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  • Licensure
  • Alumni
  • Title II
  • State Performance Report
  • CAEP Annual Reporting Measures

Overview

How is an education major at a liberal arts college like The College of Wooster different from other places?

Wooster students graduate fully licensed to teach in Ohio (and are prepared to transfer their licensure to other states). They also graduate with hundreds of hours of classroom experience and lessons learned from their partnerships with teacher mentors, but what makes Wooster education majors sought after by employers is their ability to teach from a liberal arts perspective. Wooster students are critical thinkers, they dig in to research, and they enjoy the curiosity and debate that elevates classroom teaching. Wooster students who become teachers treat their new classrooms like College of Wooster classrooms: robust learning environments. All students at The College of Wooster complete an independent study under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Education graduates from Wooster bring the rigor of independent study to their K-12 classrooms, giving a new generation of learners the benefits of a liberal arts perspective.

Education major and minor at The College of Wooster

The Education major is completed along with a second major in a chosen content area. Students wishing to major in Elementary/Primary Education (PK-5) may double major in any other major offered by the college. Students interested in middle and high school grade levels (7-12) will major in Education with a second major in a specified academic discipline appropriate to the associated licensure area. Upon graduation, students following this course of study will have completed a double major and earned an Ohio, initial, four-year Resident Educator teaching license making them fully licensed to teach in the State of Ohio. Many of our graduates successfully transfer their licenses to other states.

The education minor is an option for students who have an interest in courses on education and working with children, but an education minor does not lead to teacher licensure.

Accreditation

The College of Wooster Department of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for initial programs through Fall 2024. The College of Wooster’s licensure programs are all approved by the Ohio Department of Education. (ODHE).

The following initial licensure programs were included in the Fall 2017 Site Visit and are fully accredited by CAEP:

  • Education, Elementary/Primary (Grades preK-5)
  • Adolescent to Young Adult Education- Integrated Mathematics (Grades 7-12)
  • Adolescent to Young Adult Education- Integrated Social Studies (Grades 7-12)
  • Adolescent to Young Adult Education- Integrated Language Arts  (Grades 7-12)
  • Multi-Age Education: Music Education (Grades PreK-12)

The following are initial licensure programs that are approved by ODHE and will be undergoing a CAEP visit in Fall 2024:

  • Adolescent to Young Adult (Grade 7-12)- Physical Sciences: Physics
  • Adolescent to Young Adult (Grade 7-12)- Physical Sciences: Chemistry
  • Adolescent to Young Adult (Grade 7-12)- Life Sciences
  • Adolescent to Young Adult (Grade 7-12)- Earth Sciences
  • Multi-age (PK-12) World Languages: Spanish
  • Multi-age (PK-12) World Languages: French
  • Multi-age (PK-12) World Languages: German
  • Multi-age (PK-12) Visual Arts

Major

The College of Wooster is a CAEP accredited institution. Students who complete the Education major are fully licensed to teach in the state of Ohio. Those who plan to teach elsewhere find that Ohio’s high standards for licensure provide them with a sound preparation for teaching and also allow them to pursue licensure in other states with relative ease.

Wooster students graduate with no less than 700 hours of experience in the classroom. A hallmark of Wooster’s Education major is its partnerships with area educators and schools and its emphasis on field and clinical experiences. Throughout the Education major and licensure process, students are immersed in hands-on, experiential education in area classrooms and schools both before and during the student teaching experience. These activities allow teacher candidates to authentically experience the profession by providing them with opportunities to actively participate in P-12 classrooms. This weaving of theory and practice promotes on-going professional development and prepares teacher candidates effectively for Student Teaching and future teaching experiences.

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Minor

The minor in Education consists of six courses, beginning with Introduction to Education and continuing with five courses from a list that includes education, sociology and psychology.

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Independent Study

All students at The College of Wooster complete two semesters of independent study under the guidance of a faculty mentor. I.S. projects are delivered as a thesis in the spring of each student’s senior year.

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Student Year I.S. Title Major 1 Major 2 Advisor
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Licensure

Areas of Teacher Licensure

Wooster offers programs for teaching licensure in the following areas:

  • Education, Elementary/Primary (Grades preK-5)
  • Adolescent to Young Adult Education- Integrated Mathematics (Grades 7-12)
  • Adolescent to Young Adult Education- Integrated Social Studies (Grades 7-12)
  • Adolescent to Young Adult Education- Integrated Language Arts  (Grades 7-12)
  • Adolescent to Young Adult (Grade 7-12)- Physical Sciences: Physics
  • Adolescent to Young Adult (Grade 7-12)- Physical Sciences: Chemistry
  • Adolescent to Young Adult (Grade 7-12)- Life Sciences
  • Adolescent to Young Adult (Grade 7-12)- Earth Sciences
  • Multi-Age Education: Music Education (Grades PreK-12)
  • Multi-age (PK-12) World Languages: Spanish
  • Multi-age (PK-12) World Languages: French
  • Multi-age (PK-12) World Languages: German
  • Multi-age (PK-12) Visual Arts

Alumni

Graduates of Wooster’s Teacher Education program pursue a variety of professional opportunities.

While many teach in traditional public and private schools, graduates also contribute to the education profession in other ways. In addition to teaching, Wooster alumni are employed as school administrators, school counselors, athletic coaches, intervention specialists, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists and higher education faculty.

