E-Mail this Page | Print this Page

Education

I. OVERVIEW OF THE INSTITUTION

 Introduction

The faculty and staff of Chadron State College (CSC) and the Education Unit welcome you to our institutional report (IR) for review of continuing accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). In this initial section of the report you will find background information about our institution, including the mission and the characteristics of the institution as well as the Education Unit.   Following this overview in Section II is a summary of our Education Unit’s Conceptual Framework, which guides our programs. Evidence for meeting each Standard is presented and discussed throughout Section III of this report.

Institutional History

After 95 years, Chadron State College (CSC) remains the only four-year institution of higher education in western Nebraska, serving 49% of the State’ land area and approximately 11% of the State’s population. Located within the southern boundary of Chadron, Nebraska, the College began as the Normal School in 1911. Early on, CSC teachers for one-room schoolhouses scattered widely across a sparsely populated Nebraska, Wyoming, and the developing west. Early graduates both represented and provided education to a young, developing region.

The city of Chadron is nestled on the edge of the scenic Pine Ridge found in the northwest area of Nebraska, and is about 300 miles northeast of the closest major city, Denver, Colorado. Lincoln, the state capital, is approximately 400 miles to the east. A community of 5,000, with cultural roots steadfastly planted in ranching and railroading, is 100 miles north of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, the scenic Platte River valley and the historic Oregon Trail. Situated near the south Dakota border, Chadron is 100 miles south of Rapid City, South Dakota, Mount Rushmore, and the nearest four year, post-secondary institution, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. 

The Normal School changed its name, redefined its mission several times and became, in 1964, Chadron State College (CSC). With growth, the institutional role, mission, and objectives have expanded from teacher education curriculum to a comprehensive college curricula with a variety of programs. Today Chadron State College is classified as a Master’s Colleges and Universities I by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifications (2001). Chadron State College continues to be committed to enriching quality of life by providing educational opportunities, research, service, and programs that contribute significantly to the vitality and diversity of the region. 

Within a comprehensive college curricula, the teacher education program remains central to the college and the region served. In the Institution’s Qualitative Academic Report (Institutional Research 2004) for 2003-2004, 32% of the total undergraduate degrees conferred at Chadron State College were to teaching candidates. The graduate degrees conferred to certified teachers were fifty-eight percent (58%) of the total graduate degrees conferred. (http://www.csc.edu/ir/)

Statutory Charge

Priorities for Nebraska State Colleges are identified by the State Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE). The programmatic service areas, as defined in statute, include:  

•  Their first instructional priority is the provision of baccalaureate general academic, occupational, and education degree programs;

•   Their second instructional priority is to provide master's programs in education and other disciplines authorized by statute or by the Commission;

•   Their third priorities are applied research, public service activities, and continuing education activities that serve their geographic service areas, …” (http://www.ccpe.state.ne.us/PublicDoc/CCPE/CompPlan/SCRM.asp)

The Commission further defines CSC’s programmatic service as a Master's (comprehensive) College/University I. Carnegie classification. Chadron State College's programmatic service area includes baccalaureate level liberal arts, occupational degree programs and professional degree programs in education.

• The primary focus of Chadron State College's educational programs is high quality, comprehensive undergraduate programs leading to baccalaureate degrees in arts and sciences, business, and teacher education, all of which are enhanced by a coherent general education program.
• Chadron State College’s new baccalaureate degree programs will reflect the needs of its service area and the priorities of the State College Board of Trustees.
• Chadron State College offers the Master of Education, the Educational Specialist, and the Master of Business Administration degrees.” (http://www.ccpe.state.ne.us/PublicDoc/CCPE/CompPlan/SCRM.asp)

Like Peru State College and Wayne State College, the two sister schools, Chadron State is a regional institution dedicated to teaching, research, and community service. Chadron State, like Peru and Wayne, serves a defined geographical region. (http://www.csc.edu/ir/)

Characteristics of the Institution

Organizational Structure

Chadron State College is organized into two Schools which house all academic programs: the School of Professional and Graduate Studies, and the School of Arts and Sciences. Figure OI.1 diagrams the organizational chart for Chadron State College. Each School is managed by a Dean, overseeing the School’s respective departments. Department Chairs meet as a team with the Dean on a weekly basis. The Department of Education is located within the School of Professional and Graduate Studies, although content area teaching endorsements for education degrees, and thus the Education Unit, span across both Schools.

