Program Review Educational Administration

California State University, Bakersfield – Educational Administration 
Program Summary

This program summary is designed to provide contextual information to the program assessment readers and site visit team members. 

Program Design
The preliminary administrative services credential (PASC) program at California State University, Bakersfield is co-led by Michael Szolowicz, Ph.D. and Aaron Wisman, Ed.D.  The program utilizes a cohort model and is structured to be completed in two semesters, typically the fall and spring of one academic year.  Both fall and spring include one field experience course and three face-to-face courses for a total of 24 semester units, 12 per semester.  The field experience courses are facilitated online (asynchronous) while the face-to-face courses are in-person.  

Several key modifications were made to the PASC program and have been implemented over the past two years.  In the 2019-2020 academic year, PASC program faculty were mandated to reduce the number of semester units.  Prior to the 2020-2021 academic year, the PASC program was comprised of 30 semester units.  The reduction of units in the PASC program was completed by merging field experience courses.  Prior to the 2020-2021 academic year, each semester of the PASC program included two separate field experience courses.  Upon merging and modifying these two courses into one, the total semester units for field experiences coursework was reduced from 12 to six.  With the implementation of the California Administrator Performance Assessment (CalAPA) in the 2018-2019 academic year, the program faculty made changes to the sequence of face-to-face courses to better align with specific cycles of the CalAPA.  Since the implementation of the CalAPA, program faculty have made revisions to the curriculum, such as deconstructing the California Administrator Performance Expectations (CAPEs) to construct learning progressions and modifying some formative and summative assessments to be more tightly aligned to one another and to the CAPEs.  

In the 2019-2020 academic year, PASC program faculty developed and implemented a community advisory group known as the Educational Administration Advisory Council (EAAC).  The purpose of the EAAC is to is to engage key stakeholders to the Educational Administration (EDAD) program in critical dialogue to inform program direction and continuous improvement efforts.  The composition of the EAAC includes two recent program graduates, two current candidate, two part-time faculty who are also educational leaders (superintendents) in the community, one district-level program coordinator, one site administrator, the Director of Assessment and Accreditation, and the two full-time program faculty.  The EAAC provides opportunities for input from a diverse group of program stakeholders.  Other means include candidate evaluations of each course, and surveys of program completers and employers.    

Course of Study (Curriculum and Field Experience)
The curriculum of the PASC program is directly and explicitly aligned to the CAPEs.  The PASC program includes 18 semester units of coursework and six units of field work.  The coursework is completed in a series of six courses (three in the fall and three in the spring).  Each of these courses centers one particular CAPE, but the curriculum in each course is supported by additional CAPEs (see exhibit 5.1).  Each course spans a five-week period with candidates meeting for 5.5 hours once per week in addition to the independent learning experiences assigned.  The sequence of these courses is intended to provide explicit supports to specific Cycles of the CalAPA.  The sequence of courses is as follows: in the fall, candidates take Visionary Leadership (CAPE 1), Ethics and Integrity (CAPE 5), and Instructional Leadership (CAPE 2); then, in the spring, candidates take Family and Community Engagement (CAPE 4), Management and the Learning Environment (CAPE 3), and External Context and Policy (CAPE 6).  The fieldwork experiences are designed to provide candidates with opportunities to practice and receive formative and summative assessment feedback with respect to each of the CAPEs.  At the beginning of each five-week cycle, explicit opportunities for candidates to focus their fieldwork experience is articulated to candidates.  Moreover, the field work is also coordinated with coursework in that supports are provided to candidates on particular aspects of the CalAPA Cycles.  

All Educational Administration candidates participate in field experience. Starting in the 2020-2021 school year, all field experience occurs through the Field Experience I and II courses (EDAD 6830 and 6840). However, the field experiences retain the two-fold nature of prior years. First, all candidates participate in an organizational scan. The organizational scan provides the candidate a comprehensive view of the school organization beyond the classroom wall and includes: job shadowing the principal or other administrators, interviewing district level and other administrators (i.e. transportation director and special education director) regarding how they support students and schools), and participating in school activities (i.e. participating in committee work, supervising extra-curricular activities, serving as the school receptionist, etc.). About 10 percent of the organizational scan hours are to be completed outside of the candidate’s school (i.e. attending trustee board meetings, participating in district level committee work, shadowing administrators from other sites). Second, all candidates practice their leadership skills through CalAPA aligned activities. Candidates develop a community of practice to address an equity issue in their school and participate in a coaching cycle of a volunteer teacher. Candidates submit formative sample videos for formative feedback in the form of critical questions from university supervisors. Candidates also reflect on their work through journal assignments based on the CalAPA rubric essential questions. 

