Teacher Preparation & Educational Leadership

The following programs prepare qualified candidates to fill the needs of schools:

Educator Preparation Programs Leading to Initial Teacher Certification

• Inclusive early childhood education – Students earn a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a recommendation for a Nebraska teaching certificate in the endorsement (Birth to Grade 3).
• Elementary education – Students earn a B.S. in education or a Master of Arts with a recommendation for certification to teach in grades K-6.
• Secondary education – Students earn a B.S. in education or a Master of Arts with a recommendation for certification to teach in grades 7-12.
• Special education – Students have a choice of dual major in elementary education and special education (K-6) or a special education (7-12) degree. Both are B.S. degrees with a recommendation for certification.

Advanced Level Educator Preparation Programs

Five CEHS departments are engaged in preparing our future educators.

• Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education (TLTE) – preparing undergraduate and graduate students for teaching careers in elementary and secondary education. Graduate students can earn master’s, Ph.D. and Ed.D. degrees. Additional endorsement programs leading to recommendation for licensure are also available.

• Special Education and Communication Disorders (SECD) – preparing undergraduate and graduate students for careers in special education endorsement programs. Graduate students can earn master’s and Ph.D. degrees in special education. SECD also prepares students to become speech-language pathologists and audiologists with master’s and Au.D programs.

• Child, Youth and Family Studies (CYAF) – preparing undergraduate students to serve children birth to grade 3 with a bachelor’s degree in inclusive early childhood education. CYAF also offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Family and Consumer Sciences Occupational. Both programs may lead to recommendation for teacher certification.

• Educational Administration (EDAD) – offers master’s and doctoral degrees as well as specialist degrees and added endorsements in a variety of grade configurations within P-20 school educational administration.

• Educational Psychology (EDPS) – prepares graduate students to be school psychologists through either an educational specialist degree or Ph.D. in a nationally certified program. EDPS also prepares graduate students to be school counselors through a master’s in counseling psychology.

Every CEHS program that leads to certification is accredited by a national accrediting agency. Accreditation helps separate UNL from other teacher preparation programs. More than 3,000 colleges and universities nationwide offer teacher preparation programs, but only 300 are accredited. It makes a difference.

Why?

• It helps assure quality in educator preparation through external peer review

• Sets standards for what new teachers need to know and for clinical training, which allows teachers to enter the classroom ready to teach effectively

• Promotes ongoing self-assessment of programs

• Connects with national and state accountability systems

• Elevates the profession

 

Accrediting Organizations

• Educator Preparation Programs – Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and Nebraska Department of Education.

• School Psychology – The Ph.D. in school psychology is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association, and the Ph.D. and Ed.S. in school psychology are approved by the National Association of School Psychologists.

• Speech Language Pathology – The M.S. in speech-language pathology and the Au.D. in audiology are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

See our accreditation page for more information.

NDE Approval Documents

• UNL Letter of Findings

CAEP Approval Document

• CAEP Accreditation Approval Letter

 

 

The EPP uses multiple measures to assess the instructional effectiveness of our program completers after the completion of their first year of employment as professional teachers. Two of these measures, the First Year Teacher and First Year Teacher Administrator Surveys, were constructed and are administered by the Nebraska Department of Education. Results from these two surveys (which provide EPP evidence to address CAEP standard 4.2) are reported back to each teacher preparation program accredited by the State of Nebraska.

In addition, in 2022-2023, the EPP has phased in a research plan to address CAEP standards 4.1 and 4.2. Research has been conducted by the EPP through a pilot study with two teachers - one secondary special education teacher located in an urban area, (Special Education 7-12 program completer) and one early childhood teacher in a rural area (Inclusive Early Childhood Education program completer). The primary data source planned is the case study (self-assessment) action research conducted by project participants. All EPP impact data sources are reviewed by the EPP faculty (yearly - fall semester) and the CEHS Professional Education Committee (yearly - spring semester).

Case Study of Education Program Completers

Program completers one year past graduation (during their second year of professional practice) generate a creative or scholarly product (i.e., a completer-conducted action research project) that demonstrates their impact on P-12 student learning. This project requirea program completers to integrate the knowledge of content and pedagogy acquired throughout the program in their classroom, develop assessment plans, collect and analyze student data, and synthesize, interpret, and reflect on students’ learning to further make improvements on their teaching practices. Program completers are asked to select one of three themes from the Nebraska Clinical Practice Evaluation Rubric (NCPER) specifically chosen because the rubric clearly delineates student learning as a direct outcome:

Assessment - Assesses for learning (NCPER Standard 6)¹
Learner Development - Uses knowledge of students to meet needs (NCPER Standard 1)²
Learner Differences - Differentiates instruction to meet student needs (NCPER Standard 2)³

Program completers collect relevant evidence from their own work in the classroom over time (e.g., mid-year and end of year during their 2nd year of teaching) and use the evidence to interpret and synthesize what their students are learning and how they are making progress as a result of the completer’s instruction. Program completers are asked to create an online portfolio that includes the following components.

