Completer effectiveness
(R4.1) Data must address: (a) completer impact in contributing to P-12 student-learning growth AND (b) completer effectiveness in applying professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions.
Measure One (Initial)
Because the Commonwealth of Virginia does not provide Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) with data that directly align with CAEP Standard R4.1, many EPPs in Virginia, including William & Mary (W&M) rely on data collected through the Virginia Education Assessment Collaborative (VEAC). A partnership between 33 EPPs, VEAC provides a centralized assessment process for Virginia EPPs to obtain information about their graduates and the graduates’ perception of the adequacy of their preparation program. As a collaborative effort, VEAC also allows individual EPPs to benchmark their results against statewide averages across Virginia institutions.
Table 1 below presents five items from the VEAC employer survey that demonstrate W&M completers’ effectiveness in applying professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Employers responded using a four-point scale ranging from Unacceptable (1) to Developing/Needs Improvement (2), Proficient (3), and Exemplary (4). Items A, B, and C represent employers’ mean ratings of completers’ knowledge and skills, while Items E and F reflect employers’ mean ratings of completers’ professional dispositions. Through VEAC, W&M administered the survey to 88 employers and received 33 responses, resulting in a 40% response rate.
Table 1. Employer Survey Items Related to William & Mary’s Initial Licensure Completer Effectiveness In Applying Professional Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions (items a, b, c, e, f) (Initial) as Compared to all Participating VEAC EPPs
| VEAC Item (2025) | VEAC N | VEAC Mean (SD) | W&M N | W&M Mean (SD) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
A: Demonstrating your understanding of the curriculum, subject content, and the developmental needs of students by providing relevant learning experiences. |
1,369 | 3.33, (0.61) | 33 | 3.45(0.56) | 0.20 |
| B: Planning using state standards, the school's curriculum, engaging and research-based strategies and resources, and data to meet the needs of all students. | 1,362 | 3.31, (0.62) | 32 | 3.50(0.51) | 0.04 |
| C: Effectively engaging students in learning by using a variety of research-based instructional strategies in order to meet individual learning needs. | 1,368 | 3.27, (0.68) | 33 | 3.48(0.51) | 0.02 |
| E: Using resources, routines, and procedures to provide a respectful, positive, safe, student-centered environment that is conducive to learning. | 1,370 | 3.36, (0.68) | 33 | 3.48(0.57) | 0.22 |
| F: Maintaining a commitment to professional ethics, collaborating and communicating effectively, and taking responsibility for and participating in professional growth that results in enhanced student learning. | 1,370 | 3.40, (0.64) | 33 | 3.45(0.56) | 0.60 |
Across all dimensions, W&M completers earned mean scores above 3.0, indicating that employers rated them as effective in applying professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions. In addition, W&M completers’ mean scores exceeded the average scores of all VEAC completers on each dimension and had lower standard deviations, indicating greater consistency in the higher ratings awarded to W&M completers.
Completer impact on P-12 student learning and development:
Table 2 presents three items that demonstrate completers’ impact on P–12 student learning. Employers were asked to respond using a four-point scale ranging from Unacceptable (1) to Developing/Needs Improvement (2), Proficient (3), and Exemplary (4). Items D and M reflect employers’ mean ratings of completers’ use of data-driven assessment practices, while Item G reflects employers’ mean ratings of whether completers’ work results in acceptable, measurable, and appropriate student academic progress.
Table 2. Employer Survey Items Related to Initial Licensure Completer Impact in Contributing to P-12 Student Learning and Growth (items d, g, and m) (Initial)
| VEAC ITEM (2025) | VEAC N | VEAC Mean (SD) |
W&M N |
W&M Mean (SD) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D: Systematically gathering, analyzing, and using all relevant data to measure student academic progress, guide instructional content and delivery methods, and provide timely feedback to students, parents, caregivers, and other educators. | 1,359 | 3.22, (0.66) | 33 | 3.39, (0.56) | 0.07 |
| G: Engaging in practices that results in acceptable, measurable, and appropriate student academic progress. | 1,363 | 3.30, (0.63) | 33 | 3.42, (0.56) | 0.21 |
| M: Using assessment results to inform and adjust practice. | 1,358 | 3.24, (0.64) | 33 | 3.39, (0.56) | 0.12 |
These results indicate that employers rated W&M completers, on average, as proficient or higher in contributing to P–12 student learning and growth on every item, with mean ratings above 3.0 across all measures. Consistent with the findings in Table 1, W&M completers exceeded the VEAC average for all Virginia completers on each item and demonstrated lower standard deviations, suggesting greater consistency in the higher ratings assigned to W&M completers.