SECTION 4: EVALUATION IN THE PROGRAM
Evaluation in the program includes opportunities for counselor education program faculty to comprehensively evaluate overall program effectiveness. Assessment of students’ knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions is integral. Evaluation data will help program faculty reflect on aspects of the program that work well and those that need improvement and will inform programmatic and curricular decisions.
The following Standards apply to all entry-level and doctoral-level programs for which accreditation is being sought unless otherwise specified.
EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM
- Counselor education programs have a documented, empirically based plan for systematically evaluating the program objectives, including student learning. For each of the types of data listed in 4.B, the plan outlines (1) the data that will be collected, (2) a procedure for how and when data will be collected, (3) a method for how data will be reviewed or analyzed, and (4) an explanation for how data will be used for curriculum and program improvement.
- The counselor education program faculty demonstrate the use of the following to evaluate the program objectives: (1) aggregate student assessment data that address student knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions; (2) demographic and other characteristics of applicants, students, and graduates; and (3) data from systematic follow-up studies of graduates, site supervisors, and employers of program graduates.
- Counselor education program faculty provide evidence of the use of program evaluation data to inform program modifications.
- Counselor education program faculty disseminate an annual report that includes, by program level, (1) a summary of the program evaluation results, (2) subsequent program modifications, and (3) any other substantial program changes. The report is published on the program website in an easily accessible location, and students currently in the program, program faculty, institutional administrators, and personnel in cooperating agencies (e.g., employers, site supervisors) are notified that the report is available.
- Counselor education program faculty must annually post on the program’s website in an easily accessible location the following specific information for each entry-level specialty area and doctoral program: (1) the number of graduates for the past academic year, (2) pass rates on credentialing examinations, (3) completion rates, and (4) job placement rates.
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS
- The counselor education program faculty systematically assesses each student’s progress throughout the program by examining student learning in relation to a combination of knowledge and skills. The assessment process includes the following: (1) identification of key performance indicators of student learning in each of the eight core areas and in each student’s respective specialty area(s) (for doctoral programs, each of the five doctoral core areas), (2) measurement of student learning conducted via multiple measures and over multiple points in time, and (3) review or analysis of data.
- The counselor education program faculty systematically assesses each student’s professional dispositions throughout the program. The assessment process includes the following: (1) identification of key professional dispositions, (2) measurement of student professional dispositions over multiple points in time, and (3) review or analysis of data.
- The counselor education program faculty has a systematic process in place for the use of individual student assessment data in relation to retention, remediation, and dismissal.
EVALUATION OF FACULTY AND SUPERVISORS
- Written procedures for administering the process for student evaluations of faculty are available to the counselor education program faculty.
- Students have regular, systematic opportunities to formally evaluate counselor education program faculty.
- Students have regular, systematic opportunities to formally evaluate practicum and internship supervisors.