KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE PROGRAM/CONCENTRATION PROPOSAL
FORM 02/25/04
PROGRAM OR CONCENTRATION NAME: _Reading Endorsement _____________________
DEPARTMENT:_Secondary and Middle Grades Education____________________________
PROPOSED EFFECTIVE DATE: ___Fall 2009___________
Check One or More of the Following and Complete the Appropriate Sections
_____New Program Proposal**
__x___Change in Program/Concentration/Degree Requirements
_____New Concentration Proposal
Sections to be Completed
All
III – VII, XII
I – VII, XII
**A new course proposal is required for each new course that is part of the new program
Submitted by:
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Faculty Member
Date
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Department Curriculum Committee
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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Department Chair
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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College Curriculum Committee
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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College Dean
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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GPCC Chair
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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Dean, Graduate College
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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Vice President for Academic Affairs
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___ Approved ___ Not Approved
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President
Date
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA
NEW GRADUATE PROGRAM PROPOSAL
TITLE
Reading Endorsement
Kennesaw State University
DATE
Fall, 2008
DEPARTMENT
Secondary and Middle Grades Education
COLLEGE
Bagwell College of Education
Proposed Start Date: Fall, 2009
CIP:______
Title
Description
Date
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I.
Program Description (N/A)
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II.
Unique Aspects of Program
Institutional Importance of the Program
KSU's Strategic Plan
System and State of Georgia Goals
Staffing, Facilities and Enrollment
Objectives of the Program (N/A)
III. Justification and Need for the Program Changes
The Reading Endorsement was originally revised in the 2005-6006 academic year, based
upon the recommendations of the 2004-2005 PSC/NCATE accreditation team. At that
time, the accreditation report indicated that all three Reading Endorsement courses needed
to show clearer alignment with the International Reading Association Reading (IRA)
Standards; also, the Endorsement needed to develop a program and unit-level assessment
plan for data collection.
In 2006-2007, the Reading Endorsement was blended with the M.Ed. in Inclusive
Education to provide a vehicle for candidates pursuing initial certification in General
Individualized Curriculum (Special Education) to obtain an endorsement in a general
education content area. While this action served to increase enrollment in the Reading
Endorsement, complications arose in procedures for candidate admission and exit of the
program. At about the same time, faculty identified students who were admitted into the
Reading Endorsement who were seeking “recertification” only which means that they
enter the university to take six hours of credit in any area. The combined impact of these
two situations led the faculty to re-examine admission to the Reading Endorsement
Program, as well as the need for a prerequisite course structure. (See Executive
Summary.)
Courses in the Reading Endorsement are taught by faculty across the Bagwell College of
Education who hold appointments in the departments of Early Childhood and Elementary
Education, Inclusive Education and Secondary and Middle Grades Education. While this
interdepartmental nature of teaching enriches the program in many ways, it complicates
the assessment of candidates’ mastery of the national, state and university standards.
Therefore, the faculty re-examined the assessment system in order to assure reliability in
assessment.
IV. Procedures Used to Develop the Program
Since 2005, the development of the Reading Endorsement program has been done by the
Reading faculty in all departments in the Bagwell College of Education. Originally, based
on the results of the PSC/NCATE visit, reading faculty aligned course descriptions with
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the IRA Reading Standards, revised courses and adapted a version of the PTEU unit’s
assessment system to the Reading Endorsement Program.
In the fall of 2007, faculty in the Department of Secondary and Middle Grades Education
created a PTEU-wide committee called, The Friends of Reading. This committee is
comprised of faculty from the Department of English, the Department of Early Childhood
and Elementary Education, the Department of Inclusive Education, the Department of
Educational Leadership and the Center for Service, Outreach and Partnership. These
individuals met twice in the 2007-2008 academic year and made recommendations for
revisions of the program and courses offered in the Reading Endorsement. In the summer
of 2008, faculty in the Department of Secondary and Middle Grades Education made the
changes to the program and courses and created an Executive Summary for faculty in
other departments to review. In the fall of 2008, the Executive Summary, along with
revised syllabi were reviewed, and approved, by a team of faculty from three departments
prior to submission to the TEC for College approval. In addition, faculty from SMGE and
InEd met and agreed upon changes in procedures for MAT/TESOL.
V.
Curriculum: Degree Program Requirements
Current catalog description, p. 120 (Attached to this form)
Program Admission Requirements
We propose one minor change in admissions policy and that is that those who wish to
enroll in the Reading Endorsement provide documentation of successful completion of
one Reading course with a grade of C or higher. This is considered to be a minor change
in that most teachers with clear and renewable certificates have met this requirement as
part of their undergraduate preparation. However, to assure that candidates have the
background knowledge for the graduate courses offered in the Reading Endorsement,
the faculty feel that documentation of at least one course is essential.
Periodically, the PSC requires teachers to take six hours of instruction to renew their
certificates. To meet this requirement, teachers can enroll in virtually anything, and many
select reading courses. Because these individuals have not gone through Admissions in the
BCOE Office of Graduate Programs (OGP), they drop into the courses, unannounced. Mr.
David Baugher and Ms. Alicia Bellos have established a set of procedures in which
students who apply for recertification purposes will be flagged by the OGP. A letter of
acceptance will be sent to the student stating that their registration will be placed on hold
until the student contacts the OGP for advisement. At that point, theses students will be
subject to the same requirements as those who officially applied to the Reading
Endorsement Program.