 

Student Body

The CSC Office of Institutional Research has completed a comparison of the Chadron State College student body to the work of Horn, Peter, Rooney, and Malizio (2002) which shows the similarities and differences of our student body to a National average. The data set represents the academic year of 1999-2000. The complete comparison and discussion is located on line at http://www.csc.edu/ir/.

The Chadron State undergraduate student body is slightly younger than the national average. CSC student population does not approximate the 1999-2000 ethnic profile; however, the institution does ethnically represent the state. From 1991 – 2002, 91% of the CSC student body self-reported as White. Of the remaining 10%, most minority students were Hispanic or Native American. The UN Census Bureau reported from the 2000 census that 89.6% of the population of the State was White with the remaining 11% strongly represented by African Americans and Hispanics. (http://factfinder.census.gov and http://www.csc.edu/ir)

Most of the students attending Chadron State College originate from Nebraska with the majority of this population from the western counties of the State. The states of Wyoming, Colorado, and South Dakota bring in the most out of state students. From outside of the United States, currently there are students enrolled from countries including: Zimbabwe, India, Canada, Ethiopia, Lithuania and Trinidad. Former students have been from such countries as Germany, Japan, Sri Lanka, Mexico, and many others. The CSC International Students website at http://www.csc.edu/international/ provides information pertaining to international student admission and enrollment.

The majority of the CSC students during the 1999-2000 academic year (at 60%) were female, which is comparable to the national average for that same period of 56%.

 

Geographic context

Geographically, CSC services an area larger than the states of New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, and most of Massachusetts, combined. Our service region encompasses 30 counties, including nearly 49,000 square miles, covering vast expanses and limited services. “Geographic isolation” is a reality of Nebraska’s Panhandle. Twenty-six school districts (excluding Class I school districts) are located within the Chadron State College service region (Chadron State College List, 2004). Denver, Colorado is the closest major city and is located approximately 300 miles southwest of Chadron. The Nebraska State Capital is located in Lincoln, about 425 miles to the east. Figure OI.2 illustrates CSC’s legislatively designated Nebraska service region, as well as CSC’s expanded “operating” service area.

Figure OI.2: Chadron State College Expanded Service Area

The region’s population meets the definition of “frontier rural area” as developed by a network of mental health professionals who gathered, analyzed, and disseminated data regarding needs in rural areas of the United States (Focusing on “Frontier”: Isolated Rural America, 1996). They defined “frontier rural areas” as having less than 7 persons per square mile, where geography of the land protects it from populous settlement, “(due to)….harsh climate, difficult terrain, lack of water, distance from metropolitan areas, lack of exploitable resources, and various access restrictions on large federal land tracts” (Duncan, 1993; Popper, 1986, as referenced by Focusing on “Frontier”: Isolated Rural America, 1996). These ‘frontier areas’ are unique in the magnitude of difficulties encountered (due to geographic, cultural, and limited human resources) in providing services to the ‘frontier rural’ population.

As a result of these geographic parameters and the politically-defined service region, Chadron State College strives to provide appropriate educational services to a region defined by sparse population, mediocre communication and transportation infrastructure, as well as restricted economic base. We embrace this challenge, serving our region through creative and innovative mechanisms to ensure access to quality educational offerings.

Accreditations

Chadron State College and its Education Unit have consistently earned regional, state, and NCATE accreditation.

Regional Accreditation: Chadron State College is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, (NCA), through arm of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The most recent visitation occurred in 1997. In 2002 the Institution received an expanded institutional accreditation for delivery of programs to additional sites. A copy of each institutional report and team response is available in the Documents Center.       

