CSU Long Beach College of Education Accreditation
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), is a public, urban, comprehensive university (Carnegie Classification Master’s I) that provides undergraduate and graduate education to a highly diverse population, with an emphasis on teacher preparation and professional programs. An increasing number of graduates go on to doctoral programs.
The campus offers a broad range of baccalaureate and graduate degrees spanning the liberal arts and sciences and many applied and professional fields: 81 baccalaureate degree programs, 67 master’s degree programs, 16 education related credential programs, two joint doctoral degrees and, beginning fall 2007, one free-standing doctoral degree in Educational Leadership.
Our core purpose, “To Graduate Students With Highly Valued Degrees,” expresses our acceptance of responsibility beyond merely delivering instruction to doing all that we can to see that students learn well. Our core values, “Opportunity, Diversity, and Excellence,” express our pride in academic excellence and recognition as a top public masters university. “A Teaching-Intensive, Research-Driven University” captures our sense of identity. We are keenly aware of our core responsibility for teaching a diverse population of students.
CSULB is located in Long Beach, just south of the city of Los Angeles. The campus sits on 322 slightly elevated acres, about three miles from the Pacific Ocean. Eighty permanent buildings house 7 colleges, 63 academic departments and programs, 24 centers, 4 institutes, and 4 clinics.
The campus’s primary service area is the greater Los Angeles Basin, a population base of more than 5 million. The city of Long Beach is an urban municipality of about one-half million people that was identified by USA Today as the most diverse city in the United States based on 2000 census data. Long Beach is one of the world’s largest shipping ports, and major industries include aerospace, medicine and tourism.
CSU Long Beach began as Los Angeles-Orange County State College in 1949, on a campus consisting of two apartment buildings near the present day site, with 169 junior and senior transfer students and a schedule of 25 courses taught by 13 faculty. The campus was renamed Long Beach State College when it moved to its current location in 1952, Long Beach State University in 1972, and became California State University, Long Beach in 1982.
At about 34,000 students, CSULB is one of the largest campuses in the CSU and in the state. Over 70,000 students apply for admission yearly, and approximately 13,000 enroll. Each year freshmen are the largest component of the new student mix, followed by community college transfer students, then by graduate degree seeking students, and finally by post-baccalaureate students seeking K-12 teaching and related credentials. In academic year 2004-05, the campus awarded 7,625 degrees including 6,192 baccalaureate degrees and 1,433 master’s degrees. CSULB is organized into four administrative divisions: Academic Affairs, Student Services, Administration and Finance, and University Relations and Development. Academic Affairs is organized into seven academic colleges: Liberal Arts, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, The Arts, Business Administration, Health and Human Services, Education, and Engineering. In addition, University College and Extension Services offer self-support programs.
Seventy-eight percent of CSULB’s undergraduate students and sixty-two percent of our graduate students are enrolled full-time. Classes average a twenty-to-one student-faculty ratio with a sixty percent female student population. As Table A.01 (CSULB Student Demographics, 2005-2006) illustrates, CSU Long Beach is a very diverse campus, with the largest ethnic/racial group comprising only 34% of the student body.
CSULB was recently ranked sixth in the nation in awarding degrees to students of color by the Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine. The campus recently qualified as a Hispanic-Serving Institution with the award of a five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will provide catalytic funding for a variety of programs supporting student success.
In fall 2005, the campus employed 2,396 full and part-time faculty members, of whom 862 were tenured and tenure-track. The faculty is 52% male and 48% female. Faculty members’ demographics are White 71%, Asian/Pacific Islander 14.6%, Latino 7.5%, African American 4.5%, 1.4% undetermined, and .8% Native American. Table A.02 (CSULB Faculty, Administration & Staff Demographics, 2005-2006) shows the ethnic/racial and gender breakdown of faculty, administration and staff in 2005-2006.
CSULB is one of 23 campuses in the public California State University (CSU) system, and one of 22 offering education programs. The system offers more than 1,800 bachelor and master degree programs in over 2,400 subject areas to more than 400,000 students. The system awards more than half of the bachelor’s degrees and about one third of the master’s degrees in California. In addition, a variety of teaching and school service credential programs are available. A limited number of doctoral degrees are offered jointly with the University of California and with private institutions in California. In 2005, the CSU was authorized to offer independent Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree programs in educational leadership. The CSULB program will begin in fall, 2007. Enrollment in fall 2005 totaled 405,000 students, who were taught by some 22,000 faculty. (http://www.calstate.edu/PA/info/system.shtml)
Responsibility for the California State University is vested in the Board of Trustees, whose members are appointed by the Governor. The Trustees appoint the Chancellor, who is the chief executive officer of the system, and the Presidents, who are the chief executives on each campus.
