Precondition #7 and the 80 Percent Rule
Precondition #7 - Questions and Answers
Q.1 What is nature of the change to Precondition #7?
Q.2 Does this change apply to all institutions or only to institutions applying for accreditation for
the first time?
Q.3 What is the difference between the revised Precondition #7 and the "80 percent rule" that was recently adopted?
Q.4 How can I find out if my state has set a state-required pass rate?
Q.5 What is the difference between a cut score, a pass rate, and a state-required pass rate?
Q.6 What happens if my institution falls below the state-required pass rate?
Q.7 What exams are included in the state-required pass rate?
Q.8 What if my state has not set a required pass rate?
Q.9 What if my institution has only a few program completers?
Q.10 When does this revised precondition go into effect?
Q.11 How will NCATE know my institution's pass rate?
Q.12 What if the data posted on the Title II website are outdated and we have more current data available?
Q.13 What happens if our my institution’s rate drops below the state-required pass rate one year but rebounds the next?
Q.14 What happens if we are unable to demonstrate a pass rate that meets or exceeds the state required
pass rate?
Q.15 How much time will we have to submit the report to the ARPA committee?
Q.16 What information should be included in the reports written to the ARPA committee?
Q.1 What is the change to Precondition #7?
A. In addition to requiring state approval of programs, the precondition
now requires that institutions meet or exceed state required pass rates
in states that have set state-required pass rates.
Q.2 Does this change apply to all institutions
or only to institutions applying for accreditation for the first time?
A. This precondition applies to all NCATE institutions - precandidates,
candidates and accredited - located in states that have a state required
pass rate. In addition, NCATE expects all institutions to meet all preconditions
at all times. Institutions applying for accreditation for the first time
must submit documentation for all preconditions before a visit can be
conducted. Institutions continuing their accreditation are not required
to resubmit the documentation for preconditions.
Q.3 What is the difference between the revised
Precondition #7 and the "80 percent rule" that was recently adopted?
A. The revised Precondition #7 applies to all exams that individual
states use for licensure. The precondition is based on the pass rate that
the individual states require. The "80 percent rule" applies only to
content examinations that are required for Standard 1.. It is based on
a national expectation of 80 percent passage, not a state requirement.
| |
Precondition 7 |
80% Rule |
| Which exams does it apply to? |
All exams required by the state and reported
in the summary pass rate on the Title II website |
Content exams required by the state |
| Which states does it apply in? |
All states that require one or more exams
for licensure and have set a mandatory pass rate for those
exams |
All states that require content exams for
licensure |
| How many candidates must pass to
meet NCATE requirements? |
Whatever the state-required pass rate is |
80% |
Q.4 How can I find out if my state has set
a state-required pass rate?
A. Check with your State Education Agency to learn if your state
has set or is planning to set a state-required pass rate. Another source
is the Title II website.
Q.5 What is the difference between a cut score,
a pass rate, and a state-required pass rate?
A. A cut score is the score that individual candidates must make
on an exam in order to pass it. Cut scores are usually set by state education
agencies and vary from test to test and from state to state. A pass rate
is the percentage of candidates that successfully pass the exam by scoring
at or above the cut score. A state required pass rate is the expectation
that the state sets for the percentage of candidates from a given institution
that must pass exams.
Q.6 What happens if my institution
falls below the state-required pass rate?
A. If your institution falls below the state-required pass rate, then
NCATE will require that your institution submit a report to the Annual
Report and Preconditions Audit committee. The report should refute the
veracity of the Title II data or include more recent data that indicate
compliance with state requirements. See Q14 and Q.15 of this document
for further details on the report.  Guidance on the preparation
and submission of the report is also available.
The ARPA committee will review the report and recommend to the Unit Accreditation
Board that (1) no further action be taken or that (2) the UAB review the
institution's accreditation status. For further details regarding the
UAB review, see The Use of Test Scores in NCATE Accreditation.