State Accreditation: All teaching, counseling, and administration specialization programs are accredited by the Nebraska Department of Education through the Nebraska Council on Teacher Education (NCTE). The most recent review occurred in 1997. The documentation volumes and team report are available in the Documents Center. A state review is occurring on April 5-6, 2006 and the results of that visit will be available when the NCATE team arrives.

NCATE Accreditation: Chadron State College's Education Unit has been accredited continuously by the National Council on Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) or its organizational predecessors (e.g., the American Association of Teachers Colleges from 1929 to 1948, and by the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education from 1948 until NCATE was founded). The most recent visitation and reaccreditation occurred in 1999. A copy of the report of the visiting team and the action letter are available in the Documents Center. 

CSC offers 43 endorsement programs at the initial and advanced levels (NDE 20-004: Approval for Specific Programs of Teacher Preparation, 2005). Table OI.1 lists the unit programs, their degree and program level, required credit hours, and grade level designations.

Regional Demographics

Economic Base

Historically rooted in ranching, farming, and railroad industries, the area’s cultural and economic opportunities reflect the rural frontier nature of the area. Per capita personal income is less in rural areas than in urban areas (U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis 2001), as evidenced within our service region. In 1999, four of the twelve poorest counties in the U.S. were found in Chadron State College’s service region; by 2001, that number had increased to seven. Loup County in Nebraska is listed as the poorest county in the U.S., and is included within our service region (Chadron State College Fact Book, 2003). Table OI.2 identifies the economic status of Western Nebraska Counties. Rural areas are projected to continue to face economic challenges in the years ahead (Drabenstott, M., 2002), and our region is included in this projection.

CSC student characteristics also reflect this economic challenge. During the 2003-04 academic year, 819 undergraduate Chadron State College students received federal PELL grants, which are need-based federal aid for the economically-neediest students in higher education.

Table OI.2:Economic Status of Western Nebraska Counties
Twelve Poorest U.S. Counties by National Rank, Per Capita Personal Income, and Percent of (Mean) U.S. Per Capita Personal Income for 1999 and 2001: Counties within Chadron State College's Educational Region in Blue.

1999				2001
Rank	County, State	Per Capita   Personal   Income	Percent   of U.S.   Per Capita   Personal   Income	County, State	Per Capita   Personal   Income	Percent   of US   Per Capita   Personal   Income
1	Loup, NE	$4,896	17.2%	Loup, NE	$6,235	20.5%
2	McPherson, NE	6,940	24.3	Blaine, NE	8,372	27.5
3	Starr, TX	8,588	30.1	Arthur, NE	8,852	29.1
4	Edwards, TX	8,996	31.5	Sherman, OR	8,928	29.4
5	Keya Paha, NE	9,993	35.0	Ziebach, SD	9,610	31.6
6	Ziebach, SD	10,390	36.4	Starr, TX	9,769	32.1
7	Arthur, NE	10,655	37.3	Grant, NE	10,164	33.4
8	Presidio, TX	10,739	37.6	McPherson, NE	10,407	34.2
9	Maverick, TX	10,826	37.9	Sioux, NE	10,944	36.0
10	Todd, SD	10,920	38.3	Issaquens, MS	11,249	37.0
11	Souix, SD	11,023	38.6	Jefferson, MS	11,267	37.0
12	Sioux, NE	11,147	39.0	Hooker, NE	11,714	38.5

2003-2004 CSC Fact Book, Office of Institutional Research,

Cultures

Chadron State College serves a region of clustered diversity. Although predominantly of European decent, the population includes areas concentrated with other groups. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, home of the Oglala Lakota Nation, is located thirty miles to the northwest. Although cultural histories of the Native American and non-native populations of the region are intertwined, traditions between the groups differ significantly, adding both variety and challenge for service.

