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IV. Future Directions
The College of Education and Human Services has undergone profound changes throughout the decade of the ‘90s. Only 20 percent of our current faculty were here in 1990. The entire paradigm of elementary and secondary education certification has been replaced with an age-based licensure scheme. NCTAF, NBPTS, INTASC, NCA, AACTE, NNER, NCATE, Praxis, Holmes, Project 30, Title II, and many other reform initiatives have fundamentally altered the manner in which educator preparations programs are conceptualized, developed, delivered, approved, continuously improved and reviewed. Ohio has seen a diminishing level of state-funded support for public higher education, while the public’s demands for accountability and higher quality in education have increased. CEHS has been fortunate to have a highly professional and dedicated faculty and staff and excellent P–12 partners who have ably met each challenge with exceptional creativity and enthusiasm.
While constant change and growth has been exciting, it has also been confusing and frustrating at times. Rather than standing pat on the excellent 1996 NCATE Continuing Accreditation Report, the CEHS plans to focus on the implementation of the changes manifested in the NCATE 2000 Standards for candidate and program assessment and for Ohio’s performance-based licensure programs. Guiding all of our efforts will be a focus on candidate quality over the next five years: 2001–2006.
The College is entering the fifth and final year of the 1997 CEHS Strategic Plan and will be developing a new strategic five-year plan for 2002–2007. Our new strategic plan will incorporate much of what we have learned in preparing for the Fall 2001 NCATE visit and the development of the five-year Unit Assessment Plan. Clearly, we will expend more of our efforts to document the impact of our candidates on the students and clients they serve in P–12 schools and clinics.
While we will certainly face new challenges and will consider new directions/programs where appropriate, our efforts will be to consolidate high-quality programs for candidates and assess carefully the ability of our candidates to perform at exceptional levels when they leave us to pursue their chosen professional roles. These assessments will lead to the continuous improvement of our programs and our candidates and the learning ability and achievements of the students/clients that our candidates work with in the future.
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