Q.7 What exams are included in the state-required
pass rate?
A. Whatever exams the state requires for licensure.
Q.8 What if my state has not set a required
pass rate?
A. The Precondition does not apply to institutions in states that
have not set required pass rates. As of August 2003, 17 states had set
state-required pass rates.
Q.9 What if my institution has only few (less
than 10) program completers?
A. The likelihood of an institution having less than 10 completers
across all programs is very slim. As of this date, no policy has been
adopted for this situation vis-à-vis precondition #7.
Q.10 When does the revised precondition go
into effect?
A. The precondition went into effect in spring 2003.
Q.11 How will NCATE know my institution's
pass rate?
A. NCATE will rely on the summary pass rates posted for your
institution on Title II website for information regarding institutional
pass rates.
Q.12 What if the data posted on the Title II
website are outdated and we have more current data available?
A. The new data should be included in the report that your institution
will be asked to write to NCATE's Annual Report and Preconditions Audit
(ARPA) committee. Once you demonstrate that your institution meets or
exceeds the state-required pass rate, the probability is that no further
action will be taken.
Q.13 What happens if our my institution's pass
rate drops below the state-required pass rate one year but rebounds the
next?
A. If your institution comes into compliance with the state expectations,
then the probability is that beyond an initial investigation, no further
action will be taken against the institution.
Q.14 What happens if we are unable to demonstrate
a pass rate that meets or exceeds the state required pass rate?
A. NCATE’s Annual Report and Preconditions Audit committee will
recommend that the Unit Accreditation Board review your institution's
accreditation status. The UAB could change your accreditation status to
"accreditation with conditions" or "accreditation with probation." Failure
to address concerns related to conditions and/or probation will result
in loss of accreditation.
Q.15 How much time will we have to submit
the report to the ARPA committee?
A. Reports are submitted for consideration at the ARPA committee
meetings, usually held in February and September. Reports are due approximately
four weeks before the next scheduled meeting. NCATE will notify institutions
that must submit reports of the exact due date.
Q.16 What information should be included in
the reports written to the ARPA committee?
A. If data from the Title II website are either inaccurate or
outdated, the report should indicate this. If data are outdated, the institution
should provide more current data. If the data are inaccurate, the institution
should provide corrected data. The data should be documented by official
reports from the testing company and/or the state. If the data on the
Title II website are accurate and up-to-date, the institution should verify
this.
The "80 percent Rule" - Questions and Answers
Q.1 What is the "80 percent rule" that was recently adopted?
Q.2 When will policies regarding the 80 percent rule go into effect?
Q.3 Do these policies apply to all institutions?
Q.4 What exams are included in the calculations?
Q.5 Where will NCATE get data from?
Q.6 What if my state does not require content examinations for licensure?
Q.7 Where can I learn more about NCATE’s policy on the use of state licensure test results in the accreditation process?
Q.8 What does NCATE mean when it says that 80 percent is a necessary but not sufficient condition for
meeting Standard 1?
Q.9 What if I have less than 10 completers who took the tests?
Q.10 What data should be provided to BOE members when they come for the visit?
Q.11 What cohort of students should we include in our pass rates?
Q.12Is this requirement for content specialty exams only in areas that NCATE has content area reviews?
Q.13 Does the 80 percent rule apply to other tests required for certification, such as the Praxis I
or the Praxis PLT?
Q.14 Does the 80 percent rule apply only to program completers or does it apply to anyone in our school who takes the test, regardless of whether they entered our programs?
Q.15 How does NCATE define program completers?
Q.16 Is there any consideration for small programs that have less than 10 candidates taking the specialty area exams?
Q.17 How will NCATE know my institution’s pass rate?
Q.18 How will examinations for advanced-level programs like educational administration and educational psychology be included in the overall pass rate for the institution?
Q.19 When does this policy go into effect?
Q.20 Where is this written in the standards?