All candidates receive ongoing feedback from site mentors (usually the school principal), and university supervisors. University supervisors provide feedback through commenting on biweekly journals candidates submit reflecting on their organizational scan experiences. University supervisors also provide feedback in the form of critical questions to CalAPA aligned formative assessments (i.e. candidate produced videos of community of practice meetings, candidate written answers addressing essential questions from CalAPA rubrics, candidate submitted work artifacts). University supervisors also provide feedback on the CAPEs and Dispositions by completing the respective rubrics in LiveText twice a year (December and May). Site mentors provide feedback by completing the CAPEs and Dispositions rubric three times a year (September, December, May). Site mentors verify completion of organizational scan hours twice a year (December and May). Site mentors provide formative feedback on CalAPA aligned assessments including feedback as required on CalAPA Cycle 1 step three. Candidates are to work with site mentors in aligning their CalAPA projects with current school goals as reflected in the SPSA which is discussed at an initial meeting (August-September) with the candidate, university supervisor, and site mentor. Site mentors also provide feedback at a summary meeting (late April or early May) with the candidate and university supervisor. 

Assessment of Candidates 
The primary learning objectives for the PASC program are the CAPEs.  Candidate knowledge and performance of the CAPEs are assessed throughout the program.  With respect to the field work, candidate knowledge and performance of the CAPEs are evaluated by their site mentor three times per year (beginning, middle, and end).  In addition, they self-assess their progress toward meeting the CAPEs three times per year (beginning, middle, and end).  In addition, the university field supervisor assesses each candidate’s progress toward meeting the CAPEs twice per year (middle and end).  The field work courses also provide opportunities for mid-range formative assessments (biweekly) in which candidates receive feedback from their field supervisor.  First, this feedback centers the distribution of hours spent with each CAPE to ensure a diversity of experiences (i.e., job-shadowing, leading groups, interviewing district leaders, participating in parent engagement activities, etc.).  Second, candidates receive descriptive feedback on the reflections they write regarding their fieldwork experiences.  In addition, candidates are assessed with respect to each CAPE through the coursework.  The specific CAPEs assessed for a specific course depends on which CAPE is centered and/or supported in that course (see exhibit 5.1 and course syllabi).  These include formative and summative assessments explicitly aligned to one or more CAPEs.  

In addition to course-specific assessments aligned explicitly to the CAPEs, the PASC program acknowledges that the California Administrator Performance Assessment (CalAPA) as an authentic assessment that provides not only summative data for candidates and the program but also formative opportunities to inform the learning of candidates and also inform program efficacy in preparing educational administrators for the PASC.  Candidates are introduced to the CalAPA holistically at the beginning of the program in both the fieldwork and coursework.  In addition, each Cycle of the CalAPA is given explicit attention through embedded learning opportunities across the program.  Through fieldwork, candidates engage in and reflect upon their learning as they implement their own CalAPA projects. In coursework, candidates use exemplars of individual Steps within particular Cycles to develop their understanding of the success criteria articulated in the CalAPA Rubrics. Through both fieldwork and coursework, candidates are provided opportunities to engage in peer-review of candidate drafts or other work products against the success criteria.  An elective course has been developed for candidates who do not successfully pass any cycle of the CalAPA to provide targeted, one-on-one supports and interventions to ensure candidates are afforded equitable learning opportunities and to ensure candidates remain affiliated with the EDAD program in order to resubmit any Cycle.    

Another set of program competencies for which candidates are assessed is the Educator Preparation Programs (EPP) unit Candidate Dispositions.  Candidates and their site-supervisors independently evaluate candidate dispositions using the EPP Dispositions rubric at the beginning of the program, at the end of the first semester, and then once more at the end of the second semester.  The University supervisor also assesses candidate dispositions at the end of each semester.  

Candidates are introduced to the assessment system in the program orientation (held prior to the first semester).  Candidates receive rubric-level assessment feedback on all assessments.  In addition, candidates receive descriptive feedback to move their learning forward on formative and summative assessments for the course work and assignments within the field work.  The program uses LiveText and Canvas to both document assessment outcomes and communicate assessment results to candidates.  

