Ed.S. in School Curriculum and Assessment Policy Program

In the past twenty years, there has been a shift in education policy toward holding schools accountable for the achievement gap in K-12 academic test scores. It is clear that this push for public accountability has become an integral component of the American education system. As a result, graduates of colleges of education are now expected to have some understanding of education measurement and the use of assessment information to improve curriculum. The University of Iowa is in a unique position to offer a special program to meet this need. It is the only university in the country with a testing program as part of the College of Education (Iowa Testing Programs) and with a research faculty with expertise in curriculum design and educational policy.

Purpose of Program

The new, interdisciplinary Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S.) program, School Curriculum and Assessment Policy (SCAP), combines many courses already offered across the College of Education. Its purpose is to provide graduate students training to become school leaders with a functional knowledge of how to use assessment information for both accountability purposes and curriculum evaluation. The SCAP program is designed for educators who hold a master’s degree but would like to pursue a course of study to better understand the intersection between curriculum, assessment, and education policy. Graduates of this program will be qualified to serve as educational leaders in the areas of school policy, assessment, and curriculum at the federal, state, and district levels.

Admission

All applicants must satisfy the Graduate College requirements and are selected through a faculty review process. Factors considered include recommendations, grade-point average, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test scores, one to two page statement of goals, and other evidence of academic ability and professional promise. Complete application materials are reviewed as received for rolling admission. Application to all graduate programs (degree or non-degree) in the College of Education requires official GRE general test scores.

Course & Concentration Requirements

Minimum total semester hours required: 36 s.h.  Worksheet for SCAP Ed.S. Program.

1. Core Courses (12 s.h.): Students take either 07B:270:01 or 07B:270:02.

• 07B:265 Standards-Based Education and Accountability (3 s.h.)
  This course is an overview of standards-based education.  Subjects covered include: academic content standards, K-12 articulation, conducting alignment studies, using standardized test results to evaluate academic programs, decision making using test results (especially grading and instructional decisions), building district assessments, high-stakes testing and teaching to the test, testing and special populations (e.g., the use of assistive technology in special education testing and issues of racial/ethnic bias in testing), and special considerations in various content areas (especially literacy assessment and interdisciplinary curriculum.
• 07B:270:01 Current Issues and Research in School Curriculum and Assessment Policy (3 s.h.)
  This course is a review of current issues from relevant academic journals, states, think tanks, and consortia with a focus on: standard setting, test-based accountability in education, legal assessment requirements at the federal and state levels, large-scale testing and state assessment programs, growth modeling, school leadership in the context of assessment, testing to measure achievement gaps between groups of students, and the intersection of policy, curriculum, and assessment.
• 07B:270:02 Politics and Policy of School Leadership (3 s.h.)
  This seminar explores policy and the politics of leadership with a focus on: staff motivation, test-based accountability in education, accommodations and modifications for special education, assessment, the role of school administrators, and the intersection of policy, curriculum, and assessment. This course is designed for graduate students across the College of Education who are interested in developing a balanced view of education politics and policies, including the ever-evolving rules and regulations set forth by the U.S. Department of Education.
• 07B:381 Analysis and Appraisal of Curriculum (3 s.h.)
  This course provides a comprehensive investigation of systematic procedures and resources for identifying and evaluating essential features and constituent elements of a given school district’s curricular offering.  This course is intended for persons in leadership, curriculum, and supervision programs or positions.
• 07B:383 Supervision and Evaluation (3 s.h.)
  This course covers data collection and management skills, data-driven leadership, coaching and feedback techniques, teacher quality legislation, research and best practices regarding teacher evaluation, supervision, and teaching standards.

2. Assessment Core (6 s.h.): both courses are required.

• 07P:257 Educational Measurement and Evaluation (3 s.h.)
• 07B:165/07P:165 Introduction to Program and Project Evaluation (3 s.h.)

3. Research Methodology (6 s.h.): students choose 2 – 1 quantitative and 1 qualitative)

• Quantitative:
  • 07B:206 Research Process and Design (3 s.h.)
  • 07P:246 Design of Experiments (3 s.h.)
• Qualitative:
  • 07E:370 Methods in Literacy Research (3 s.h.)
  • 07B:373 Qualitative Research Design and Methods (3 s.h.)
    Note: This course is available via distance education online

4. Concentration Area (9 s.h.): students choose one area of concentration.

• Policy: Educational Policy and Leadership Studies Department
  • 07B:242 Research for Effective School Leaders (3 s.h.)
  • 07B:225 Introduction to Public Policymaking (3 s.h.)
  • 07B:228 Policy Design and Implementation (3 s.h.)
• Measurement and Statistics: Psychological and Quantitative Foundations Department
  • 07P:243 Intermediate Statistical Methods (4 s.h.)
  • 07P:255 Construction and Use of Evaluation Instruments (3 s.h.)
  • 07P:350 Seminar in Evaluation (3 s.h.)
• Curriculum: Teaching and Learning Department
  • 07E:300 Design and Organization of Curriculum (3 s.h.)
  • 07E:304 Schooling in the United States (3 s.h.)
  • 07E:340 Advanced Topics in Teaching and Learning (3 s.h.)

5. Ed.S. Project (3 s.h.): students will write a substantive research paper and present it to an interdisciplinary faculty committee during their final semester in the Ed.S. program.

• 07B:395 Educational Specialist Research (3 s.h.)