Minutes 02/05/2008

GOVERNING BOARD
STRATEGIC CONVERSATION
FEBRUARY 5, 2008

MINUTES

A strategic conversation was scheduled to be held at 4:00 p.m. in the Rio Conference Center at Rio Salado College in Tempe, Arizona, pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice having been duly given.

PRESENT

GOVERNING BOARD
Don Campbell, President
Colleen Clark, Secretary
Linda Rosenthal, Member
Jerry Walker, Member

ADMINISTRATION
Rufus Glasper
Maria Harper-Marinick
Debra Thompson
Darrel Huish
Steve Helfgot
Albert Crusoe
Anna Solley
Maggie McConnell for Pete Kushibab
Mary Kay Kickels
Jim Mancuso for Bernie Ronan
Ken Atwater
Art DeCabooter
Ernie Lara
Gene Giovannini
Linda Thor
Jean Ann Abel for Velvie Green
Maria Hesse

Attendance: Approximately 90 people

STRATEGIC CONVERSATION (4:15 p.m. through 7:55 p.m.)

Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick welcomed everyone to the evening’s strategic conversation on “Where have all the teachers gone and how can we bring them back?” She stated that it was a good topic for everyone to discuss in view of the national teacher shortage, as well as in the state of Arizona. She introduced member of the planning committee which consisted of the following members:

Pete Turner, Education Faculty, EMC
Tawn Hauptli, Education Faculty, MCC,
Dr. Janet Johnson, Chair of Education, RSC
Dr. Nora Amavisca Reyes, Education Faculty, MCC
Ray Ostos, National Director, Teacher Education Program
Pam Asti, Administrative Assistant, Teacher Education Program
Shina Sepulveda, Office Coordinator, Teacher Education Program
Maria Harper-Marinick, District Office

First Activity

Tawn Hauptli engaged everyone in an icebreaker which required the audience to introduce themselves to other people in the room

The Need for Quality Teachers

Pete Turner came forward next and spoke about the need for quality teachers, quoting H. G. Wells by stating that “civilization is a race between education and catastrophe.” He presented the following information and commentary:

Is there really a quality teacher shortage?

Nationally:
The “Boomer” Effect (NCEI Teachers Profile)
– K-12 teachers 50 or older - 24% in 1996
– 50+ population - 42% in 2005
– Current public school teachers who expect not to be in a teaching position by 2012 - 38%

“Pipeline” Issues
– Teacher education students go on to teach - 60% (ECS Community College Teacher Prep)
– New teachers needed in 2008-09 - 1.7 to 2.7 million (NCES Predicting the Need)

“Retention” Issues (NEA)
– New teachers who leave in/after first year - 20%
– New teachers who leave in first 3-5 years - 50%

Arizona:
Growth
– AZ is the 2nd fastest growing state in nation. (AZ Republic)

Money (Education Week’s Quality Counts Report)
– AZ ranks 48th in per pupil funding.
– AZ Teachers make only $0.81 for every $1.00 earned in 16 comparable occupations (rank 46).

Retention Issues (NEA/AEA)
– New teachers who leave in/after first year - 20%
– New teachers who leave in first 3-5 years - 50%

Quality Issues (ADE)
– Emergency Teaching Certificates in 2007-08 - 2264
– Emergency Substitute Certificates in 2007-08 - 2200

Qualitative Data
– District HR – “We need quality teachers!”
– District Superintendents – “We need quality teachers!”

Quantitative data
Qualitative data
Arizona, more than most
– We are in a teacher shortage crisis.
– And it’s only going to get worse.

Does it really matter? How important is the quality of the teacher?

Partner Prediction:
Select a partner at your table.
Here’s the situation. What is your prediction?
– Billy and Robert are identical 4th grade twins.
– Both enter the same school at the same time at the 50th percentile.
– The school is an average school, with average test scores.
– Billy has an excellent teacher for 2 years.
– Robert has a poor teacher for 2 years.
– Predict:
At what percentile are they after two years?
How far apart (if at all) are they after two years?
If you are called on, share your partner’s prediction.

The “Great Teacher” Difference - Average School
Source: William Sanders, Robert Marzano, James Stronge

The “Great Teacher” Difference – Poor School
Source: William Sanders, Robert Marzano, James Stronge

The “Great Teacher Difference” – Good School
Source: William Sanders, Robert Marzano, James Stronge

The “Great Teacher” Difference
Worse Case Scenario – Best Case Scenario

Teacher Education at the Maricopa Community Colleges

Activities:

Each table group was asked to discuss what they knew about teacher education at MCCCD. Partner A was to talk for 45 seconds without stopping and Partner B would listen without interruption. After the initial 45 seconds, Partner B would talk and Partner A would listen.

The next activity required that table partners pass a sheet of paper silently around noting what they knew about teacher education at MCCCD. This sheet was to be used to mark off items that were included as topics during this strategic conversation.

Tawn Hauptli provided the following information pertaining to MCCCD Programs and Services:

MCCCD Programs and Services
Post Baccalaureate
Professional Development
Undergraduate
District Support

MCCCD Teacher Educators . . .

Post Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation

Dr. Janet Johnson provided the following information pertaining to Post Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Programs at MCCCD:

Two Maricopa Colleges Offer Post Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Programs
Scottsdale Community College
Rio Salado College

Both are approved by the Arizona Department of Education.