Exhibit 1.1.1 Preliminary Administrative Services Credential Locations and Delivery Model

6.1  Field Work and Clinical Practice Hours  
The Educational Administration Field Experience at California State University, Bakersfield is divided into distinct components. 

  1. Candidates complete an “organizational scan” of their school and districts. The organizational scan provides candidates the opportunity to understand and interact with the broader school and district organization. Candidates work with their site mentors and professor to select items relevant to their professional growth from the menu of items provided in the EDAD 6710 and 6720 Leadership Development I and II syllabi. Organizational scan hours are also expected to include a diversity of experiences related to the six California Administrator Performance Expectations. About five percent of the total hours are also expected to be completed at a site other than the candidate’s own school (shadowing a principal at a different site, attending trustee board meetings, serving on district committees, etc.) to ensure the candidate has exposure to a diversity of settings. Starting in school year 2020-2021, the organizational scan is incorporated into the EDAD 6830 and 6840 Field Experience I and II classes. Organizational scan hours are documented in Livetext Field Experience Management and are reflected upon in journals in Blackboard (Canvas starting in school year 2020-2021).  

  1. Candidates complete supervised clinical practice through the required quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, obtaining feedback from their site mentor on their plans for addressing equity gaps, forming and co-facilitating a community of practice to address the equity gap, and coaching a volunteer teacher as required for the California Administrator Performance Assessment (CalAPA). Expectations are defined in the CalAPA Assessment guides and formative assessments with feedback are detailed in the EDAD 6810 and 6820 Field Work I and II syllabi. Starting in school year 2020-2021, these requirements are detailed in the EDAD 6830 and 6840 Field Experience I and II classes. Formative assessments occur through submission of relevant artifacts (meeting agendas, meeting minutes, student work products, etc.), sample videos of clinical practice (community of practice meetings and teacher coaching meetings) and reflective and explanatory journals completed in Blackboard (Canvas starting in school year 2020-2021).  

Together, the organizational scan and clinical practice hours must total a minimum of 75 hours per semester for a total of 150 hours for the program.  For the following analytical tables, I reviewed the school year 2020-2021 Placement Details in LiveText Field Experience Management (FEM) of four sample candidates representing the program’s diversity. Note that candidates themselves related their their specific hourly activities to specific CAPEs.  

Table 6.1.1 Summary of Required Field Experience Hours

Semester 

Class  

Credit Hours 

Required Field Hours 

Fall 2018 

EDAD 6710 Leadership Development I 

EDAD 6810 Field Work I  

3 

3 

100 

Spring 2019 

EDAD 6720 Leadership Development II 

EDAD 6820 Field Work II 

3 

3 

50 

Fall 2019 

EDAD 6710 Leadership Development I 

EDAD 6810 Field Work I 

3 

3 

75 

Spring 2020 

EDAD 6720 Leadership Development II 

EDAD 6820 Field Work I 

3 

3 

75 

Fall 2020 

EDAD 6830 Field Experience I 

3 

75 

Spring 2021 

EDAD 6840 Field Experience II 

3 

75  

 

Table 6.1.2 Field Experience and Clinical Practice Breakdown by California Administrator Performance Expectations

 

CAPE 1 

CAPE 2 

CAPE 3 

CAPE 4 

CAPE 5 

CAPE 6 

Candidate 1 

23.5 

55 

30.5 

22 

9 

16.5 

Candidate 2 

4 

64 

31 

27 

3 

19 

Candidate 3 

49.5 

78 

4.5 

19.5 

2.5 

16 

Candidate 4 

11.5 

88 

19.5 

3 

3.5 

24 

Total Hours 

88.5 

285 

85.5 

71.5 

18 

75.5 

 

14% 

46% 

14% 

11% 

3% 

12% 

Data taken from school year 2019-2020 cohort 

Table 6.1.3 Clinical Practice Experiences as a Percentage of Overall Field Experience Hours

 

Clinical Practice Hours 

Percentage of Overall Field Experience 

Candidate 1 

30 

20% 

Candidate 2 

31 

21% 

Candidate 3 

57.25 

38% 

Candidate 4 

44.5 

30% 

Total 

162.75 

27% 

Clinical hours include reported time spent on leading professional learning communities, analyzing or presenting data, mentoring or coaching new teachers, and other CalAPA relevant activities.  