The Trustees, the Chancellor and the Presidents develop system-wide policy, with actual implementation at the campus level taking place through broadly based consultative procedures. The Academic Senate of the California State University, made up of elected representatives of the faculty from each campus, recommends academic policy to the Board of Trustees through the Chancellor.
Academic excellence has been achieved by the California State University through a distinguished faculty, whose primary responsibility is superior teaching. While each campus in the system has its own unique geographic and curricular character, all campuses, as multipurpose institutions, offer undergraduate and graduate instruction for professional and occupational goals as well as broad liberal education. All of the campuses require for graduation a basic program of “General Education-Breadth Requirements” regardless of the type of bachelor's degree or major field selected by the student.
The unit comprises baccalaureate, certificate, credential, and master’s degree programs housed in three departments in the College of Education (CED) and five affiliated programs located in the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) (Table Introduction A-3: The Unit by College, Department & Program).
It should be noted that the “unit” refers to those programs in the College of Education and the College of Health and Human Services that (1) come under NCATE review as initial and advanced (continuing) programs for teachers and programs for other school personnel (including credential and Master’s degree programs); and/or (2) are subject to review by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing as basic or advanced credential programs (excluding Master’s degree programs. There are a few Master’s degree programs in the College of Education and many programs in the College of Health and Human Services that do not fall within this definition of the “unit.” Each program in the unit participates in the Unit Assessment System (UAS) through a variety of activities that are recorded in its Program Assessment and Evaluation (PAES) binder. This system is fully described in Standard 2. Table A.03 (The Unit by College, Department & Program) displays the components of the accreditation unit.
A distinctive feature of the unit is the Single Subject Credential Program (SSCP). The SSCP is a university-wide program comprising ten departmentalized subject programs housed in four colleges (Table A.04: Subject Programs in the Single Subject Program). Supervisory authority is delegated to the Dean of the College of Education. The budget of the program is a line item in the CED budget. For in-depth descriptions of each of the subject programs in Table A.04 refer to individual self-study documents in the Single Subject Program section of the Exhibits Room, which contain program conceptual frameworks, administrative structures and procedures, and credentialing and curricular requirements aligned with Commission on Teacher Credentialing standards for subject programs.
The review status of programs in the unit participating in re-accreditation is displayed in Table A.05 (Review Status of Advanced Teacher Preparation Programs). The unit received initial NCATE accreditation in 2001 (BOE Report 2001, Exhibit 1; BOE Rejoinder 2001, Exhibit 2; CCTC Report 2001, Exhibit 3; NCATE Annual Report, Exhibit 4). All initial and advanced credential programs have received state approval from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC), and will be undergoing state review at the time of the merged accreditation visit in spring 2007.
Of the 24 programs in the unit, 14 will be reviewed by both NCATE and CCTC, 8 will be reviewed only by NCATE, and 2 will be reviewed only by CCTC. The School Psychology program is the only unit program to hold accreditation from an agency other than NCATE or CCTC; the program received National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) certification in 2005. Per the CCTC, the School Psychology program will use its NASP program review document for the current merged review.
The College of Education (CED) offers 3 initial teacher preparation programs—the Multiple Subject (elementary and middle school, K-8), Single Subject (secondary, 7-12), and Education Specialist (special education) programs—that lead to the preliminary California teaching credential.
The CED offers 5 advanced (continuing) teacher preparation programs. Within this category, the Education Specialist Level II Credential program leads to the professional Level II credential for education specialists. Since the Senate Bill 2042 credential guidelines went into effect in 2004, primary responsibility to provide Professional Clear Credential (advanced credential) preparation for new teachers holding the Multiple Subject and Single Subject credentials is now a function of the school districts through their state-funded Induction Programs and Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) programs. Although state law permits IHEs to have Professional Clear Credential programs, there is currently not enough demand for the college to support a program. The other four programs in the category of advanced (continuing) teacher preparation programs are Master’s degree programs offering advanced study for practicing teachers in Curriculum and Instruction (elementary and secondary), Early Childhood Education, and Dual Language Development. The CED also offers 10 programs for other school personnel such as school counselors, school psychologists, reading specialists, school librarians, and school administrators.
