CAEP Annual Impact Report

Impacting Education

Information for Third Party Comments

The School of Education at Duquesne University is hosting an accreditation visit by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) on April 15 - 17, 2026. Interested parties are invited to submit third-party comments to the evaluation team. Please note that comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the party’s relationship to the provider (i.e., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates).

We invite you to submit written testimony to:
CAEP
1140 19th Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036
Or email CAEP's call for comments

We welcome comments submitted to CAEP for our upcoming site visit. Please note that comments must be within the specified period and based on the core tenets of CAEP accreditation standards of excellence, which recognize that:

• In CAEP’s performance-based system, accreditation is based on evidence that demonstrates that teacher candidates know the subject matter and can teach it effectively so that students learn. In the CAEP system, EPPs must prove that candidates can connect theory to practice and be effective in an actual P-12 classroom
• A professional education provider that is accredited by CAEP is expected to be involved in ongoing planning and evaluation; engaged in continuous assessment and development; ensure that faculty and programs reflect new knowledge, practice, and technologies; and be involved in continuous development in response to the evolving world of education and educational reform.
• Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the respondent’s relationship, if any, to the institution (i.e., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates). Copies of all correspondence received will be sent to the university for comment prior to the review.

CAEP Annual Report

The Duquesne University School of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Cultivating educational leaders who will stand up to address contemporary challenges in PreK-12 education requires a mind inclined to listen to the needs of all stakeholders involved in the educational process, a heart inclined to embrace ongoing and sustained quality improvement and a spirit prepared to build authentic relationships that serve the needs of all students. To this end, we gladly share with stakeholders our list of programs reviewed by CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) and our CAEP annual accreditation accountability measures.

CAEP-Reviewed Programs

CAEP-reviewed programs as of the last review in 2020

• Early Childhood Education, PreK-4 (B.S.Ed.)
• Middle Level Education, 4-8 (B.S.Ed.)
• Secondary Education, 7-12 - English (B.S.Ed.)
• Secondary Education, 7-12 - Mathematics (B.S.Ed.)
• Secondary Education, 7-12 - Social Studies (B.S.Ed.)
• Early Childhood Education, PreK-4 (MAT)
• Secondary Education, 7-12 - English  (MAT)
• Secondary Education, 7-12 - Mathematics (MAT)
• Secondary Education, 7-12 - Social Studies (MAT)
• Secondary Education, 7-12 - Science - Biology, Chemistry and Physics (MAT)
• Special Education - Cognitive, Behavior, Physical Health/Disabilities (CBP/HD) (M.S.Ed.)
• Reading and Literacy Education (M.S.Ed.)
• Educational Administration, K-12 - Building Level (M.S.Ed.)  
• School Supervision - District Level (M.S.Ed.)  
• Doctoral Program for Educational Leaders - District Level - Superintendents Letter of Eligibility (SLEP) Track

CAEP Measures and Outcomes

CAEP accountability measures emphasize measuring program effectiveness for certain key stakeholders. Measure 1 attends to our graduates’ impact on PreK-12 learners. Measure 2 regards the satisfaction of employers and stakeholder participation. Measure 3 touches upon our teacher candidates’ competency at program completion. Measure 4 examines the societal impact of the ability of our graduates to be hired in the fields for which they have prepared. Initial Level programs, for CAEP purposes, include the B.S.Ed. programs located in the School of Education, the MAT programs and the M.S.Ed. in Special Education. Advanced Level programs, for CAEP purposes, include the Education Administration and Supervision programs and the M.S.Ed. in Reading and Literacy Education program.