6.2 Memorandums of Understanding
CSUB Educator Preparation Programs are committed to ensuring our candidates have school placements that are responsive to inclusion, diversity, and equity to ensure we are engaging with our partners to reflect our local context. In order to meet the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing standards and the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation standards, we partner with our clinical practice providers to ensure candidates have placements that are reflective of California public schools and promote culturally responsive practice. Our partner District MOUs are alphabetized in the 3 sections below. The district or school name link will provide the district demographics sheet outlining the race and ethnic, language, and socio-economic diversity of the district. Below each site name is a copy of each MOU we hold with the district or school.
Site Placements: Process, Diversity, and MOUs

6.3 Training Materials 
Site-based supervisors (cooperating teachers and mentors) are co-selected by the university and district. Each program determines eligibility for site-supervisor selection based on program standards and program needs (Common Standard 3).

Training of site mentors, usually the school principal, is conducted through a meeting with the site mentor, candidate, and university supervisor occurring at the start of the semester. Please see the attached pdf Field Experience Meeting Agenda. Additional meetings are scheduled as needed according to individual candidate needs through the field experience. Site mentors are also provided copies of course syllabi and links to California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) support materials for the California Administrator Performance Assessment (CalAPA). Additionally, site mentors are regularly emailed with program information, suggestions and requirements. Please see attached pdf files with starting stem, “Site Mentor Email…” 

Field Experience Meeting Agenda
Site Mentor Email Spring 2020- Mid-Semester Update
Site Mentor Email Fall 2019- December
Site Mentor Email Spring 2020- COVID19
Site Mentor Email Spring 2020- May
Site Mentor Email Spring 2020- January
Site Mentor Email Fall 2019- September

6.4 Appropriate Placement Documentation 
Charts of appropriate placements are provided in the accompanying folders.  
Documentation of Candidate Placements 2018-2019
Documentation of Candidate Placements 2019-2020
Documentation of Candidate Placements 2020-2021

6.5 Program Handbook 
In addition to being publicly available, starting with the Fall 2021 cohort the handbook is introduced at the program orientation held in August prior to the start of classes and is referenced as a support material in the EDAD 6830 and 6840 Field Experience classes.

6.6 Field Experience Syllabi 
Through the 2019-2020 school year, the program field experience occurred through two separate class sequences: 

  1. EDAD 6710 and 6720 Leadership Development I and II. The organizational scan project occurred through these classes. 

  1. EDAD 6810 and 6820 Field Work I and II. The clinical practice elements related to the CalAPA, notably the co-facilitation of a community of practice and coaching a volunteer teacher, occurred through these classes. 

Starting in school year 2020-2021, these two classes have been combined into one class sequence, EDAD 6830 and 6840 Field Experience I and II. The adjustment was made to address several department, college and university directives including bringing our total required course load down from 40 units to closer to the 30 generally required for a Masters degree at California State University and the change of field work from a graded to a credit/no credit course again in alignment with CSUB requirements for similar classes. Further, CSUB graduate programs policy only allow six units (two classes) of credit/no credit coursework. 

Please see attached syllabi from school years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 for 6710, 6720, 6810, and 6820 and the syllabi for 6830 and 6840 to start in school year 2020-2021.  

EDAD 6830 Syllabus
EDAD 6840 Syllabus

6.7 Field Work Assessment Instruments
CAPEs Rubric
Dispositions

7.1
The Educational Administration program at California State University ensures only qualified candidates are recommended for credentials by utilizing checks at both admission to and completion of the program. At admission to the program, the program admissions advisor, a university credential analyst, and program faculty review applications to ensure minimum CTC credentialing requirements are met. This ensures only applicants who will qualify for the credential are admitted to the program (see Program File Checklist and EDAD Application Review Form). At the completion of the program, the program graduation advisor emails candidates with credentialing directions. Candidates complete the EDAD Credential Application which is reviewed by the university credential analyst for accuracy and completeness before a recommendation for credential is submitted to the CTC.

CSUB verifies employment as an administrator prior to submitting the application for the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential to the CTC. The Credential Analyst sends the CTC Verification of Employment as an Administrator form (Employment Verification Form) to the candidates, who then take it to their employer. Upon completion, the candidate returns the form to the Credential Analyst prior to recommendation for the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential. Program completers who do not have verification of employment as an administrator are recommended for the Certificate of Eligibility.

7.1.1
Link to Educational Administration Program Plan.