Hillsdale education program tops charts
Mich. Department of Education survey gives college 65 out 70
Whitney A. Stewart
Issue date: 9/6/07 Section: News
The college received 65 of a possible 70 points in the July 30 report, which evaluated 30 colleges and universities in Michigan against six criteria. Hillsdale scored the maximum number of points in every category except ethnic diversity among teacher candidates.
The college doesn't record the ethnic diversity of its students.
Director and Associate Professor of Teacher Education Jon Fennell said the score will reassure students who are considering an education concentration at Hillsdale.
"We can certainly stand up and be pleased," Fennell said. "But if you look behind the numbers, it's just our students doing what they do. They're doing a good job."
The high marks come just months after an interdepartmental dispute about which Hillsdale departments should produce state-certified teachers. The political science department will apply to renew its expired state endorsement, Fennell said.
Hillsdale currently has 25 major and minor certified endorsements at the secondary level and 13 at the elementary level.
The scoring was based on the success of students in the programs. It considered state teacher certification scores, program graduation rates, a review of the school's state-endorsed programs of concentration, the number of students headed into high-need subject areas like mathematics or science, teaching success rates and ethnic diversity among teacher candidates.
The state is moving away from evaluating curriculum to focus on student success, said Catherine Smith, MDE supervisor of professional preparation and development.
The survey focused on "output" - student achievement at the point of graduation - instead of "input" characteristics of teaching programs, like how many professors hold doctorates and the quality of syllabi and classroom space.
"We're now on the edge of a change," Smith said. "We're trying to look at the product."
Fennell said he worries the state's increased emphasis on output, including a diversity criterion, may hurt Hillsdale's future standings.
The college doesn't record the ethnic diversity of its students.
Director and Associate Professor of Teacher Education Jon Fennell said the score will reassure students who are considering an education concentration at Hillsdale.
"We can certainly stand up and be pleased," Fennell said. "But if you look behind the numbers, it's just our students doing what they do. They're doing a good job."
The high marks come just months after an interdepartmental dispute about which Hillsdale departments should produce state-certified teachers. The political science department will apply to renew its expired state endorsement, Fennell said.
Hillsdale currently has 25 major and minor certified endorsements at the secondary level and 13 at the elementary level.
The scoring was based on the success of students in the programs. It considered state teacher certification scores, program graduation rates, a review of the school's state-endorsed programs of concentration, the number of students headed into high-need subject areas like mathematics or science, teaching success rates and ethnic diversity among teacher candidates.
The state is moving away from evaluating curriculum to focus on student success, said Catherine Smith, MDE supervisor of professional preparation and development.
The survey focused on "output" - student achievement at the point of graduation - instead of "input" characteristics of teaching programs, like how many professors hold doctorates and the quality of syllabi and classroom space.
"We're now on the edge of a change," Smith said. "We're trying to look at the product."
Fennell said he worries the state's increased emphasis on output, including a diversity criterion, may hurt Hillsdale's future standings.
Be the first to comment on this story