Part I: Program completers are asked to provide an introductory statement regarding content and pedagogical knowledge that includes the theme selected. Guiding questions are listed below. The statement, “What knowledge, skills and strategies should a teacher use to reach all learners?” serves as an anchor question to permit comparison across program completers regardless of which theme they select for their action research project.

Themes	Example Questions to Consider
Assessment	What knowledge, skills and strategies do you use to reach all learners? How do formative assessments assist your instructional decisions? How do summative assessments assist your instructional decisions? How do you use assessments to guide implementation of differentiated instructional strategies? How do you use multiple sources of data to make instructional decisions? (Differentiated and developmentally appropriate)
Learner Development	What knowledge, skills and strategies do you use to reach all learners? How does data about students help you in designing current and future instruction? How do you adjust your teaching to build on your student’s strengths? How do students’ motivation and engagement play a role in making your instructional decisions?
Learner Differences	What knowledge, skills and strategies do you use to reach all learners? How do you identify your individual student needs? In what ways is your classroom culturally responsive. Please provide a specific example or two. How do you know that you are reaching individualized student needs?

Part II: Program completers are asked to provide at least three student work samples that represent student learning over time and write a reflective narrative that illustrates how their pedagogical knowledge, skills, and strategies influenced their teaching practices and enhanced student learning.

Part III: Program completers are asked to provide a summary statement concerning their impact on student learning and what steps they might undertake to enhance student learning in the future.

A sub-committee of our CAEP leadership committee serve as the lead in refining and enacting this plan. Analyses of data herein are shared with members of the Professional Education Committee (PEC). The PEC is comprised by representative EPP faculty and relevant stakeholders (as defined in our Quality Assurance System).

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¹Target rating of “Proficient” states “Uses student performance data and knowledge of students to identify interventions that support and/or advance students to positively impact learning.

²Target rating of “Proficient” states “Uses data about students and their development to adjust teaching” (resulting in student learning.

³Target rating of “Proficient” states “Identifies students’ needs for differentiation and responds with individualized instruction, flexible grouping, and varied learning experiences.

2022 First-Year Teacher Survey on Perceived Effectiveness in Applying Professional Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

First-year teacher satisfaction was assessed on a 4-point scale (i.e., 1=below standard/unacceptable, 2=developing, 3=proficient, 4=advanced). Our EPP completers reported that, on average, 98% of them perceived to meet standards toward the end of their first year of teaching (range = 92 to 100%, N=119).