A significant Hispanic population exists in Scottsbluff—North Platte River Valley region, and along the eastern parts of Interstate 80 within our service region (100 miles south, extending approximately 200 miles east). Projections for Hispanic undergraduate enrollment in Nebraska between 1995 and 2015 are expected to exceed that of the average U.S. increase (CSC Office of Institutional Research, 2008 Fact Book ).   Although Chadron State College has a history of serving select sectors of the established Hispanic population base, the influx of new Latino populations will require additional insight and focus from the unit.

Education Unit Characteristics

Education Unit coursework is embedded throughout the campus curricula. A strength of the program is that all departments offering teaching endorsement programs have a designated faculty member who serves as the “teacher educator” and instructor of record for special methods instruction within their respective specialty studies endorsement area. Each Teacher Educator is a graduate of a college/university teacher preparation program, and has a minimum of three years teaching experience at the 7-12 grade levels. All department Teacher Educators are members of the Unit, and serve on the Teacher Education Committee. The Teacher Education Committee meets monthly and works to address questions pertaining to curriculum, policy, and operational issues affecting the functioning of the Unit; it bridges the gap between specialty studies (content area studies) and professional studies programming. 

The Chair of the Education Department, Dr. Don King, serves as the Unit Head, who reports to Dr. Margaret Crouse, Dean, School of Professional and Graduate Studies. The Teacher Education Committee is a recommending body to the Unit Head, and subsequently to the Dean. A companion committee to the teacher education committee is the Graduate Council. This committee oversees the policy development and procedures for all the Chadron State College graduate degree programs. Working closely together under the Dean for the Professional and Graduate Studies School, the two committees govern the activities of the undergraduate and graduate education programs.

 Unit candidates are equally representative of the total CSC student body. Most of our students originate from sparsely populated counties in the western portion of the State, with smaller percentages coming from northern Colorado, eastern Wyoming, and western South Dakota.

The Education Unit continues to offer teacher education programming to distant outreach sites located in both North Platte and Scottsbluff, Nebraska.   The predominant education program at these sites is Elementary Education, where candidates may complete the majority of their pre-service curriculum. The Unit also offers secondary level Alternative Certification course programming at our distant sites. With both programs, course delivery may be offered and received via interactive television (ITV), on-line, or through face-to-face instructional formats. Table OI.1 identifies the programs offered within the unit. The CSC Distance and Alternative Learning Programs website (at http://www.csc.edu/dal/) provides information on the degree programs that may be obtained at these regional sites.     

Unit Highlights                                               

The following represent some of the achievements in the area of teaching competency received by the faculty and programs within the Educational Unit at Chadron State College.

• The Math teacher educator, Dr. Robert Stack, received the Nebraska State College System Teaching Excellence Award for 2004. Chadron State
• College was recognized at the National Rural Education Conference, receiving the 2004 NREA Exemplary Practices/Programs Award for its collaborative teaching program with Mid-Plains Community College.
• Dr. Clark Gardener received the NREA Service Award for 2004 at the national conference, recognized for outstanding service in support of rural education.
• Dr. Don King was nominated as one of the School’s Outstanding Professors for the 2003-2004 academic year.
• Dr. Patricia Cruzeiro received the Nebraska State College System Outstanding Teacher for Graduate Studies (Advanced programs) in 1998.
• Dr. Charollene Coates received the1994Nebr. State College System Teaching Excellence Award
• The Science teacher educator, Dr. Lois Veath received the Nebraska State College System Teaching Excellence Award in 1993. 

Since the 1999 NCATE visit the unit has made a number of significant changes which illustrate how data and research have been used to improve programs. Some of these changes include:

• revising the Teacher Intern Evaluation Checklist to address changes in the Conceptual Framework
• development of a CSC Teacher Internship [Activity] Guidebook to better prepare secondary level candidates
• a Teacher Work Sample activity was adopted as a result of research into best practices
• NCATE accreditation standards prompted changes in the Unit Assessment System
• the graduate level comprehensive exam was revised based on the adoption of ISLCC standards

A more comprehensive list of significant program changes may be found in Table OI.3.

