Teacher Programs Earn High Marks

The UNC-system schools ranked exemplary include Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, UNC-Greensboro, UNC-Pembroke and Western Carolina University.

The other exemplary schools are Duke University and Salem College.

UNC-G was the highest-rated program in the state for the second year in a row, receiving a score of 141 out of 150.

Dale Schunk, dean of the UNC-G School of Education, said the rankings are valuable in showing what programs need extra work.

"We'll look over (the study), see what the evaluators think we're doing well and look for areas that need improvement," Schunk said.

He said the school would likely increase its efforts to support recent graduates and to expand lateral entry programs.

Lateral entry programs allow a person who did not graduate with a degree in education to take an intensive summer course. After spending a year teaching in a classroom, the person can receive a teaching license from the state.

"We're also working to improve new teacher preparation," Schunk said. "We have a master teacher who works with new teachers, coaching them on methods."

UNC-Chapel Hill ranked near the top of the list, but with a score of 132 it was three points shy of an exemplary rating.

Dixie Spiegel, senior associate dean of the UNC-CH School of Education, said that the school's lateral entry teacher scores lowered its total score.

Spiegel said the education school's small size places more emphasis on programs involving UNC-CH students than lateral entry teacher programs. But she said the education school is looking to improve its lateral entry score.

"We expect that score to go up next year," she said.

For now the UNC-CH School of Education sees the rankings as a self study, and Spiegel said officials are pleased with the overall results.

"(We) hope to do even better next year," she said.

Winston-Salem State University had the lowest score of any UNC-system school with an 85. It was the only school in the system to score below 110.

Manuel Vargas, dean of WSSU's School of Education, said he does not want to make any excuses for his school's seemingly low scores. He attributed the low score, in part, to the fact that the university was not rated in four categories, yet held to the 150 point scale.

Vargas said few teachers, students and principals returned their surveys, resulting in insufficient data.

As opposed to higher-ranked schools, Vargas said WSSU has a large number of lateral entry students and has a high percentage of students passing state licensing exams. Last year, 93 percent of teachers passed the elementary exam and 100 percent passed the special education exam.

Next year, Vargas said, WSSU officials will seek to improve the amount of surveys returned.

Vargas said, "(They will) go out to more of the schools (and) increase the return of those surveys."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.