NDE Standards (1-10)	Descriptions	Advanced (4)		Proficient (3)		Developing (2)		Below Standard (1)		N	Mean	Mode
		n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Standard 1 Learner Development	Uses knowledge of students to meet needs	21	17.60	80	67.20	16	13.40	2	1.70	119	3.01	3.0
	Builds on student strengths to facilitate learning	15	12.60	86	72.30	17	14.30	1	0.80	119	2.97	3.0
Standard 2 Learner Differences	Identifies differentiation in student needs	20	16.80	71	59.70	27	22.70	1	0.80	119	2.92	3.0
	Differentiates instruction to meet student needs	15	12.60	72	60.50	30	25.20	2	1.70	119	2.84	3.0
	Brings multiple perspectives and cultural resources to content and discussions	20	16.80	69	58.00	28	23.50	2	1.70	119	2.90	3.0
Standard 3 Learning Environments	Promotes a positive classroom environments through clear expectations	55	46.20	55	46.20	8	6.70	1	0.80	119	3.38	3.5
	Uses and communicates clear task and behavioral expectations to support an environment of learning	32	26.90	71	59.70	13	10.90	3	2.50	119	3.11	3.0
Standard 4 Content Knowledge	Uses and communicates content knowledge	27	22.70	83	69.70	8	6.70	1	0.80	119	3.14	3.0
	Uses academic vocabulary and grammar	33	27.70	77	64.70	7	5.90	2	1.70	119	3.18	3.0
	Provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their content knowledge	12	17.60	86	72.30	12	10.10	0	0.00	119	3.08	3.0
Standard 5 Application of Content	Helps students link concepts and enagage in critical thinking	21	17.60	71	59.70	25	21.00	2	1.70	119	2.93	3.0
	Engages students in the development of literacy and communication skills	15	12.60	80	67.20	24	20.20	0	0.00	119	2.92	3.0
Standard 6 Assessment	Matches instructions and assessments to learning objectives	25	21.00	77	64.70	17	14.30	0	0.00	119	3.97	3.0
	Uses formative and summative classroom assessments that facilitate learning	23	19.30	80	67.30	15	12.60	1	0.80	119	3.05	3.0
	Amends instructional strategies and adapts interventions as needed	15	12.60	75	63.00	27	22.70	2	1.70	119	2.87	3.0
	Provides differentiated instruction and assessments that positively impacts learning	16	13.40	79	66.40	21	17.60	3	2.50	119	2.91	3.0
Standard 7 Planning for Instruction	Plans sequenced learning experiences and performance tasks linked to learning objectives	18	15.10	86	72.30	14	11.80	1	0.80	119	3.02	3.0
	Plans and implements multiple ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills	20	16.80	80	67.20	18	15.10	1	0.80	119	3.00	3.0
Standard 8 Instructional Strategies	Incorporates digital tools and technologies into instruction	29	24.40	70	58.80	20	16.80	0	0.00	119	3.08	3.0
	Uses evidence-based strategies to support critical thinking and content learning	17	14.30	84	70.60	16	13.40	2	1.70	119	2.97	3.0
	Organizes and manages the learning environment to maximize student engagement	21	17.60	74	62.20	21	17.60	3	2.50	119	2.95	3.0
Standard 9 Professional Learning and Ethical Practice	Invites constructive feedback and responds positively	33	27.70	77	64.70	7	5.90	2	1.70	119	3.18	3.0
	Sets and implements goals to improve practice	29	24.40	74	62.20	14	11.80	2	1.70	119	3.09	3.0
Standard 10 Leadership and Collaboration	Communicates professionally - oral, written, and electronic	49	41.20	60	50.40	8	6.70	2	1.70	119	3.31	3.0
	Responds to people, problems, and crises effectively	39	32.80	63	52.90	15	12.60	2	1.70	119	3.17	3.0

2022 Principal Survey Data on First-Year Teachers

Employer satisfaction was assessed on a 4-point scale (i.e., 1=below standard/unacceptable, 2=developing, 3=proficient, 4=advanced). Employers of our EPP completers reported that, on average, close to 100% of our EPP completers were meeting standards toward the end of their first year of teaching (mean = 98%, range = 92 to 100%, N=119).

NDE Standards (1-10)	Assessment Rubric Description	Advanced (4)		Proficient (3)		Developing (2)		Below Standard (1)		N	Mean	Mode
		n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Standard 1 Learner Development	Uses knowledge of students to meet needs	20	16.80	72	60.50	26	21.80	1	0.80	119	2.93	3.0
	Builds on student strengths to facilitate learning	23	19.30	71	59.70	23	19.30	2	1.70	119	2.97	3.0
Standard 2 Learner Differences	Identifies differentiation in student needs	27	22.70	68	57.10	23	19.30	1	0.80	119	3.02	3.0
	Differentiates instruction to meet student needs	26	21.80	57	47.90	34	28.60	2	1.70	119	2.90	3.0
	Brings multiple perspectives and cultural resources to content and discussions	23	19.30	71	59.70	23	19.30	2	1.70	119	2.97	3.0
Standard 3 Learning Environments	Promotes a positive classroom environments through clear expectations	43	36.10	56	47.10	19	16.00	1	0.80	119	3.18	3.0
	Uses and communicates clear task and behavioral expectations to support an environment of learning	37	31.10	51	42.90	28	23.50	3	2.50	119	3.03	3.0
Standard 4 Content Knowledge	Uses and communicates content knowledge	30	25.20	80	67.20	7	5.90	2	1.70	119	3.16	3.0
	Uses academic vocabulary and grammar	28	23.50	84	70.60	6	5.00	1	0.80	119	3.17	3.0
	Provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their content knowledge	30	25.20	73	61.30	15	12.60	1	0.80	119	3.11	3.0
Standard 5 Application of Content	Helps students link concepts and enagage in critical thinking	16	13.40	73	61.30	29	24.40	1	0.80	119	2.87	3.0
	Engages students in the development of literacy and communication skills	20	16.80	77	64.70	21	17.60	1	0.80	119	2.97	3.0
Standard 6 Assessment	Matches instructions and assessments to learning objectives	24	20.20	79	66.40	15	12.60	1	0.80	119	3.06	3.0
	Uses formative and summative classroom assessments that facilitate learning	21	17.60	81	68.10	16	13.40	1	0.80	119	3.03	3.0
	Amends instructional strategies and adapts interventions as needed	23	19.30	74	62.20	19	16.00	3	2.50	119	2.98	3.0
	Provides differentiated instruction and assessments that positively impacts learning	18	15.10	72	60.50	27	22.70	2	1.70	119	2.89	3.0
Standard 7 Planning for Instruction	Plans sequenced learning experiences and performance tasks linked to learning objectives	24	20.20	84	70.60	10	8.40	1	0.80	119	3.10	3.0
	Plans and implements multiple ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills	21	17.60	80	67.20	17	14.30	1	0.80	119	3.02	3.0
Standard 8 Instructional Strategies	Incorporates digital tools and technologies into instruction	26	21.80	79	66.40	13	10.90	1	0.80	119	3.09	3.0
	Uses evidence-based strategies to support critical thinking and content learning	14	11.80	80	67.20	24	20.20	1	0.80	119	2.90	3.0
	Organizes and manages the learning environment to maximize student engagement	24	20.20	67	56.30	25	21.00	3	2.50	119	2.94	3.0
Standard 9 Professional Learning and Ethical Practice	Invites constructive feedback and responds positively	34	28.60	70	58.80	13	10.90	2	1.70	119	3.14	3.0
	Sets and implements goals to improve practice	24	20.20	79	66.40	13	10.90	3	2.50	119	3.04	3.0
Standard 10 Leadership and Collaboration	Communicates professionally - oral, written, and electronic	26	21.80	77	64.70	13	10.90	3	2.50	119	3.06	3.0
	Responds to people, problems, and crises effectively	23	19.30	80	67.20	13	10.90	3	2.50	119	3.03	3.0

