The authors would like to add the following: The research that inspired this paper was first introduced by Doug Braschler of Hope College. His invaluable contributions to this study, expertise in P-12 administration, accreditation, and collaboration with local partners provided a strong foundation for the data collection.
This study investigates the correlation between teacher evaluation ratings and student growth data in Michigan’s educator preparation programs (EPPs), addressing critical accreditation standards and program improvement needs. By leveraging partnerships among EPPs, PK-12 districts and the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), the study collected de-identified data from 197 EPP program completers in their first three years of teaching across 11 public PK-12 districts representing urban, rural, and suburban regions. A bootstrapped repeated measures test was employed to analyze the relationship between evaluation scores and student growth metrics, demonstrating that collapsed evaluation ratings (e.g., effective and highly effective) can serve as proxies for measuring student learning impact (p > 0.1). While acknowledging the limitations of correlation data, the study emphasizes the value of partnerships and process-driven approaches in addressing challenges related to program evaluation and accreditation. These findings contribute to the discourse on teacher effectiveness, highlight the importance of multi-faceted assessment methods, and provide a replicable framework for other states and institutions. This paper underscores the transformative potential of collaborative efforts in advancing educator preparation and improving P-12 outcomes.
Dr. Beth Kubitskey is an educator, researcher, and leader dedicated to advancing quality in teacher preparation and advocating for continuous improvement in education. With a B.S. in Chemistry, an M.S. in Physics Education, and a Ph.D. in Education Studies, her background bridges science and education. She teaches graduate courses at the University of Michigan-Flint, focusing on educator preparation, diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a contractor for the Michigan Department of Education, she collaborates with institutions to shape policies and pathways for teacher preparation. As past Dean at UM-Flint and Associate Dean at Eastern Michigan University, she led initiatives to enhance teacher education and foster equity. Her research focuses on continuous improvement and educator advocacy. As a CAEP site visitor and lead, Dr. Kubitskey remains committed to accreditation as a mechanism for continuous improvement to inform quality programs. Actively involved in state and national policy, she works to improve access and excellence in education.
Dr. Anne Tapp Jaksa is a Professor of Teacher Education at Saginaw Valley State University for graduate and undergraduate programs within the College of Education. She is Chair-elect of the American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) Board of Directors and Past-chair of the AACTE Advisory Council of State Representatives (ACSR) Executive Committee. Dr. Tapp Jaksa serves NASA JPL Education as their Educator in Residence and serves on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Board of Directors. She also serves as a Director for the University of Michigan Center for Digital Curricula. Dr. Tapp Jaksa's research interests include STEM education and continuous improvement within teacher preparation. She is a frequent presenter at international and national conferences and has published numerous journal articles, book chapters, and texts.
Dr. Gina Garner is a Higher Education Consultant at the Michigan Department of Education’s Office of Educator Excellence. This role includes supporting the continued development and operation of state special education, arts, and administrator preparation programs, facilitating student-focused, asset-based standards development for educator preparation, and supporting clinical experience requirements and development of educator professional knowledge and skills. This role is also the primary support for accreditation processes for all educator preparation programs in Michigan. This includes consultative support for all phases of accreditation and data collection and analysis of accreditation trends across Michigan.
Dr. Plehn serves as a consultant for the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Educator Excellence. Her primary roles include supporting Educator Preparation Providers in accreditation efforts, particularly related to candidate and completer outcome data and student impact data and supporting the program review and approval process for State of Michigan teacher preparation programs. Dr. Plehn is interested in the continuous improvement process related to data based decision making to improve outcomes for educators and students.
