MEMORANDUM
DATE:
TO:
CC:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
May 11, 2015
Samuel Gingerich, Provost
Susan Kalina, Vice Provost
Paul N. Deputy, COE
Hilary Seitz, Associate Dean, COE
COE Prioritization
Suspension: We request that the following programs remain suspended and not totally eliminated. This is
especially true for *eLearning and *Educational Leadership – Superintendent
Early Childhood Development (Certificate): There is low enrollment in the program at this time. The
undergraduate certificate is part of the System for Early Education and Development (SEED) career ladder
and may have greater need in the future.
*eLearning (Graduate Certificate): There is a need for technology professional development and training
for educators statewide per the Alaska Commissioner of Education (April 2015).
School-Age Care – Administration (OEC): After developing this program there wasn’t sufficient
enrollment when offered. The community still has an interest and need for the Occupational
Endorsement Certificate (OEC), but currently has lack of funding.
School-Age Care – Practitioner (OEC): After developing this program there wasn’t sufficient enrollment
when offered. The community still has an interest and need for the OEC but currently has a lack of
funding.
*Educational Leadership – Superintendent (Graduate Certificate): We lost this program’s accreditation
status. The difficulties can be corrected. It is our desire to get it back due to our proximity to population
centers and rural areas. This is a high need job area.
* Current statewide need for completers of these certificates.
Transformation
Elementary Education (BA): The Elementary Education Baccalaureate program has been working on meaningful
changes for the past two years based on stakeholder feedback. The new curriculum will be implemented in Fall
2015. One major change was the need to authentically address program needs for rural education in Alaska.
Elementary Education is working to align its program with the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation
(CAEP), the UA Shaping Alaska’s Future initiative, and the Revitalization of Teacher Education in Alaska (RTEA).
Program changes include: reducing the number of credits and strengthening existing education courses,
opportunity for deeper exploration of content through elective courses, and a better transfer process for courses
from other institutions. Other worthy efforts are further outlined in the Elementary Education transformation
report submitted with this memo. This includes increasing effective partnering with Alaska’s school districts on
topics like rural teacher turnover, recruiting Alaskan Native students into the program, increasing enrollment, and
increasing online offerings. Enrollment did increase over the last year. An operational recruitment plan is being
developed in consultation with Elementary Education faculty, and with the continuing involvement of program
faculty and staff.
Educational Leadership – Principal (Graduate Certificate): This certificate program is for educators who already
have a Master’s degree. The courses in the graduate certificate are also part of the Educational Leadership
Master’s of Education program and help support efficiencies.
About half of the educational leadership students (102) are in the Graduate Certificate program (they already have
completed a Master’s program). The Educational Leadership program has a long and positive history in the state.
In addition, the faculty and college have a strong relationship with school districts throughout the state. Over half
of the principals and superintendents in Alaska have earned their administrative credential from Educational
Leadership in COE. One faculty member is from rural Alaska and is a great asset in further enhancing our work with
rural areas and Alaskan Native partnerships particularly with culturally sensitive issues. She is currently completing
her doctorate, which will further enhance her excellent contributions to the program, college, UAA, and Alaska,
especially with regard to rural educational leadership.
The Educational Leadership program (both graduate certificate and M.Ed.) are offered in a variety of delivery
formats (Anchorage bowl cohort, Fairbanks region cohort, and an online cohort) to support leadership across the
state. For the past two years, US News and Report has ranked COE graduate programs (#30) as one of the best
online Master’s in education programs.
Over the past year, the EDL program has updated and revised their curriculum to better meet the State of Alaska
standards and the national CAEP/InTASC standards. Coaching and mentoring is one area that the program
continues to work on with the students and partners. This will help the state maintain its quality in the face of
budget constraints. We are seeking collaboration with other UAA departments, UAF, and UAS. More details can be
found in the report submitted with this memo.
MAT (MAT): (Graduate degree for Secondary Education leading to state certification)
The MAT program provides the required coursework for graduate students to qualify for state certification when
they have a bachelors degree in one of the following content areas: English/Language Arts; General Science (Earth
Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics), Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Social Studies, and Word
Languages. These areas were streamlined to include what is considered the most viable content areas for Alaska.
Several courses have been updated and are in line with national accreditation and Alaska Natural Resources and
Environmental Literacy Plan. Based on previous collaboration with UAF and UAS there is potential for continuing
collaboration. We have plans to quickly move forward with collaboration with UAF as UAA faculty have already
worked with UAF faculty to align their programs and share resources. This will be especially important for methods
courses. The program has also done significant work to align the program with CAEP and RTEA standards and
guidelines. Their 2014 SPA feedback indicated areas for revision. They have worked hard in 2015 to correct that.