Measure 1: Completer Effectiveness & Impact on PreK-12 Learning and Development

Spring 2026 Initial-Level Completer Impact Analysis

During the Academic Year of 2025-2026, the Duquesne University School of Education revisited its methodology for evaluating completer impact on preK-12 students to replace a former grant-reliant methodology with a more fiscally sustainable model. This revised model, called the “Completer Impact Assessment,” set out to evaluate completer impact on preK-12 students through the means of a portfolio project for which the completer would be compensated $100. Invitations to participate in this assessment, as well as in our alumni survey, were emailed to graduates from initial-level programs for the Class of 2024-2025 on March 19, 2026, and follow-up emails were sent to completers March 25-26, 2026, depending on the program of graduation. The School of Education further sought to contact individuals with whom they had built relationships in order to seek out participation. Despite these efforts, there were no respondents to these requests suggesting a need to revisit the request and process.

The main evidence for demonstrating the effectiveness of completers from our initial-level programs was intended to be the Completer Impact Assessment. However, additional sources of evidence also speak to the effectiveness of our 2024–2025 completers. Across multiple measures, field-based evaluators consistently indicate that these completers are prepared with an adequate level of competency for classroom performance.

One evidence source for this includes our licensure exam pass rates, which, for graduates of the AY 2024-2025 class, involved a 100% first time pass rate, non-sliding scale, on all exams required for licensure for the MAT programs and the M.S.Ed. in Special Education. The B.S.Ed. programs have an 80.6% base pass rate with the non-sliding scale) and a 95.1% pass rate based on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s sliding scale metric.

Other evidence includes employer feedback. For example, with respect to the B.S.Ed. program employer feedback, as cited from the Spring 2026 employer satisfaction survey indicated an “Expected” level of performance for B.S.Ed. program alumni on the application of theories of learning to practice. Qualitative feedback on the surveys was evaluated to indicate that completers are prepared for the classroom, though some disposition-related challenges may remain and are under consideration for program improvement.

An additional source of evidence comes from the Spring 2026 completer survey of 2025-2026 graduates. Responses from B.S.Ed. completers are generally aligned with employer survey results. While some completers noted that integrating theory and practice required adjustment in real-time, 80% rated their ability to apply theories of learning at program completion as “Expected” or higher. Notably, 60% of respondents identified their performance at the “Expected” level, consistent with employer evaluations.

Consequently, examining interrelationships among these multiple data sources suggests that initial level completers are prepared for the field. Please note that this analysis was compiled based on data received by April 16, 2026.

Measure 2: Satisfaction of Employers and Stakeholder Involvement

Seeking to address the needs of PreK-12 employers and other stakeholders, the Dean of the School of Education regularly consults with advisory boards composed of key stakeholders such as principals, superintendents and alumni. Additionally, the results of a qualitative investigation of employer stakeholder feedback are presented below.

Employer satisfaction survey links were sent to 37 Roman Catholic-affiliated schools in the Diocese of Pittsburgh and were sent out to public schools in the Allegheny Intermediate Unit through the intermediate unit’s newsletter. As of April 27, 2026, the survey of public school representatives has a 0% response rate, and the survey sent to representatives of Roman Catholic Schools has a 16.2% response rate, suggesting a need to shift the timing of this survey processes.

Survey questions were broken down based on degree and area of study into the following categories: all B.S.Ed. programs in the School of Education, all MAT programs, the M.S.Ed. in Special Education, all supervisory and administrative programs, and the M.S.Ed. in Reading and Literacy Education. Survey construction was based on assessment evidence gathered from Academic Year 2024-2025, and all survey questions aligned with each degree and area of study pertained to asking about our graduate’s proficiency for applying relevant academic, standards-based skills to contexts in the field.