Dr. Anne Aydinian-Perry is an Assistant Professor of Secondary Social Studies Education at the University of Wyoming where she teaches social studies methods and teacher education courses in the School of Teacher Education. She earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of Houston, specializing in social education. Dr. Aydinian-Perry's dissertation was a process evaluation, where she examined teacher educators' perspectives regarding the effectiveness of the social education programming's mission and integration within an undergraduate teacher education program. She was able to present a portion of this work regarding social education's presence in teacher educator standards in the AAPE SIG at AERA 2024. Her research interests include program evaluation; investigating historical agency in alternative texts and non-textual primary sources; utilizing popular culture and media to teach hidden histories, underrepresented narratives, and critical and cultural pedagogies; and developing a tool for evaluating historical literature for use in elementary ELA classes. Having recently gone through the state accreditation process for the UW Secondary Social Studies Program, Dr. Aydinian-Perry is eager to learn more about accreditation as well.
Dr. Son T. H. Pham is an educational researcher and administrator who obtained his doctoral degree in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University. His dissertation focused on the integration of artificial intelligence in education, aiming to bridge this crucial gap. Dr. Pham's research interests are diverse and include assessment, accreditation, data analytics, AI workforce and career development, AIED for teacher preparation, post-foundational theories, and educational leadership. Currently, he works as a Research & Operations professional at the Nha Viet Institute in Boston, MA, where he actively contributes his expertise and fosters innovation in the field of education.
Emily is a director of assessment and planning for the division of student affairs at Indiana University Indianapolis and a doctoral candidate at Indiana University Bloomington in the higher education and student affairs program. In Emily’s current role, she provides leadership and expertise in the design of assessments of programs and services, provides guidance in the evaluation of student learning outcomes based on engagement in division programs and services, and facilitates the division's strategic planning processes. As a practitioner, she is passionate about increasing staff capacity for inquiry. As a scholar, she is interested in how institutional assessment and data practices influence decision-making. Her dissertation, which she is actively collecting data for this spring, focuses on how college campuses employ meaning making conversations to discuss assessment and how staff understand/connect these conversations to use of results.
I am currently a third-year PhD student in the Research and Evaluation in Education program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. I serve as a Research Assistant for the ROPESS project, which aims to increase the number of multilingual teachers in bilingual education programs in Massachusetts and develop sustainable "Grow Your Own" bilingual teacher pathways. My professional interests include multilingual learners, teacher education, culturally and linguistically responsive teaching, and program evaluation. Through my work with ROPESS, I am engaged in program evaluation and research aimed at addressing the bilingual teacher shortage by creating equitable and community-centered pathways for multilingual paraprofessionals and community members to earn certifications.
As a second-year Ph.D. fellow with 15 years of public high school and college teaching experience, I am deeply passionate about supporting educators at every stage of their careers. My research focuses on mentorship for mid-to-late-career teachers, exploring how collaborative relationships can foster growth and sustainability in the profession. Currently, I teach undergraduate writing at Marymount Manhattan College, an English methods course at Teachers College, mentor first-year teachers, and supervise student teachers, blending hands-on practice with research. I am particularly drawn to the AAPE SIG because of its focus on improving educator preparation through meaningful assessment and program evaluation, which I see as essential to creating equitable and impactful learning experiences for both teachers and students.
Jean-Michel is a 2nd Year Graduate student PhD in Educational Leadership: Higher Education concentration in Clemson University. Originally a foreign trained dentist, Jean-Michel holds a DDS, an MSc in cosmetic and prosthetic dentistry and a MRes in education from Saint Joseph University of Beirut. He was a senior clinical instructor for 12 years and has been involved with numerous accreditation processes of the institution. He is also a Middle East regional attaché for the association of dental education in Europe ADEE and a reviewer for their Leader program for quality assurance in dental education. His research areas are formative and summative assessment in education and dental education and accreditation.
In accordance with AAPE SIG by-laws, volunteers are selected to serve on Award Review Committee which reviews applications for the SIG's two official awards:
The officers would like to thank the 2024 Awards Review Committee members listed below for their service!
Ruchi Bhatnagar, Ph.D.
Priscilla L. Feir Ph.D.
Todd McCardle, Ph.D.
Edith P. Middleton
Jean-Michel Saade
Carla Tanguay, Ph.D.