About the Education Program

Education Mission Statement

The Taylor University Department of Education provides students with vigorous professional preparation in elementary and secondary education. This training occurs within a reflective framework of evangelical Christian values that integrates faith with the liberal arts and professional training. Students are equipped and empowered to have a profound influence on the educational development of the students they teach in public, private and/or overseas school settings.

Recognizing that the preparation of teachers is a university-wide responsibility, the department of education cooperates and collaborates with other departments to ensure the development of high-quality general education courses and major fields of study. The comprehensive liberal arts curriculum provides the foundation for subject-matter competence as well as lifelong learning, leadership and continued growth in the teaching profession.

Key to this professional preparation program is the demonstration of teaching excellence and servant leadership by faculty. As a result, students are equipped to meet the needs of a diverse, pluralistic, global community.

Conceptual Framework

The goal of the Taylor University teacher education program is to develop competent, caring and reflective teachers prepared for world service. The goal is congruent with the purpose of the university and is reflected in the following mission statement of the Department of Education.

Title II Report

The Title II report is an annual report required by law to the Indiana Department of Education which identifies the pass rate for candidates completing education programs at Taylor University for the previous year. Candidates must take Praxis I tests and pass at state qualifying scores to be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Candidates must pass Praxis II academic content tests to obtain a license to teach in Indiana. Each year the test results are forwarded to Taylor University by the Educational Testing Service and a Title II report is assembled by the Director of Teacher Certification and Director of Teacher Education.

The most recent Title II report was compiled in April 2006 for the 2004-2005 academic year. The aggregate institutional pass rate for Praxis I tests of basic skills was 99% with 94 out of 95 candidates passing the tests. The aggregate pass rate for the Praxis II tests of academic content areas was 100% with 94 out of 94 candidates passing the tests. The overall pass rate for Taylor University was 99% with 94 out of 95 candidates passing the state required tests.

Candidate Performance

Performance data are required by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Indiana Department of Education-Division of Professional Standards (DPS) to document performance outcomes of teacher education candidates. Candidate performance data focuses upon learning outcomes. Taylor University Education Department is required to use performance data to demonstrate that teacher education candidates gain the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to have a positive impact on P-12 student learning.

Each year, the Director of Teacher Education compiles and distributes appropriate candidate performance data to content departments, the Education Department, the Teacher Education Committee, and university administrators to document candidate performance. This document is designed to share a small portion of the candidate performance data with teacher education candidates.

2005-2006 Candidate Data (.pdf)