Scottsdale Community College - Scottsdale Teacher Education Partnership (STEP) Program
Teacher certification program in collaboration with elementary and middle schools in the
Scottsdale Unified School District
Field-based immersion program - students learn through direct classroom experience
Ten-month, full time, teacher-in-training model – 20 hours/week in a local classroom, two
afternoons/week in methods courses at SCC

Rio Salado College - Distance Learning Hybrid Model
Online course work
In-person components

Partnership with 47 school districts

Post Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation - Rio Salado College

4 Programs:

In-Person Components:
School-Based Practicums (in 211 AZ school districts; 719 nationwide)
Master Teacher Seminars
Testing
Student Teaching

Teacher in Residence (TIR) Program [began in 2005]
Post Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Rio Salado
College - Teacher in Residence (TIR) Process

Rio Salado College Master’s Degree Partnerships
Northcentral University
Plymouth State University

Post Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation - Program Completers

Scottsdale Community College
98 completers
81 female; 17 male
18 science and math teachers (10 middle school science; 8 middle school math)

Rio Salado College
730 Standard Program completers
70 TIR Program completers
Average student age - 38 years
209 Science and math teachers (2005-2007) (94 science; 115 math)

Professional Development/Continuing Education at the Maricopa Community Colleges

Dr. Nora Amavisca Reyes provided the following information pertaining to Professional Development Opportunities at MCCCD:

Articulation:
Education Professional Development (EPD) prefix
– Identifies courses specifically designed for certified teachers
– Instructors must hold current teaching certificate
– 34 EPD course options within MCCCD course bank

Transferable courses in Course Equivalency Guide
– Education (EDU)------------------------ 38
– Early Childhood Education (ECH)----------- 53
– Early Education (EED) ------------------- 20
– Excellence in Teaching & Learning (ETL) -------- 23

Teacher Recertification (renewal required every 6 years)

180 clock hours of professional development activities
May include professional education-related conferences or workshops (e.g.
MCCCD Teacher Education Dialogue Day) OR
12 semester hours of education coursework (nearly 300 education course options
within MCCCD course bank - EDU, ECH, EED, EPD, ETL, CTE) OR
A combination of the two (1 credit = 15hrs of professional development)

Instructional Assistance:
Highly Qualified Instructional Paraprofessionals (required of all Title I funded
paraprofessional positions)
– Associates degree OR
– 60 college credits OR
– Passing score on formal state assessment

MCCCD Degree options:
– Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
– Associate in General Studies (AGS)
– Associate in Arts in Elementary Education (AAEE)

Professional Endorsement:
All K-12 classroom teachers must hold one of the following endorsements:

Structured English Immersion (SEI):
– 4-6 college credits depending on when certified OR
– 60-90 clock hours of SEI training

English as a Second Language (ESL)
– 18-21 college credits in ESL and 6 college credits in a single second language OR
– Completion of an ESL education program from an accredited institution

Bilingual Education
– 18-21 college credits in bilingual education and proficiency in another language OR
– Completion of a bilingual education program from an accredited institution

MCCCD Options:
Structured English Immersion (SEI)
– 6 colleges have state-approved SEI courses: EMCC, MCC, RSC, PC, PVCC, SCC
– Has led to over a dozen partnerships with school districts
– Face-to-face, hybrid, and online course delivery options available
– Class dates/times responsive to teaching schedules
English as a Second Language (ESL)
– Certificate of Completion: MCC, PC
– 27 college credits
Bilingual Education
– Certificate of Completion: MCC, PC
– 29 college credits

Adjunct Instructors from the Field:
Professional growth opportunity as college instructor
Credibility and integrity
Relevant examples from local applications

Teacher Education Dialogue Day:
Professional development opportunity for MCCCD faculty
Friday, February 22, 2008
10:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
RSC Conference Center

Undergraduate Teacher Preparation at the Maricopa Community Colleges

Tawn Hauptli provided the following information pertaining to Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Opportunities at MCCCD:

Degrees:
Associate in Arts in Elementary Education (AAEE)
Associate in Transfer Partnership (ATP)
Associate in Arts (AA)

National Center for Teacher Education Website: www.maricopa.edu/academic/teachered

Districtwide Core Course Enrollment in Spring 2007:
890 enrolled in EDU 221: Introduction to Education
1,031 enrolled in EDU 222: Introduction to the Exceptional Learner
? 726 enrolled in EDU 230: Cultural Diversity in Education
2,647 TOTAL

Districtwide Core Course Enrollment in Fall 2007:
1,066 enrolled in EDU 221: Introduction to Education
961 enrolled in EDU 222: Introduction to the Exceptional Learner
701 enrolled in EDU 230: Cultural Diversity in Education
2,728 TOTAL

Partnerships:
Partnerships with public school districts, private and charter schools across the valley for field
experience
Teacher Education Alliance (TEALL) – over 300 active students
2+2 Programs
2+2+2 Programs
3+1 Programs
Grow Your Own Programs

District Support - National Center for Teacher Education:
Provides support to MCCCD teacher education programs.
Develops community partnerships, programs, and services to support the recruitment and
retention of PreK-12 teachers in Arizona.
Provides leadership, planning, and coordination for local, state, and national programs and
services that support PreK-12 teacher recruitment, preparation, retention, and renewal.

Taking Action

Each table was asked to discuss the question: What else can the Maricopa County Community College District do in the recruitment, development, and retention of quality teachers?

Each participant was asked to group into tables consisting of college peers to discuss the same question listed above. They were to discuss how their individual work locations could answer that question.

Student Voices

Students from Estrella Mountain Community College and Mesa Community College provided comments as to why they were enrolled in teacher education courses and why they wanted to become teachers.

Closing

Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick expressed appreciation for everyone’s attention and participation. Good information was shared during the conversation and she indicated a report would be provided at a later date.

ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting concluded at 6:55 p.m.

________________
Colleen Clark
Governing Board Secretary