Changes and Future Directions

After a long period of continuous growth and development, the region has begun to reflect the national declining population trends in rural areas. (Environmental Trends, Vision 2011, http://www.csc.edu/csc2011) (Factors to Consider in Planning for Chadron State College. D. Jones. Projected Change in HS Graduates, 1998/99 to 2010/11. August 22, 2003).   Outreach, via distance learning delivery modes and distant site programs, has resulted in increased numbers of off-campus student enrollments.  Refocused program offerings, coupled with distance and on-line technological delivery format capabilities allow CSC to remain responsive to changing regional needs and to strengthen and extend our outreach efforts.

Chadron State College serves several special sub-populations, each with differing needs. For example, ways must be found to offer programs to place-bound students who are unable or unlikely to attend on-site classes at our main campus. To accommodate this need, courses are transmitted via fiber and cable networks to distant sites, allowing individuals or groups of students to participate in real-time classroom experiences. Between spring of 2004 and summer of 2005, the average number of clock hours of Interactive Television (ITV) courses per month was 671 to all sites, including Chadron. During that period, 48 unit courses for initial and advanced candidates were included in this figure, with additional courses in various endorsement content areas. Table OI.4 shows CSC web-based and distance delivery modalities, years 2000-04. (CSC Distance Learning Office)

Table OI.4: Web Based and Distance Modalities

Enrollment: On-line and ITV/Fiber Courses
Fall Semester, Undergraduate and Graduate
	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
On-line	41	124	193	499	544
ITV/Fiber	248	222	240	219	311
Note: On-line includes both on and off campus; ITV/Fiber is distant locations only Data Source: CSC Extended Campus Office, Enrollment Summary

Courses are also available on-line, via the internet, allowing participation by candidates at any location with internet access, meeting individual scheduling and study needs. Non-traditional student populations include adults interested in personal or professional development while continuing to perform family and/or employment responsibilities. Additionally, articulation agreements maintained with community colleges ease the path for the transfer to completion of a four-year degree program at CSC. The nature of these agreements allows interchange of services to individuals in various areas of the region, and assists them in preparation for their chosen educational goals. In fact, graduation rate data indicate that transfer students to CSC are twice more likely to graduate than are new entering freshman students. (CSC Fact Book, 2008, http://www.csc.edu/ir/factbook.csc)

Educators in the field returning to CSC for additional coursework to maintain current certification/licensure, add an endorsement program, or for an advanced degree program, are additional pools of student constituency groups that are served. Summer session program scheduling can accommodate the needs of condensed coursework, which may be completed during summer teaching breaks. Unit summer course offerings have grown and expanded in the last two years. Figure OI.3 illustrates summer session enrollment figures for the 1999 to 2002 years.

 Figure OI.3: Summer Session Enrollment

 In addition, a regional need for adaptation to the trend away from an agriculturally based economy helps to feed the demand for educational offerings that can span distance. Growth in demand for distant site and alternative format delivery of courses and programs is expected to continue. Table OI.5 shows the number of students enrolled in CSC programs at distant regional sites.

 Table OI.5: CSC Enrollments at Regional Sites
Unduplicated End-of-Term (Graduate and Undergraduate) Headcount Enrollment for Fall 1999, 2000, and Fall 2001)

Campus	Enrollment
	1999			2000			2001			All Years
	Grad.	Under.	Total	Grad.	Under.	Total	Grad.	Under.	Total	Total	%
Alliance	41	39	80	56	41	97	70	27	97	274	45
Sidney	35	22	57	12	24	36	27	21	48	141	23
North Platte	36	10	46	47	20	67	37	47	84	197	32
TOTAL	112	71	183	115	85	200	134	95	229	612	100

 Source: The Department of Information Technology Focus File, STUD_SITE_CAREER, run September 11, 2002.).

http://www.csc.edu/ir/factbook.csc

 The unit will continue to support summer coursework for education practitioners and degree seeking candidates, as well as continue to expand upon our delivery modalities to provide for regional needs of teachers and other school personnel. Additional opportunities for program expansion and improvement are also being explored.