Teacher preparation receives high marks

The success of Ohio State students on a national examination for new teachers demonstrates the University's dedication to preparing top-notch educators, says President Brit Kirwan.

"Ohio State has been a national leader in education for decades, and our students' success on their licensing exams shows we continue to graduate outstanding teachers," Kirwan said.

The pass rates were announced recently as part of Title II, a federal law that requires U.S. public and private institutions that prepare teachers to report on the effectiveness of their programs.

In Ohio, some 50 institutions are sending the Ohio Department of Education their students' results on Praxis II, the national test for future teachers that is similar to the bar exam for aspiring lawyers. ODE will send the reports to the federal government this fall. Ohio's passing scores are the third-highest in the nation.

Almost every Ohio State student who completed his or her training in 1999-2000 passed Praxis II. They were tested on their general knowledge and professional skills, plus their knowledge in a specific discipline such as mathematics or foreign language. The institutional pass rate for all OSU students across all tests taken was 98 percent, compared to the statewide pass rate of 91 percent.

"Our Praxis II scores are consistently high, which demonstrates the strength of the college's programs," said Donna Browder Evans, dean of the OSU College of Education. "The scores also show the citizens of Ohio that we send only the best of the best into their children's schools."

A total of 99 percent of future high school teachers passed Principles of Learning and Teaching for grades seven through 12, while 95 percent passed Principles of Learning and Teaching for kindergarten through sixth grade, and 91 percent passed the category for grades five through nine.

All Ohio State students passed five teaching specialties, called academic content areas: education in the elementary school, biology and general science, English language and literature composition, art education, and Spanish content knowledge. Other content area pass rates ranged from 99 percent to 67 percent.

All Ohio State students who took the exams passed assessment of special education core principles and special education application of core principles.

The Educational Testing Service develops Praxis II, which 23 states require for teacher licensure.

The scores are consistent with past averages, said Evelyn Freeman, director of the college's School of Teaching and Learning. "They show that our overall teacher preparation program is very good," she said.

The report also contains other measures of quality. For instance, Ohio State's faculty-to-student ratio in supervising student teaching is one to 4.9. A total of 40 full-time faculty members and 42 part-time faculty members supervised 405 student teachers in 1999-2000. Each student teacher spent 400 hours in elementary, middle and high schools, or 40 hours per week for 10 weeks.

The State of Ohio Department of Education and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education both have accredited Ohio State's teacher education programs.

In 1999-2000, the University had 794 students enrolled in pre-service teacher education programs across four colleges: the College of Education; the College of the Arts; the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences; and the College of Human Ecology.

The four colleges graduated approximately 400 students. An estimated 80 percent to 85 percent of graduates eligible for licensure or certification to teach found positions in Ohio schools. The Columbus Public Schools hired 135 Ohio State graduates as full-time teachers.

Gemma McLuckie is director of communications for the College of Education.

'Smart party' program combines patrols, education

Ohio State's student affairs and police departments and the Columbus Division of Police have announced a collaboration to help control neighborhood parties this spring. The plan calls for two teams of Columbus and Ohio State police officers to work with party hosts and patrol the areas east and north of the campus on Friday and Saturday nights, as well as for student-led educational efforts and a variety of methods to reduce alcohol consumption.

A task force of Ohio State students and staff, Columbus and Ohio State police officers, area residents and property managers, and local business and civic leaders appointed by Interim Vice President for Student Affairs William H. Hall put together the plan, which drew on suggestions from student leaders following several incidents last fall in which large parties got out of control.

The Safe Party Program, whose tag line is "Smart Party," will be run on a pilot basis this spring and evaluated for continuation next fall.

"The Safe Party Program is intended to be an aid to our students who want to have a good time in a responsible manner," Hall said. "It is proactive, educational and beneficial to the entire community. The plan is not to end off-campus parties; it is to end the destructive and dangerous behavior that accompanies those that get out of control.

"As good neighbors, the University feels a responsibility to use some of our resources to help solve a problem of concern to us and to the larger community."

The task force's report listed a number of findings and recommendations. The group found that the area has a widely perceived reputation as the place to go for parties, attracting young people from outside the area, including large numbers of nonstudents and some high school students. Numerous parties are held by residents, some of whom are OSU students.

Police reports show that about two-thirds of those arrested for party-related offenses have no affiliation with Ohio State. Most parties are not disruptive or destructive, nor do they involve over-consumption of alcohol or illegal activities. But large outdoor parties with large amounts of beer, usually in kegs, are the ones most likely to get out of control. Problems associated with these parties include underage drinking and other violations of alcohol laws, excessive noise, trash and littering, property damage, arson and, occasionally, assaults and other personal violence.

There has been some success with educational efforts to inform hosts of their legal and social responsibilities, and to help them better plan to manage their parties.

The task force recommended a two-part response:

• Building on a suggestion from student leaders to provide police support for responsible party hosts, the group suggested teaming an Ohio State police officer with two Columbus officers in walking or bicycle patrols through the neighborhoods from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. The officers will function in an educational and proactive way to help hosts control behavior that appears to be getting out of hand and to deter violations. Police will be expected to take appropriate enforcement action if necessary, and will record and report student behavior that falls under the newly revised Code of Student Conduct.

• The task force also recommended regularly contacting area student residents in educational efforts designed to prevent disruptive party behavior. The Smart Party project can provide information on responsible partying, controlling guests, preventing over-consumption of alcohol and interacting with police.

Other recommendations included: creating a "Designated Host" initiative, supported with nonalcoholic beverages supplied by the University and Coca Cola; providing printed materials with information on being a responsible host; continuing the Late Night Party Breakfast program; continuing to work with area property managers in structuring lease agreements that support responsible behavior; and working with area alcoholic beverage distributors to limit the number of kegs of beer sold to an address.

"The safety of our students is our foremost concern," said Vernon Baisden, assistant vice president for public safety. "We also want to help our students learn about civic responsibility and to provide appropriate assistance in addressing this community issue. I think this is a creative and positive approach that relies mostly on adapting existing resources."

Hall, Kirwan respond to disturbance

President Brit Kirwan expressed apologies to Columbus citizens for the behavior of OSU students associated with out-of-control parties in the University District -- centered around Chittenden Avenue -- in the early morning hours of April 21. A large neighborhood party erupted into violence and vandalism, with an estimated 2,000 people involved. It marked the fourth such incident in a year.

Calling the behavior "outrageous," Kirwan expressed the University's resolve to investigate parties, identify those responsible and take appropriate action. "The University must be responsible for its students, but we will not accept, nor tolerate, behavior that involves destruction of private property or harm to innocent bystanders," he said.

Interim Vice President for Student Affairs William H. Hall said only four of those arrested or cited by police in these incidents are Ohio State students. He added, though, that "it is logical to assume that a large number of those who behaved so badly are our students."

"Further, it is clear that there is a small segment of our student body that somehow sees these events as entertaining and excusable. They are neither, and that is a message that President Kirwan, I and the rest of the University administration want to send in the clearest possible manner to our students. Most of our students do understand that and do not take part in these parties."

A program is being set up to offer rewards to those who can help identify students and others who perpetrated the most serious acts. Students identified as participating in serious offenses in violation of the Code of Student Conduct will be referred to the University Judicial system for prompt adjudication. Penalties can include probation, suspension or dismissal from Ohio State.

"Every Ohio State student should understand by now that this behavior is totally unacceptable and will be punished to the fullest extent possible," Hall said.

Hall said that while the new Smart Party program was not able to prevent the Chittenden Avenue incident, it did de-escalate a situation on Norwich Avenue the night of April 21.

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