We also recognize the importance of supporting students interested in alternative teaching opportunities such as Teach For America, charter schools, Teaching Fellows, Urban Teachers, City Year, etc.

Title II

Title II National Teacher Preparation Data Reports

State Performance Report

Ohio Educator Preparation Provider Performance Reports

CAEP Annual Reporting Measures

CAEP ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES (CAEP COMPONENTS 5.4)

CAEP regularly monitors how each Educator Preparation Program (EPP) updates and publicly reports completer effectiveness and impact, satisfaction of employers and stakeholder involvement, candidate competency at program completion, and the ability of completers to be hired in education positions for which they have been prepared on its website. This addresses the EPP’s continued effort to share widely, completer impact and outcomes data. EPPs are responsible for clearly identifying and prominently displaying data about each of the Accountability Measures on their website so that information is easily visible and accessible to the public.

Measure 1: Completer Impact and Effectiveness (R4.1)

Completer impact in contributing to P-12 student learning-growth AND completer effectiveness in applying professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

Measure 2: Satisfaction of Employers and Stakeholder Involvement (R4.2|R5.3)

Satisfaction of Employers

Our EPP administers the Perceptions of EPPs Survey, and the data is collected and shared with the EPP.

In 2016, the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) developed a valid survey instrument and administered it across the state for Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs). Initially, due to low response rates when surveys were sent via mail or email, EPPs began administering the Employer Survey independently. In response to these challenges, Ohio University implemented a transformative practice in the Fall of 2023, shifting to conducting face-to-face interviews with employers. This approach involves completing the survey with employers before the conclusion of each meeting, ensuring immediate and complete data collection.

Stakeholder Involvement

The EPP includes internal (e.g., COW faculty and staff, EPP faculty and staff, candidates) and external (e.g., school and community partners, employers, alumni, practitioners) stakeholders in program design, evaluation, and continuous improvement.

EPP Faculty and Staff

EPP faculty and staff are integral to the effectiveness of the QAS. Program faculty engage in regular course and department discussions on candidate performance and curriculum, and are responsible for completing candidate evaluations on key assessments as part of the QAS. Additionally, faculty serve on committees related to curriculum, planning, research and technology within the college. All faculty and staff in the EPP participate in internal and external advisory meetings two times a year and contribute to and discuss recommendations for program improvements.

Internal Stakeholders

The Internal Advisory Board meets twice a year. It consists of EPP faculty and members of the college to engage in discussions and to give feedback to EPP faculty and staff about program experiences, preparation, and partnerships. In 2023-2024, the EPP met with members of the Annual Program Review Taskforce for the college to discuss how the EPP significantly contributed to creating a vibrant student experience through a range of out-of-class events and partnerships, fostering inclusive and equity-focused learning environments, and promoting social and economic mobility for historically marginalized populations. Events like “Dogs on the Lawn,” “Abbott Elementary Trivia Night,” and various tutoring programs, including a substantial grant from the Ohio Department of Education for tutoring, exemplified the department’s efforts to extend learning beyond the classroom, engage with the wider community, and address diverse educational needs. These initiatives align with strategic priorities by providing experiential learning opportunities, exploring professional paths, and fostering community engagement. The department’s focus on cultivating equitable educational settings, empowering teachers as change agents, and diversifying the teaching profession underscores its commitment to inclusivity and social justice. Additionally, the department’s collaboration with local schools and its innovative approach to teacher education includes potential new majors and certificates.

External Stakeholders

The External Advisory Board, comprised of members from our EPP, PK-12 teachers, administrators, and community partners, meets twice a year, working together on program design, evaluation, and continuous improvement. The diverse group of stakeholders reflects our commitment to adaptability and relevance in the evolving landscape of education. Members are thoughtfully selected based on the current needs and challenges facing our program, ensuring that our strategies and initiatives are deeply informed by a broad spectrum of professional expertise and practical experience. Through this collaboration, our work focuses on continuous improvement that impacts our teacher preparation, fostering a responsive educational team.

In 2023-2024, the EPP and Wooster City Schools met to address the Science of Reading (SOR) expectations for teacher education programs. The discussion covered the mandate that all WCS staff undergo training by June 30, 2025, with a special note on the inclusion of Orton-Gillingham (OG) as a recognized SOR training for districts. The necessity for institutions of higher education (IHEs) to prepare by Summer 2024 was discussed.  The EAB worked on appropriate language for Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and the team evaluated different curricula materials. A review of a sample MOU led to modifications based on collective feedback, aiming to align with the outlined SOR training requirements and ensure effective implementation within the stipulated timeframe.

Measure 3: Candidate Competency of Program Completion (R3.3|R3.4)

Title II Section 207 of the Higher Education Act (HEA) requires states, as recipients of HEA funds, and all institutions with teacher preparation programs that enroll students receiving federal financial assistance, to prepare annual reports on teacher preparation and licensing. The reports detail the enrollment and completion of our candidates.

College of Wooster graduates exceed the mean scores required for their licensure exams. Measures of competency at completion include demonstrated mastery of planning, teaching, and assessment for all candidates.

Measure 4: Ability of Completers to be Hired in Education Positions for Which They Have Been Prepared

The data gathered is related to completers’ employment in teaching positions for which they were prepared in years one and two after graduation. Several of our completers teach outside of Ohio after graduation; therefore, we rely on EPP gathered data based on individual responses.