Q.21 How will NCATE count graduates who may fail the exams the first time that they take them, but
pass the exams on the second time?
Q.22 Is the 80 percent pass rate on content exams the only evidence required to meet the content knowledge element at the acceptable level?
Q.23 Is there any guidance available for the implementation of this policy?
Q.24 Why is the 80 percent rule referred to as an interim national benchmark?
Q.25 Can Standard 1 be met without an 80 percent pass rate on content area examinations?
Q.26 What is the difference between the "80 percent rule" and Precondition #7 that was recently revised?
Q.27 What if fewer than 80% of candidates pass a content exam in one subject area, but more than
80% pass the content exams overall?
Q.1 What is the "80 percent rule" that
was recently adopted by NCATE’s Unit Accreditation Board?
A. The "80 percent rule" refers to changes in the rubrics for
the elements on content knowledge in Standard 1 of the NCATE unit standards.
Sentences were added to the rubrics indicating that 80 percent of the
unit’s program completers must pass the content examinations required
for state licensure in states that require content area exams.
Similar language was adopted by the Specialty Area Studies Board for
program approval. Eighty percent of a program's completers must pass the
state exam in that specialty area as a condition of program approval from
a specialized professional association. Please note that some states require
submission of program reports to SPAs and others do not.
Q.2 When will policies regarding the
80 percent rule go into effect?
A. NCATE’s new policies regarding testing in the accreditation
process will go into effect for visits in fall 2003.
Q.3 Do policies regarding the 80 percent rule
apply to all institutions?
A. Policies regarding the 80 percent rule apply to all institutions
in states that have the successful completion of content examinations
as part of their licensing requirements. As of August 2003, about 30 states
had licensing requirements that include content area exams.
Q.4 What exams are included in the
calculations?
A. Content tests include state licensing exams in academic content
areas such as English, mathematics, French, and music, as well as exams
in early childhood education and elementary education. In addition, content
tests include state licensing exams for other professional school personnel
such as school counselors, psychologists and administrators.
Q.5 Where will NCATE get data from?
A. The data for academic content areas such as English, mathematics,
French, music, etc will be taken from the "academic content" section of
the Title II website. Institutions should present data from the website
in their exhibit rooms. Data on exams for other professional school personnel
that are not available on the Title II website should be gathered and
aggregated by the institutions from the respective testing companies.
Q.6 What if my state does not require
content examinations for licensure?
A. If your state does not require content examinations, you will
not be held to the 80 percent rule. Your institution will have to gather
data from other sources that demonstrate that your program completers
have the necessary knowledge in the content areas. See The Use
of Test Scores in NCAT E Accreditation, Appendix C for suggestions in
gathering convincing data.
Q.7 Where can I learn more about NCATE’s
policy on the use of state licensure test results in the accreditation
process?
A. See The Use of Test scores in NCATE Accreditation on the NCATE website.
This document contains information about the revised Precondition #7,
the changes to the rubrics for content knowledge, the new policy, and
a two-page paper providing Guidance for the Implementation of the Rubrics
with Test Scores.
Q.8 What does NCATE mean when it says that
80 percent is "a necessary but not sufficient condition" for meeting Standard
1?
A. "Necessary but not sufficient" means that without an 80 percent
pass rate, Standard 1 cannot be met. Eighty percent is therefore a necessary
condition of meeting the standard. However, an 80 percent pass rate alone
is not enough to meet the Standard. Other types of data are required to
demonstrate content knowledge, and the other types of knowledge, skills
and dispositions outlined in the Standard. An eighty percent pass rate
is therefore not sufficient to meet the Standard.
Q.9 What if less than 10 program completers
from my institution took content area exams?
A. If the combined number of program completers who took content
area exams is smaller than 10, then you will have to aggregate all of
the program completers who took the exam over the course of the last accreditation
cycle (or the period for which the exam has been required) or since achieving candidacy or two years, whichever
is longer. (Note: The Unit Accreditation Board is expected to revisit
this issue at its October 2003 meeting.)