The College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) offers three programs for other school personnel (school nursing, school social work, speech therapist/audiology), a program in vocational education (Designated Subjects), and a program leading to authorization to teach Adapted Physical Education that is attached to the Single Subject Physical Education program.
Self-studies, appendices and supporting materials, and examples of student work for all unit programs are available in the Exhibits Room.
There are no external tests for licensure, certification, and/or program completion required of candidates in unit programs for other school personnel.
Faculty staffing levels have been relatively stable over the previous three years (Table A.06: Employment Status of Faculty and Administrators in the Unit). An approximate 10 percent reduction in Clinical Supervisors is a reflection of reduced enrollments in initial teaching credential programs. Administrators in the College of Education include 1 dean, 3 associate deans, 3 department chairs, the Single Subject Coordinator, and the Administrative Services Manager (ASM). Although the department chairs and Single Subject Coordinator are on faculty contracts, for purposes of this review they are included with the dean, associate deans, and ASM, all of whom are administrators contractually. Additionally, 1 of the associate deans is a full-time appointment, 1 is a .8 appointment, and 1 is a .2 appointment. Table A.07 (CED New Faculty Appointments, 2003-2007) shows hiring trends in recent years.
No programs are offered off-campus completely. Some programs have off-campus cohorts, for example, C & I Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Some programs, for example, Multiple Subject, have individual courses that meet off-campus.
No programs are delivered entirely online. One CED course (EDP 350) is offered online, but not every semester. Faculty in virtually every course utilize BeachBoard, chat rooms, and/or email to extend the range of the classroom.
In the decade 1996-2006, College of Education enrollment increased from 1074 full time equivalent students (FTES) to 2124 FTES in 2005-2006. We increased the number of faculty and staff at a commensurate rate during that same period. This rate of growth exceeded the overall rate of growth of the campus, and placed items related to assessing effective operations at the forefront of many discussions in Administrative Council meetings, Leadership Committee meetings, and college meetings with faculty and staff. Budget allocations followed increased enrollments. Since 2004, the sharp decline in enrollment in the Multiple Subject Credential Program, the largest program in the college, has led to a modest overall decline for the CED.
There have been three program discontinuances in the Department of Teacher Education since the last Board of Examiners (BOE) visit, and one program has been added. The Early Childhood Education credential and the Middle School option of the Multiple Subject Program were discontinued in 2005; the Middle School Specialization of the Master of Arts Option was discontinued in fall 2006. The Dual Language Development Specialization of the Masters of Arts in Education was approved in 2006. Planning and initial development for a new education doctoral program in educational leadership began in 2006 and continues. The first cohort will enter in fall 2007. The program has been approved by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the CSU system.
The initial accreditation visit Board of Examiners Report (2001) identified three weaknesses to address: (1) In the multiple and single subject programs the sequence of field experiences prior to student teaching does not appear to consistently result in a cohesive experience in support of a well developed rationale; (2) The institution has not systematically monitored the progress of candidates in the initial programs through appropriate academic and professional advising; and (3) At the initial level, the Single Subject programs are inconsistent in the regularity with which university supervisors are evaluated.
We believe the two programs have addressed these issues, beginning immediately after the review. In the Multiple Subject Program, field experiences have become more coherent as the SERVE office has taken over major responsibility for coordinating 120 hours of early field experiences, and as the Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) has become the primary undergraduate route to entering the credential program. In both the Multiple and Single Subject programs field experiences have become stronger and more integrated with coursework as we’ve embedded the California Teaching Performance Assessment Tasks into course and fieldwork. This is described more fully in Standard 1 and Standard 3. As described more fully in Standard 6, the Teacher Preparation and Advising Center (TPAC) was developed over several years and now houses all three initial programs. We believe the Center serves as a focal point and through it faculty and staff provide excellent advising and support services to candidates. Candidates in the Single Subject program complete a supervisor evaluation at the conclusion of the student teaching semester (they also complete an evaluation of their master teacher). Evaluation responses are input in a database, aggregated reports are discussed among program coordinators, and individual coordinators receive the raw (confidential) evaluations to use as data for discussions with supervisors about their performance.
Annual NCATE reports are available in the Exhibits Room.
