Advanced Level Analysis

The Unit indicated that it is challenging to recruit culturally diverse faculty, the Unit strives to ensure that candidates have diverse experiences not only in their college classrooms, but also experience with diverse professionals in the field. The IR states that candidates, at the initial and advanced levels, have diverse field experiences and interact with diverse professionals in schools.

Pennsylvania Department of Education record of enrollment quantifies that candidates have field experiences with diverse populations and ensures that the unit maintains a fair and equitable system for placing candidates in diverse environments. As a result, the unit is able to verify that although the unit is limited geographically and demographically, diverse placement sites are available to all candidates (Exhibits 4.3.f #1-3 and 4.3.e). Three levels of field experiences provide the unit with options for placing candidates in diverse settings, including placements for initial observations, for method level participation, and for practicum level instruction (IR, p. 57). The candidates are placed in a number of sites

IR states that at the Advanced level, the Educational Leadership program has a plan to work with urban superintendents to create opportunities to link the Unit with districts that are economically challenged. A grant will provide four economically limited districts in finding more effective ways to serve their communities (Exhibit 4.3.i #3). The Unit Diversity Committee will review outcomes from this experience and investigate potential changes to the current placement sites (IR, p. 58). Other than the Advanced Special Education and Educational Leadership programs the other advanced programs do not provide evidence of purposeful diverse practicum