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Measure 1. Completer Effectiveness and Impact on P-12 Student Learning

ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ works with completers and local school districts to retrieve completer effectiveness data. The state also uses the Danielson Observation Framework to measure teaching effectiveness in the classroom.

Those who employ our completers at the initial level felt very positively about their preparation. 96% reported that completers were fully or moderately ready to meet the needs of their school. At focus groups, most participants reported feeling very confident in the abilities of ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ teacher education program completers to have a positive impact on P-12 learners.

2024-2025 Employer Survey Data

ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ teacher education surveys beginning teachers in their first and second year of teaching to determine their sense of effectiveness and their impact on P-12 learners. Initial program completers reported confidence in their preparation. The average response across all preparations areas was that they felt prepared to work with students based on their program preparation.

2024-2025 Beginning Teacher Survey Data

ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ teacher education also conducts a case study of completers to further gauge the effectiveness and impact of the program and its graduates. Participants share their Danielson observation results, student learning objective process outcomes and take part in a focus group discussion about their feelings of effectiveness and preparation.

2024-2025 Completer Case Study

Measure 2. Satisfaction of Employers and Stakeholder Involvement

ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ is focused on collecting credible, actionable evidence so that our program can grow through feedback and connection with stakeholders. We do a focus group with administrators each fall and spring to talk about our teacher candidates they have worked with. We also complete an employer survey each academic year with those who employ our completers.

2024-2025 Employer Survey Data

For advanced programs, we conduct a focus group with principals and superintendents to discuss our principal preparation. This group meets fall and spring to help improve our curriculum and field experiences.

Measure 3. Candidate Competency at Completion

Title II Section 207 of the Higher Education Act requires states, as recipients of Higher Education Act funds and all institutions with teacher preparation programs that enroll students receiving federal financial assistance, to prepare annual reports on teacher preparation and licensing. These reports, available for traditional and alternative programs resulting in initial licensure, detail the enrollment and completion of our candidates.

ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ graduates exceed the mean scores required for their licensure exams across program areas and are required to maintain a 2.7 GPA in teacher education and content coursework. These scores are reflected in the above Title II report.

ÈÕ±¾avÊÓƵ graduates in initial licensure programs complete a capstone assignment, which has them provide artifacts of evidence of growth in InTASC standards that are aligned with program goals, National Association for the Education of Young Children, Council for Exceptional Children, International Society for Technology in Education and Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation K-6 standards.

Completer Rates

Program Completers

Licensing Pass Rates (Title II Data)

Licensure/Certification Rate

Praxis Pass Rates – Undergraduate

Measure 4. Ability of Completers to Be Hired in the Area of Licensure

Career Placement – Employment Rate

Teacher Education – Initial Preparation

Educational Administration – Advanced Program

The employment data collected on our gradates shows that a large majority of them find gainful employment directly after graduation. In terms of our undergraduate completers, we have been able to track their employment both in and outside of the state of South Dakota. In terms of our graduate program, we currently rely on data from the South Dakota Board of Regents, which only tracks graduates who find employment within the state and through alumni surveys. Although this limits the reach of our data, the data that we do have is encouraging showing that a majority of our graduate program completers are able to find employment.