Each academic year, the Henney Department of 教育 collects data regarding graduation rates of teacher candidates admitted to the teaching programs. The tables below compare the cohort of students admitted into the program with those who graduate with a degree in education. It should be noted that some students switch from licensure track to educational studies after being admitted into the program, as they prefer to teach in a non-traditional setting, often choosing graduate school or working with children or young adults outside of the classroom. The following data reflects the number of students graduating in our licensure track program.
另外, beginning with the 2018 graduates, the Henney Department of 教育 implemented a policy that requires teacher candidates to pass their content licensure tests prior to earning permission to student teach. As can be seen from the data, this resulted in a drop in teaching graduates. The trend toward a higher graduation rate is moving in a positive direction. The EPP is confident the content exam policy is an important one, and it values the shift in culture that has taken place. Teacher candidates are preparing for and taking the tests earlier, providing them more opportunities to take and pass said tests, 如果需要. While this affects the graduation rate, administrators and clinical faculty, as well as other stakeholders, affirm this ensures the preparedness of student teachers.
Lastly, two other factors skew the data regarding these reported graduation rates. The EPP had a teacher candidate in a high-need area hired as a teacher prior to his student teaching semester. He graduated with a degree in his content, and then completed MU’s Transition to Teaching program during his first year of teaching. 另外, several candidates did not pass MU’s Senior Comprehensive Exam, an institutional requirement to graduate. The institution has ended this graduation requirement with the class of 2025.