The theme of the Conceptual Framework (Exhibit 5) for the College of Education and Affiliated Programs is Teaching for Life-Long Learning, Professional Growth, and Social Responsibility. The Conceptual Framework identifies the philosophy, knowledge base, purposes, professional commitments, and dispositions that drive program development, teaching, and scholarship in the unit. The six key ideas, enumerated in the Mission Statement, undergird our vision and define the essentials of the knowledge base upon which we build our programs and practice. They are: Growth and Learning, Social Responsibility, Diversity, Service and Collaboration, School Improvement, and Research, Scholarship and Evaluation. The theme of the Conceptual Framework—Teaching for Life-Long Learning, Professional Growth, and Social Responsibility—asserts our vision as a community. It also underscores our key functions as an integral part of California State University, Long Beach, and its mission as a metropolitan comprehensive institution serving a rich and diverse community. As a learning community, we honor the individual and value individualistic ideals of learning, effort, responsibility, growth and achievement. But no less important is the social group that transcends the individual. Without the social group, the individual is not fully realized. Social responsibility and individual learning and growth drive our practice. Our vision as educators thus encompasses the concerns of both the individual and the larger society, and fits with the campus vision for undergraduate and graduate education.
All programs have a spiraling set of courses and field experiences that prepare candidates to demonstrate effective practices in their respective areas. Performance expectations are aligned with state standards for credential programs, national and professional standards, CSU system and campus expectations, and the values and principles articulated in the Conceptual Framework.
The Conceptual Framework has its origin in the strategic planning process initiated by former Dean John Sikula. In 1994-95, Dean Sikula appointed the first Strategic Planning Committee (SPC). Among its other charges, the committee conducted an accounting of the college’s strengths, areas of need, and core values. From this accounting emerged 7 Strategic Priorities, which then became the basis for the college’s first formal mission statement. The Strategic Priorities and the Mission Statement were finalized in the 1996-97 academic year. The Strategic Priorities and Mission Statement served their purposes well and provided a framework for program development. In 1999, in anticipation of seeking NCATE initial accreditation, the college SPC set out to update the conceptual underpinnings of programs unit-wide. A process was initiated that culminated in coordinated and integrated conceptual frameworks and knowledge bases at the unit (College of Education and Affiliated Programs) and program levels.
In 1999-2000, refinements were made in the mission and strategic priorities to incorporate faculty views regarding high quality teaching. As the various governance and faculty groups reviewed the mission and priorities, it became clear that a more detailed, comprehensive strategic planning process was necessary to establish action, timelines and clear lines of responsibility in the support of the various strategic priority areas. The Strategic Planning Document was developed in fall, 2000 under the leadership of Associate Dean Claude Goldenberg and the Strategic Planning Committee. Review of this document continued throughout the year at leadership and faculty meetings and was ratified by all faculty at the Spring 2001 retreat.
The most recent review of the Theme, Mission Statement, and Conceptual Framework began in spring 2006 with the administration of a survey to all faculty and staff regarding satisfaction with the three documents and whether any changes were warranted. Eighty-eight percent of those surveyed stated the Theme and Mission Statement should remain the same, with a small number of suggested minor changes. Nearly 75% of those surveyed also found the Conceptual Framework as written to continue to reflect core beliefs, with 22 % suggesting minor changes.
Dr. Leslie Reese, Teacher Education, and Dr. Cara Richards, Educational Psychology, Administration, and Counseling, both members of the Strategic Planning Committee, worked closely with Associate Dean Marquita Grenot-Scheyer to make minor revisions to the Conceptual Framework. The revised Conceptual Framework largely reflects the original, which serves our learning community well, but it incorporates these additional areas: Student Success (a university priority); Universal Design for Learning (UDL); Standards-based Education; and No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In addition, all references were updated. The revised Conceptual Framework exists in draft form and will be vetted by Strategic Planning and the larger faculty community during spring 2007. For a summary of the development and review and revision process refer to the document Evolution of the Conceptual Framework.
Faculty, staff, and administrators have engaged in various activities to ensure that candidates and the professional community understand the unit’s Conceptual Framework. There is active community participation on the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC), which developed the Conceptual Framework. Course syllabi carry the unit theme and mission statements and faculty routinely review these statements at the beginning of each semester and conduct in-class activities to ensure candidate understanding. Most importantly, class activities, course assignments, and field experiences reflect the six key ideas of the Conceptual Framework, provide overall coherence to our programs, and ensure that candidates are well prepared when they complete their professional preparation and development.
As a final note, because of space considerations most of the tables and figures referred to in the Institutional Report are linked (rather than appear in the text). Hard copies are available in the Exhibits Room.
