term program in collaboration with the Division of Lifelong Learning and Community Engagement to manage PI34 professional development for our own teacher graduates from initial licensure to master teacher status.

2006: In progress.

2007: In progress with several districts identified. Programs initiated and assessment underway.

Refinement of student portfolio assessment process.

Strengthen a new performance-based, portfolio-driven assessment process to better focus on learner outcomes by refining admission, transition and program completion requirements for students.

2006: Developed and in the second year of implementation. Staff members are now working on converting it to an e-version and linking it with the PI 34 licensure initiative for graduating students.

2007: Conversion to an e-version still underway. Assessment of the current portfolio process is under analysis and changes are being studied.

Develop alternative licensure programs for teachers

Respond to the needs of P-16 partners (local school districts, UW Colleges) in working collaboratively to develop new program options (compressed, experientially sensitive, integrated preparation) for underserved constituency groups (career change, nontraditional students).

2006: Development of this program, now called ACT, has been completed and approved by the UW System and Department of Public Instruction. Initial stages of marketing and processing the first group of applicants is underway

2007: The first people to complete the program are now teaching. The program is doing well with solid numbers and a positive review by the Department of Public Instruction. Discussion is underway with several collaborating UW campuses to expand the program to add-on licenses for current teachers.

Change structure to foster collaboration with COLS

Develop an improved governance structure to more fully integrate the COLS voice in decisions about the university-wide preparation of teachers.

2006: A new collaborative governance committee has been inaugurated and will begin work fall 2006

2007: The new Professional Education Council has been operating for a year and is making a difference in cross-college collaboration regarding teacher preparation issues.

Expand diversity initiatives with English language learners and Native American students

Expand the impact of Project Adelante and related initiatives to better serve English Language Learner (ELL) populations and collaborative efforts with College of Menominee Nation to better serve Native American populations.

2006: Increased collaborative efforts with ELL groups in the region and with Native schools. Also, continued to offer pre-college programs to attract native students.

2007: Project Adelante moves to closure, after having served more than a 1,000 students in multiple school settings in the Fox Valley area. A new, five-year, federal (Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition) grant, Estrella, in the amount of $1.4 million has been received and will be initiated in the next academic year. Collaborative efforts have continued with various reservation school districts around the state, including teacher professional development programs and precollege summer programs.