2022 Candidate Competency at Completion

EPP completers' teaching effectiveness was assessed on a 4-point scale (i.e., 1=unacceptable, 2=developing, 3=proficient, 4=advanced). The expected levels of performance are 3 (proficient) or 4 (advanced), and data revealed that, on average, 98% of our EPP completers are at or above the 'proficient' level on all competencies (range = 95% to 99%, N=244).

NDE Standards (1-10)	Assessment Rubric Description	Advanced (4)		Proficient (3)		(3)+(4)	Developing (2)		Unacceptable (1)		N	Mean	Mode
		n	%	n	%	%	n	%	n	%
1. Learner Development	Uses knowledge of students to meet needs	108	44.40	135	55.60	100.00	0	0.00	0	0.00	243	3.44	3.0
2. Learner Differences	Differentiates instruction to meet student needs	74	30.60	161	66.50	97.10	7	2.90	0	0.00	242	3.28	3.0
3. Learning Environments	Promotes a positive classroom environments through clear expectations	107	43.90	129	52.90	96.80	8	3.30	0	0.00	244	3.41	3.0
4. Content Knowledge	Uses accurate content and academic vocabulary	124	50.80	118	48.40	99.20	2	0.80	0	0.00	244	3.50	4.0
5. Application of Content	Engages students in critical thinking and collaborative problem solving	87	36.10	149	61.80	97.90	5	2.10	0	0.00	241	3.34	3.0
	Develops literacy and communication skills through content	85	36.80	140	60.60	97.40	6	2.60	0	0.00	231	3.34	3.0
6. Assessment	Uses classroom assessment	88	36.20	150	61.70	97.90	5	2.10	0	0.00	243	3.34	3.0
	Assesses for learning	69	28.90	157	65.70	94.60	13	5.40	0	0.00	239	3.23	3.0
7. Planning for Instruction	Plans for instruction	114	47.30	126	52.30	99.60	1	0.40	0	0.00	241	3.47	3.0
8. Instructional Strategies	Incorporates digital tools into instruction	127	53.10	109	45.60	98.70	3	1.30	0	0.00	239	3.52	4.0
	Uses research-based instructional strategies	69	28.60	163	67.60	96.20	9	3.70	0	0.00	241	3.24	3.0
	Uses engagement to enhance learning	105	43.40	129	53.30	96.70	8	3.30	0	0.00	242	3.40	3.0
9. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice Dispositions	Accepts critique and input regarding performance	178	73.60	60	24.80	98.40	4	1.70	0	0.00	242	3.72	4.0
10. Leadership and Collaboration	Conveys professional demeanor	132	55.00	101	42.10	97.10	5	2.10	2	0.80	240	3.51	4.0
	Uses professional communication	123	50.80	112	46.30	97.10	5	2.10	2	0.80	242	3.47	4.0

Each year, we have approximately 1-2% of candidates who fail to meet licensing requirements and graduate without certification. That means that 98-99% complete our EPP program and successfully meet licensing requirements. In addition, 98% of our EPP 2021-2022 completers received a passing score on Praxis.