The Department of Education

Introduction to Pennsylvania State Review

The Pennsylvania Department of Education regularly reviews the educational certification programs offered by colleges and universities in the Commonwealth to insure that they conform to general state standards and specific program guidelines. Part of this process involves the college or university conducting a self-study of its programs leading to certification. The current study that has been conducted by St. Joseph's University's Education Department takes the form of a written report, in part, which is organized according to certification program. This report is reviewed by members of a visiting committee appointed by the state. In addition to reviewing each of the written reports, the visiting committee also reviews student work or "artifacts" and interviews students, members of the teaching faculty, the administration, and K-12 school personnel who work with the University to provide field experiences and student teaching opportunities for qualified Education candidates. Their visit to the campus is scheduled for March 31st, April 1st,and 2nd, 2004.

The written reports, which are included here, consist of narrative material that explains how the course work and the field experiences offered by SJU meet the state approved standards and guidelines. They are organized according to the format of content and skills provided by the state. In addition, in each case there is a matrix that summarizes the connections between the course work and the particular content and skills, along with an "Assessment" column that identifies the types of assessments used to measure student achievement. A student advisement sheet is also included.

SJU offers certification programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students must obtain an overall 3.0 GPA in order to qualify for admissions into a program and, eventually, to be recommended to the state for initial certification.

Readers of these documents will note that in addition to the state Guidelines, the Education Department has also identified five SJU Guidelines that it believes are special to its mission and that help define its Jesuit identity in relation to education in a democratic and just society. These five Guidelines are as follows:

1. Faith Justice and Education
2. Education in the Community Context
3. Multiple Paradigms in American Education
4. The Role of the Scholar-Practitioner
5. The Role of an Interdisciplinary Curriculum

These Guidelines are a part of every program, as is clear from a reading of the reporting documents found on this web page. While they at times overlap state Guidelines, they are presented separately due to their special importance for the Education Department and its students.
The ten General Standards provide a description of various aspects of the Education Department, including its mission, the reporting out of student achievement results to the state, admissions requirements, program design, advising, field experiences and student teaching, collaboration both within the University and especially with K-12 schools, the "exit" outcomes required to successfully complete a program, and the composition of the faculty. All ten must meet or exceed state requirements.

The Education Department believes the self-reporting material presented here serves as evidence that the Department not only exceeds state requirements for certification in the areas offered by the Department, but also provides an education grounded in Jesuit principles important for creating and sustaining a just and democratic society.