Reports will be submitted by September 2015. This program is important for Alaska and can serve the state by
contributing to a stable workforce in secondary teaching. Ninety percent of the graduates get jobs in Alaska,
partially solving the retention problem when high school teachers are hired from out of state. There is a 100%
placement rate across the nation. Enrollment is currently about 40 students, but it could be higher. The program
has the intention to create a functional plan for targeted recruiting. For these reasons it is my recommendation
that the program be considered a program vitally important to UAA
The prioritization plan submitted with this memo needs a significant amount of work to make sure it is a
functional, operational plan, which shows what has been done and what will be done. It needs include a
description of the transformation in terms of goals, actions, and a timeline. A updated plan and targeted
recruiting for this program is crucial. The further documents I am requiring will be a key factor to stabilize and
strengthen the program in a way that is visible to all stakeholders.
Teaching and Learning (M.Ed.): The M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning was a program that reopened in 2012 after
suspending admissions for several years. The program was completely revamped based on stakeholder needs,
and new professional standards in the field of education. The new program adds significant depth to the discipline
2
of teaching and learning with multiple courses addressing, Alaskan cultures, social justice, Alaskan Native
education, and other aspects of culture, language and literacy. It has a strong research component and promises
to produce scholars who can grapple with current and future issues in Alaska, the nation, and internationally.
Since 2012 the program has gained in enrollment and strength with 39 students currently in the program and
many new inquiries and applications daily. Program goals deal with increasing retention rates of teachers in rural
areas and teaching English language learners. They have a desire to collaborate across the three UA MAUs. The
Teaching and Learning program is research-based and addresses current issues with the lens of being culturally
responsive. It is aligned with the CAEP advanced standards and RTEA goals. Part of the long-term vision is to give
the program an international presence with a cross-cultural focus. The program is poised to pursue grant funding
and has proposed a long-term vision that includes partnerships with international universities.
Early Childhood Special Education (M.Ed.): Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) is an essential program for
UAA and is vital to the state. There is currently a shortage of "highly-qualified" professionals in early childhood
special education programs for young children including: Head Start, district special education preschools, and
state-funded infant learning programs that are mandated for children with special needs. The need in rural
communities is especially difficult to fill. Due to the connection between abuse, neglect, and developmental
delays, the Alaskan Office of Children’s service is very concerned about meeting ECSE needs in the state. The early
childhood special education faculty members are very experienced and knowledgeable about statewide needs and
have done a tremendous amount of work to revitalize the programs. They are proposing that the Early Childhood
Special Education M.Ed. and Special Education M.Ed. work closer together with the possibility of creating one
Master's degree with emphasis on different age/developmental areas. This would facilitate efforts to share faculty
and resources and strengthen the program to the benefit of students and faculty. School districts in the area have
created special education preschool classes that are state of the art and can be a model for the nation. For
continuity of established programs, and because children are continually identified and referred to agencies and
programs, a steady supply of trained professionals is crucial. Our enhanced collaboration with these agencies and
programs, such as Bowman Elementary School in the Anchorage School District would greatly enhance service to
Alaska’s children. The Early Childhood Special Education M.Ed. along with the related Special Education programs,
can and must be revitalized. Vigorous work needs to continue in M.Ed. immediately in order to do this. Revisions
are underway to align with CAEP and RTEA while also meeting the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
standards. The well-written prioritization report submitted with this memo provides much more information and
details.
Educational Leadership – Principal (M.Ed.): M.Ed. program in Educational Leadership is for students who want to
gain the qualifications to become a principal and also wish to pursue a Master’s degree. The M.Ed. and Graduate
Certificate in Educational Leadership – Principal share courses. Thus what was stated about the graduate
certificate also applies to the M.Ed. The related content from the Graduate Certificate program will not be
repeated in this section. Rather some aspects of both programs not yet stated will be noted below. The reader
should read both the Graduate Certificate and M.Ed. sections to gain a better understanding of the related
programs.
The M.Ed in Educational Leadership has been recognized in the UAA Institutional Effectiveness, Engagement and
Academic Support Report (December 2014) as the top producing graduate program at UAA. Eleven percent of all
UAA graduate programs in 2014 were from this program. It addresses a ‘high demand jobs area’ for Alaska. Faceto-face hybrid delivery of this program is used for district cohorts that have collaborative partnerships with
Educational Leadership (i.e. Anchorage School District, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, Kenai
Peninsula Borough School District, and Lower Kuskokwim). EDL also has collaborative relationships with ASDN and
DEED, resulting in a multi-year federal grant to support the training and development of rural Alaska school
leaders, RAPPS which ended last year. A plan of continued program changes and more detail has been submitted
with this memo.