Q.10 What data should be provided to BOE
members when they come for the visit?
A. Institutions should present state licensure test results that
the state reported for Title II, or in the case of institutions undergoing
their first accreditation review, since the time when the unit achieved
candidacy or two years, whichever is longer. In instances in which the
tests have not been offered for three years, institutions should present
data reported by the state since the tests have been available. The data
should be taken from the Title II website. If in the most current year, an institution has fewer than
10 scores to report, then the institution should present aggregated data
over the period since its last NCATE visit or (for new institutions) since
achieving candidacy or two years, whichever is longer.(Note: the Unit
Accreditation Board is expected to revisit questions related to 10 or
fewer scorers at its October 2003 meeting.)
Q.11 What cohort of students should we include
in our pass rates? What is the annual reporting period?
A. If your visit occurs prior to the 2004-2005 academic year,
institutions should use the cohort from the most recent annual Title II
reporting period to report pass rates. This information is posted on
the Title II website. "Annual reporting period" refers to the
reporting period for the data posted on the Title II website each October.
This period, and thus the data, is based on the previous year's test results.
If the institution has the data that it submits to the state for
Title II reporting purposes in April and this data is more current than
that posted on the Title II website, then the institution can present
that information and the BOE should use it to determine if the institution
is meeting the 80 percent pass rate.
The Unit Accreditation Board passed a policy in March 2003 indicating
that beginning in 2004–2005, teams would require data across the
span of the accreditation cycle. However, there are important aspects
of this policy that are not clear, and we anticipate that the UAB will
revisit it at its next meeting.
Q.12 Is this requirement for content specialty
exams only in areas that NCATE has content area reviews?
A. The 80 percent rule applies for all content exams linked to
state licensure.
Q.13 Does the 80 percent rule apply to other
tests required for certification, such as the Praxis I or the Praxis PLT?
A. The 80 percent rule includes content exams that are required
for licensure. Exams that focus on pedagogy or basic skills are not included.
However, the results on those test should be reported in the response
to other elements of Standard 1.
Q.14 Does the 80 percent rule apply only
to program completers or does it apply to anyone in our school who takes
the test, regardless of whether they entered our programs?
A. The 80 percent rule applies only to program completers.
Q.15 How does NCATE define program completers?
A. NCATE has adopted the following Title II definition of program
completer: A person who has met all the requirements of a state-approved
teacher preparation program. Program completers include all those who
are documented as having met such requirements. Documentation may take
the form of a degree, institutional certificate, program credential, transcript,
or other written proof of having met the program's requirements. In applying
this definition, the fact that an individual has or has not been recommended
to the state for initial certification or licensure may not be
used as a criterion for determining who is a program completer.
Q.16 Is there any consideration for small
programs that have less than 10 candidates taking the specialty area exams?
A. Units that have less than 10 candidates taking specialty area
exams must present aggregated data over the course of the accreditation
cycle, or for first-time institutions, since the institution achieved
candidacy or two years, whichever is longer.
Q.17 How will NCATE know my institution’s
pass rate?
A. Board of Examiner teams will rely on information provided
by the institution. Institutions are asked to present data from the Title
II website regarding their academic content area pass rates. In addition,
institutions are asked to provide data on tests not included in the Title
II data, such as tests for school psychologists and counselors.
Q.18 How will examinations for advanced-level
programs like educational administration and educational psychology be
included in the overall pass rate for the institution?
A. NCATE makes two accreditation decisions, one for initial-level
programs and one for advanced-level programs. A similar dichotomy is required
for exam data. The Board of Examiners team will need to review one set
of data for initial-level programs and another set of data for the advanced-level
programs. The data for initial level programs can come directly from
the Title II website. Data for the advanced level programs must be aggregated
and summarized by the institution to demonstrate an overall 80 percent
pass rate.
Q.19 When does this policy go into effect?
