Team chairs are sent two additional documents to assist them in managing the visit. The Intent form provides background information on the unit (e.g., the existence of off-campus programs) that will be helpful in planning the visit. The masters for overhead transparencies are used during team meetings for recording team members’ ratings on the planning instrument. Three additional documents are available on NCATE’s website for use by the team chair:

• Agenda Items for the Previsit. This document is a checklist of the items that should be discussed and negotiated during the previsit to plan the on-site visit.

• Assistant Chair Checklist. The team chair may appoint an assistant chair who completes this checklist as the team conducts the visit.

• Preliminary Statement of Areas for Improvement. The team chair should list all areas for improvement that are likely to be included int eh final BOE report on this form, which should be presented to the unit head during the exit conference.

• Chair Evaluation of Peers. This evaluation form is the same one that other team members complete, but it does not include a section for the team chair to evaluate himself or herself.

Intent Form

The team chair’s package from NCATE includes the Intent form that the unit submitted approximately two years prior to the visit. The form is signed by both the chief executive officer of the institution and the unit head. It contains descriptive data about the institution, including whether programs for the preparation of education professionals are offered in off-campus sites, including outside the United States. It also indicates distance learning programs and alternate route programs. The team chair should review this document to determine if any special conditions at the institution might require a larger team, longer visit, or other accommodations. In these cases, the chair should contact the NCATE office to discuss possible options.

Masters of Transparencies

During the team’s first meeting, each team member’s ratings of the standards are recorded on the transparencies included in the team chair’s package from NCATE. Differences in ratings among team members are discussed, leading to the identification of incomplete, missing, or conflicting data that should be focused upon during interviews and review of written documentation.

Institutional Materials for the On-Site Review

The institution is responsible for sending the following information to national and state BOE members, state consultants, and other state representatives approximately 60 days before the visit:

• Institutional Report. The format of the Institutional Report (IR) is described on the NCATE website. The institution should send team members both a paper and electronic version of the IR. Electronic reports usually have links to supporting documentation on the website that otherwise could not be reviewed until the team arrives on campus.

• College Catalogs. The institution should send team members the link for accessing the college catalogs on-line at the institution’s website.

During the previsit, the team chair may ask the institutional representatives to send supplementary materials to the team. These documents may include a student teaching handbook and more detailed descriptions of the conceptual framework. Team members should also check the institution’s website, which often includes detailed information on programs and statistics about the institution and unit. Sometimes websites include course syllabi and faculty information as well. The Web site address is indicated on the list of team members from NCATE.

Previsit Communications

Team members, including the state members and representatives, should receive communications from the team chair and institution beginning a couple of months before the visit. Some team chairs arrange a conference call with team members prior to the visit to ensure that team members are prepared for the visit and to do some initial planning. Most send e-mails to team members with necessary details about the visit, assignments, and logistical arrangements. Others ask the institution to contact team members with information about airports, transportation, and hotels. If team members have not heard from the team chair about travel arrangements, they should contact the chair directly for guidance. The NCATE staff does not have information about travel or hotels.

In most cases, writing assignments for specific standards are made before the visit. However, all team members should attend to each of the standards prior to the visit and be ready to identify necessary follow-up to validate strengths and check areas of concern. Most team chairs write the introduction to the report and assist with writing one or more of the standards and the conceptual framework, but the actual assignments are made at the discretion of the team chair.