Given that the Reading Endorsement is officially embedded within the M.Ed. in Inclusive
Education and may be taken as an elective in other programs, there is some expectation
that these individuals will automatically be accepted into the Reading Endorsement.
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However, in order to systemize our process, we ask that their advisors assure that they
need to be certified in Reading or that these courses are of benefit. To systematize our
process, faculty teaching EDRD 7715, will assist students in completing the necessary
application to the Reading Endorsement program.
Course Offering Schedule and Plan-of-Study
We are also requesting changes in the procedures for admissions such that students who
are seeking admission for “recertification only” will not be admitted to the courses for the
Reading Endorsement Program. A prerequisite course structure is requested, along with
additional admission procedures by the Office of Graduate Programs in the Bagwell
College of Education.
Previously, candidates who were admitted to graduate studies in education were allowed to
enroll at any point in the instructional sequence. This situation created difficulties for
students who were attempting to take the more difficult courses first and made monitoring
of student progress for assessment and reporting purposes difficult. Therefore, we are
requesting that EDRD 7715 become the pre-requisite for EDRD 7717 and 7718. Even
though the preferred sequence is EDRD 7715, EDRD 7718 and EDRD 7717(9),
respectively, candidates may enroll in EDRD 7718 and EDRD 7719 simultaneously.
Growth and Flexibility
As noted above, the blending of the Reading Endorsement with the M.Ed. in Inclusive
Education increased the enrollment of students in the Reading Endorsement. However, it
also created the need for more structure in admissions, etc. The faculty are optimistic that
the proposed changes will streamline the process and increase the flexibility of the program
for candidates who are pursuing other degrees.
Course Descriptions
Course descriptions on pp. 144 (EDRD 7715, EDRD 7717, & EDRD 7718) will be
replaced with the following:
EDRD 7715 Theory and Pedagogy in the Study of Reading. 3-0-3.
Prerequisite: Admission to graduate studies in education.
An advanced study of the socio-psycholinguistic foundations of reading and writing. This course examines theories of
language development and reading acquisition. Candidates will study scientifically-based research in the areas of
phonemic awareness, word identification, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and motivation. This course also
explores historical perspectives of reading and reading research and a wide range of instructional practices and
curriculum materials that meet the needs of diverse learners at all grade levels. This course serves as the prerequisite for
the other two courses in the Reading Endorsement.
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EDRD 7718 Content Area Reading. 3-0-3.
Prerequisite: Admission to graduate studies in education and EDRD 7715 and EDRD 7717.
Successful completion of EDRD 7715
An advanced study of the processes and problems of reading instruction in content area
classrooms. This course explores components of the reading process related to content area
reading instruction including technical reading, prior knowledge, reading strategies, supplemental
texts, and methods of grouping. Candidates will plan instruction based on content area
requirements that supports readers before, during, and after they read. Emphasis will be placed on
supporting the unique reading needs of a diverse classroom of learners at all grade levels. A field
component is required. EDRD 7715 is the prerequisite for this course.
EDRD 7719 Reading Assessment and Instruction. 3-0-3.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of EDRD 7715.
An advanced study of reading assessment instruments used for understanding the individual and diverse
needs of all grade-level readers including reading inventories, miscue analysis, and pausing indices. Students
will use assessment data to plan, evaluate, and revise effective reading instruction that meets the
diverse
needs of students. Current trends and issues in testing and assessment in U.S. schools will be studied. A
field component is required. The prerequisite for EDRD 7719 is EDRD 7715. Even though EDRD 7719 is
the preferred last course in the sequence in the Reading Endorsement, candidates may simultaneously
enroll in EDRD 7718.
VI. Inventory Of Faculty Directly Involved
While these courses are housed in the Department of Secondary and Middle Grades,
courses will be taught by faculty across departments. That is, faculty from the Inclusive
Education Department, the Early Childhood and Elementary Department and the
Secondary and Middle Grades Department. At this point, no new faculty are needed, but as
the program grows the need will grow.
VII. Outstanding programs of this nature at other institutions
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Needs Assessment and Comparative Analysis. (N/A) This is a 3-course
endorsement program and does not require this comparative analysis.
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Unique Features of KSU’s program: Collaborative infrastructure provided by the
PTEU as well as the inter-departmental nature of the teaching faculty in the Reading
Endorsement.
VIII. Inventory of pertinent library resources (N/A)
IX.
X.
Facilities (N/A)
Administration (N/A)
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XI. Assessment (N/A)
XII. Accreditation
Business Content Audit:
Referencing the Business Content Worksheet, does this program or concentration,
incorporating the information proposed herein, have “traditional business subject” content
delivered by faculty or programs administered by the Coles College of Business? *
_____ Yes
If “yes,” complete a Business Content Worksheet and obtain necessary
approvals as indicated.
__X___ No
_____ Exempt Graduate programs administered by the Coles College are exempt.
*
All graduate programs exceeding 50% business content are automatically required to meet
AACSB International business accreditation standards. The purpose of the audit is to prevent the
unintended, undesirable compulsory inclusion of programs subject to AACSB standards.
XIII. Affirmative Action Impact (N/A)
XIV. Degree Inscription (N/A)
XV.
Fiscal and Enrollment Impact, and Estimated Budget (N/A)
1. ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS
2. COSTS
A. Personnel -- reassigned or existing positions
B. Personnel -- new positions
C. One-Time Startup costs
D. Operating Costs
3. REVENUE SOURCES
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Description
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