One hundred percent of respondents who indicated a performance level with respect to any given program indicated a performance proficiency level of “Expected,” with options for selection including the proficiency levels of “Unsatisfactory,” “Emergent,” “Expected,” and “Exemplary.” A thematic analysis of qualitative data points expressed by respondents indicates that our graduates are prepared for the classroom in terms of their academic, standards-based competencies.  Some evidence suggests that teacher dispositional skills may need additional supports, particularly with respect to flexibility and variations among completers in terms of motivation.*

Comparatively analyzing the 2025 Employer Satisfaction Survey results with the 2026 Employer Satisfaction Survey results suggest a shift in employer concerns away from competency areas relating to the application of academic content in the field and towards competencies relating to dispositions. This result is particularly salient both in the universality of concerns being expressed as relating to dispositions and in terms of the fact that such a universality was reached without prompting (i.e., dispositions arose as a theme even though the survey questions targeted academic, standards-based competencies. Moreover, while respondent concerns have clearly shifted, the types of dispositions noted within the survey results, especially “flexibility,” are dispositions needed to appropriately address academic content areas highlighted as concerns in the 2025 Employer Satisfaction Survey, including classroom management and addressing learner differences. These correlations and corresponding contrasts suggest that reliable and valid inferences can be made with respect to current 2026 process and findings and reliable and valid inferences can be made across the years of 2025 and 2026.

*Note: dispositions are behavioral “habits of professional action and moral commitments that underlie an educator’s performance” (InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards, p. 6).

Measure 3: Candidate Competency at Completion

Teacher candidates in initial-level programs demonstrate competency at program completion in two ways. The first relates to evaluation measures conducted during student teaching, which is the final “Stage 4” field experience. Teacher candidates in the School of Education’s B.S.Ed. programs and MAT programs are evaluated by the PDE 430 Rubric and the PDE 430 Addendum Rubric. B.S.Ed. and MAT program measures addressed here are combined because both lead to an Initial Level Licensure. Teacher candidates in the M.S.Ed. in Special Education are evaluated by the PDE 430 Rubric and the GSPE Practicum Evaluation Rubric. A second way that competency is demonstrated at program completion is through passing state licensure exams such as the PRAXIS and the PECT. Which exams a teacher candidate takes differs based on area of study. Advanced-level programs demonstrate competency through licensure exams.

Measures for B.S.Ed. and MAT Programs in the School of Education

AY 2024-2025 Teacher Candidate Performance on PDE 430 Rubric

The PDE 430 Rubric has four “Domains.” These are:

• Domain 1: Planning and Preparation
• Domain 2: Classroom Environment
• Domain 3: Instructional Delivery
• Domain 4: Professionalism

AY 2024-2025 PDE 430 Addendum Rubric Results

Population means are given for B.S.Ed. and MAT program completers in the 2024-2025 academic year for skills that are aligned to the InTASC Standards on the PDE 430 Addendum Rubric. On this rubric teacher candidates score “3” for “Exemplary” skill demonstration, “2” for “Superior” skill demonstration, “1” for “Satisfactory” skill demonstration and “0” for any “Unsatisfactory” skill demonstration. Population means are out of 3.00.

Measures for M.S.Ed. in Special Education

AY 2024-2025 Teacher Candidate Performance on PDE 430 Rubric

AY 2024-2025 GSPE 690 Practicum Evaluation Rubric Results

Population means are given for M.S.Ed. in Special Education program completers in the 2024-2025 academic year for skills that are aligned to the InTASC Standards on the GSPE 690 Practicum Evaluation Rubric.” On this rubric teacher candidates score “3” for “Distinguished” skill demonstration, “2” for “Proficient” skill demonstration, and “1” for “Essential” skill demonstration. Population means are out of 3.00.

State Licensure Exam Pass Rates for Initial and Advanced Level Program Completers

Pass rates of program completers taking the state licensure exam(s) relevant for their area of study are provided here:

PRAXIS and PECT Summary Pass Rates for Completers Graduating AY 2024-2025

Measure 4: Ability of Completers to be Hired

Each year, Duquesne's Office of Career Development surveys graduates from all academic programs six months after the Spring graduation date to determine how they would describe the employment and activities after graduation. The results for graduates from the School of Education's educator preparation programs are provided below. Note that some students are both employed and continuing education after graduation.

School of Education Graduate Outcomes

6 Months from Graduation, the Percent of Graduates Who Were: