Annual Assessment Report

Academic Year: 2016-17
Department: Education
Program(s): Educational Leadership, Education Specialist (Ed. S.)

Ed.S. 2016-17

1. What Was Done?

We reviewed graduation rates and numbers of students selecting the Ed. S. option.

2. What Data Were Collected?

We Collected data on the number of students who chose the Ed. S. program, and those who have been
enrolled in the ED.D. program, but who have not made adequate progress to completion.

3. What Was Learned?

We began a process to offer the Ed. S. as a degree option to students who had been admitted in the Ed. D. program, but had not progressed to completion. Five of the Ed. D. students were contacted and given the choice to move to an Ed. S. degree so that they can finish and earn a degree for their efforts. These students had taken most of the Ed. D. coursework, but didn’t believe they would be able to finish a dissertation in the time they had remaining; this was either due to work or personal circumstances.

4. How We Responded?

We have been able to move four (4) Ed. D. students into the Ed. S. program for the 16-17 year. Three of those students should finish Fall 2017, with the remaining student finishing Spring 2018.
The Ed.S. provided an option to complete coursework and a professional paper – making ”time to degree” much shorter than would have been possible continuing to pursue the doctorate.
We discussed how we could better recruit superintendent candidates into the Ed. S. programs. Though we had done this previously, we had few students show interest in this model. In an effort to award students taking superintendent classes some recognition of their efforts we have a proposal before the Board of Public Education to grant MSU a 15 credit Superintendent Certificate program. This would not change the current program in any way, other than to enroll all students in a degree program and award a certificate.