A. The policy goes into effect for visits in fall 2003.
Q.20 Where are references to this policy
written in the standards?
A. In Unit Standard 1, the rubrics to the elements on content
knowledge for teachers and other school personnel have be revised to include
an 80 percent pass rate at the acceptable proficiency level.
Q. 21 How will NCATE count
graduates who may fail the exams the first time that they take them, but
pass the exams on the second time?
A. In accordance with Title II reporting, only the last test counts
if the test are taken more than once within a given reporting cycle. If
the same tests are taken after the reporting cycle, then the scores will
be factored into the each institution's pass rates on a three-year update
cycle, required by Title II.
For scores on tests not included in the Title II reporting, institutions
should count repeating test-takers in a similar way.
Q.22 Is the 80 percent pass rate on content
exams the only evidence required to meet the content knowledge element
at the acceptable level?
A. No, in addition to the 80 percent pass rate, institutions
are expected to present multiple measures to demonstrate that candidates
have gained the content knowledge necessary to help all students learn.
See page 8 of The
Use of Test Scores in NCATE Accreditation on the NCATE website for
a list of additional types of data that can be presented.
Q.23 Is there any guidance available for
the implementation of this policy?
A. See The
Use of Test Scores in NCATE Accreditation on the NCATE website.
Q.24 Why is the 80 percent rule referred
to as an interim national benchmark?
A. The 80 percent rule is referred to as an interim national
benchmark because it is an imperfect measure for use at the national level.
A better measure would take different tests, different cut-scores and
different levels of alignment with state standards into further consideration.
NCATE is working with test designers to develop better exams that are
aligned to standards and have recommended cut-scores that could be adopted
by the states. Once these tests are completed and adopted, then the use
of pass rates will be more consistent across states.
Q.25 Can Standard 1 be met without an 80
percent pass rate on content area examinations?
A. No, Standard 1 cannot be met without an 80 percent pass rate
on content area examinations, in states that include such tests are part
of licensure requirements. An 80 percent pass rate is a necessary but
not sufficient condition of meeting Standard 1.
Q.26 What is the difference between the
"80 percent rule" and Precondition #7 that was recently revised?
A. The revised Precondition #7 applies to all exams that individual
states use for licensure. The precondition is based on the pass rate that
the individual states require. The "80 percent rule" applies only to
content examinations. It is based on a national expectation of 80 percent
passage, not a state requirement.
| |
Precondition 7 |
80% Rule |
| Which exams does it apply to? |
All exams required by the state and reported in the summary pass rate on the Title II report |
Content exams required by the state |
| Which states does it apply in? |
All states that require one or more exams for licensure and have set a mandatory pass rate for those exams |
All states that require content exams for licensure |
| How many candidates must pass to meet NCATE requirements? |
Whatever the state-required pass rate is |
80% Rule |
Q.27 What if fewer than 80% of candidates
pass a content exam in one subject area, but more than 80% pass the content
exams overall?
A. The 80% rule in the Unit Standards applies to the unit and
not to individual programs. Similar to our accreditation decisions, two
decisions must be made: one at the initial level and one at the advanced
level. At the initial level, 80 percent of the candidates in all of the
units programs preparing candidates for their first license in teaching
must pass the content tests, if the state requires content tests for licensing.
The various initial level programs may have different pass rates, some
above and some below 80 percent. But overall, in order for Standard 1
to be met at the initial level, in the aggregate, 80 percent of the candidates
in initial programs must pass the exams. At the advanced level, the same
is true. Eighty percent of all candidates in the advanced level programs
must pass the exams in order for the standard to be met at the advanced
level. The various advanced level programs may have different pass rates,
some above and some below 80 percent. But overall, in order for Standard
1 to be met, in the aggregate, 80 percent of the candidates in the advanced
level programs must pass the exams.
(The program review process requires that 80 percent of the candidates
must pass the exams in the relevant content area as a requisite of national
recognition.) |