3
Still Under Consideration: Moved from “Further Review” to “Transformation”
Special Education (Graduate Certificate). The Special Education Graduate Certificate program is an essential
program for UAA and is vital to the state. There is an extremely high need for well educated professionals in the
Anchorage area, the rural areas, and the state. Nearly every district in the state is in need of additional special
education teachers. It is absolutely imperative that we pay focused attention to rebuilding the program. It was
once much stronger. Due a variety of faculty absences and illnesses, lack of contact or response,
as well as non-performance (not submitting an initial prioritization report), sudden resignations/retirement, and
variability in leadership, there have been huge distractions for Special Education’s efficient and effective
functioning. One senior faculty member in COE stated that Special Education was decimated by poor decisions in
the past few years. Two new resourceful faculty have helped initiate the revitalization and renewal of the Special
Education programs that is more current and addresses practices in schools and programs across the state
better. Courses with Special Education content are taught in every program in COE. This addresses the established
national value of inclusion and comprehensive service to children with exceptional needs, counseling needs, and
speech and language needs. It helps other education programs educating Early Childhood, Elementary, and
Secondary professionals understand exceptional needs of children who will be in their classrooms due to the
prevalence of the inclusion model.
Special Education (M.Ed.): Special Education has multiple components and three degree categories are
represented in this report; Early Childhood Special Education – M.Ed., Special Education, Graduate Certification,
and Special Education, M.Ed. It has been mentioned that one cost saving efficiency would to be to combine the
two special education related M.Ed. programs into one with two tracks based on grade/age level of the child. This
would allow course sharing, building a core set of Master’s level courses and integrate education for Special
Education from birth to adult. The Special Education programs represented in this report all have values and
content that are integrated throughout the age range, but the programs seem to currently function separately in
many ways. Two faculty members are already working together with the support of others in COE. We are
building a cohesive program that works with other programs in the college, particularly the other initial
certification programs: Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary. Continued attention to this program is
needed, as we must have a strong viable special education programs that integrate with the college mission and
vision. This must be accomplished to have a strong, stable college that can serve the needs of Alaskan schools and
agencies.
Early Childhood (Post Baccalaureate Certificate): The Early Childhood Post Baccalaureate Certificate program has
an excellent foundation since the Early Childhood BA, and Early Childhood AAS degrees are both in quintile number
2, consider for enhancement. All Early Childhood programs have recently completed a comprehensive, researchbased revision resulting in increased rigor and alignment with CAEP and RTEA. Both programs are high enrollment
with the BA having 273 students and the AAS having 105 students for a combined total of 378 students. This is
very good for the state of Alaska because credible U.S. Economists have written that investing in the nations young
children is critical for the economy in the future.
The Post Baccalaureate Certificate program currently has 12 students enrolled. There is promise for the increased
enrollment because of the national focus on Early Childhood education and increased interest in brain research
and child development. Part of the written intentional goal is focused recruiting for this program. Now that the
revisions are done, and with the focused ib recruiting, increased enrollment is expected. The Early Childhood BA
and Post Baccalaureate Certificate are the only UA program that serves the state in this way.
Elementary Education: (Post Baccalaureate Certificate): All Elementary education programs have recently been
significantly revised with the strengthened program approved and included in the AY16 catalogue. More about
these significant improvements can be found in the above statement in the Elementary Education BA. The
Elementary Education Post Bacc Cert has been enhanced to make it ready for increased enrollment. In the past
two years students were encouraged to find an alternative during the transformation process. That is why there is
current lower enrollment. Now that that the program is streamlined, more attractive, and ready to accept
students; a focused and intense recruiting program is currently underway. Enrollment is expected to increase.
4
Still Under Consideration: Further Review toward deleting the program
Counselor Education (Graduate Certificate): The Graduate Certificate was originally in place to allow graduate
students from the Community-Counseling track of the Counseling M.Ed. to gain the extra graduate credits to
qualify for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Alaska. The community track is 48 credits and Alaska
requires 60 credits for the LPC. Due to planned changes in the program designed to qualify Counselor Education
for CACREP accreditation, the graduate Certificate should be phased out within two years. This will allow any
students in the program to complete the certificate. No new students will be accepted. Once this
recommendation is accepted the appropriate paperwork will be initiated.
Counselor Education (M.Ed.): Counselor Education M.Ed. needs a lot of work to become a viable program and to
address the current CACREP standards for accreditation. It currently has two tracks: school counseling and
community agency counseling. Because of budget constraints in Alaska schools, many school counseling positions
have been phased out. Thus, there are currently reduced job possibilities and need in Alaska for our graduates.
The prioritization report from the Counselor Education program states, “Thus, it is anticipated that there will be a
decreased need for the Counselor Education Graduate program”. Community agency counseling is being phased
out as a program concentration by the national accreditation agency. The program concentration, Clinical
Rehabilitation Counseling will be added. This is due to the increased need for counselors qualified in drug and
alcohol abuse. It would be too expensive to retool this program to meet upcoming accreditation requirements (60
credits). For our current budget situation, it would be more prudent to phase out this program. I would like
further discussions with the UAA Provost and Dean of CAS before this recommendation is accepted.
5