Master’s Assessment
Program Outcomes:
Program recruitment outcomes:
10 recruitment events (information sessions, conferences, student teacher workshop presentations) held during the 2024-2025 academic year.Program enrollment and graduation:
|
Program |
Total Active Enrolled* |
New Students (Starting 2025**) |
2024-2025** Graduates |
|
SPED M.Ed. |
15 |
1 |
3 |
|
SPED M.Ed. + SL |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
SPED M.S. |
7 |
2 |
1 |
|
SPED M.S. + ABA |
23 |
5 |
4 |
|
Total |
48 |
14 |
8 |
|
Prior Totals for Comparison |
|||
|
2024 Totals |
34 |
14 |
8 |
|
2023 Totals |
48 |
16 |
8 |
|
2022 Totals |
45 |
10 |
6 |
Note. OPTT = Online Practical Teacher Training; SL = School Leadership; ABA = Applied Behavior Analysis; *Includes Spring, Summer, Fall 2025 enrollment. **Includes Spring, Summer, Fall 2025 start terms. ***Includes Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Summer 2025 graduation.
Historical application, enrollment, and graduation data:
|
Year |
Program |
Applications |
Offered (%) |
Accepted (%) |
Graduated (%) |
|
2025-2026 |
M.S. |
18 |
17 (94%) |
7 (41%) |
|
|
|
M.Ed. |
4 |
3 (75%) |
2 (67%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2024-2025 |
M.S. |
11 |
9 (82%) |
5 (56%) |
|
|
|
M.Ed. |
10 |
7 (70%) |
6 (86%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2023-2024 |
M.S. |
12 |
11 (92%) |
9 (82%) |
2 (22%) |
|
|
M.Ed. |
5 |
4 (80%) |
4 (100%) |
1 (25%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2022-2023 |
M.S. |
16 |
14 (88%) |
12 (86%) |
7 (58%) |
|
|
M.Ed. |
8 |
6 (75%) |
5 83%) |
3 (60%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2021-2022 |
M.S. |
12 |
11 (92%) |
9 (82%) |
6 (67%) |
|
|
M.Ed. |
6 |
6 (100%) |
6 (100%) |
6 (100%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2020-2021 |
M.S. |
11 |
9 (82%) |
6 (67%) |
3 (50%) |
|
|
M.Ed. |
3 |
3 (100%) |
3 (100%) |
3 (100%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2019-2020 |
M.S. |
13 |
7 (54%) |
5 (71%) |
3 (60%) |
|
|
M.Ed. |
7 |
2 (29%) |
2 (100%) |
1 (50%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018-2019 |
M.S. |
9 |
6 (67%) |
6 (100%) |
5 (83%) |
|
|
M.Ed. |
8 |
3 (38%) |
3 (100%) |
1 (33%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2017-2018 |
M.S. |
19 |
11 (58%) |
9 (82%) |
6 (67%) |
|
|
M.Ed. |
8 |
6 (75%) |
6 (100%) |
6 (100%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2016-2017 |
M.S. |
3 |
2 (67%) |
1 (50%) |
1 (100%) |
|
|
M.Ed. |
2 |
1 (50%) |
1 (100%) |
1 (100%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2015-2016 |
M.S. |
25 |
12 (48%) |
11 (92%) |
5 (45%) |
|
|
M.Ed. |
9 |
4 (44%) |
4 (100%) |
4 (100%) |
Faculty satisfaction with programs:
Faculty provided ratings on satisfaction with programs through an anonymous electronic survey. The survey was sent in January 2025 to 9 faculty who advise students in the master’s program, and was completed by 7 faculty (77.78% response rate). Most questions on the survey were open-ended. Overall, responses provide suggestions for improvement but reflect positive faculty advising experiences. The responses to the survey questions can be accessed at this link: https://usu.box.com/s/sy3t54d8v1rujirolq1gd5vdvb8l0h3e- Next planned faculty program satisfaction survey administration – May 2026
Student satisfaction with programs:
Students/graduates provided ratings on satisfaction with programs through an anonymous electronic survey (collected January 2025).- Graduate survey: An anonymous electronic survey was sent to 86 program graduates (going back to Summer 2013). 34 individuals responded, reflecting a 39.53% response rate.
- Graduates were asked to answer two questions using a rating scale of 0 (not at all) to 100 (to an extreme extent). 28/34 respondents provided responses to the questions. Average ratings are included below for each question:
- “To what extent do you feel your completion of the master’s program increased your likelihood to stay in the field of special education/working with people with disabilities?”
- Average rating: 82.89
- Minimum rating: 0
- Maximum rating: 100
- “To what extent do you feel your completion of the master’s program improved your effectiveness as a teacher/in regards to working with people with disabilities?”
- Average rating: 88.5
- Minimum rating: 50
- Maximum rating: 100
- Respondents provided additional open-ended feedback, available at this link: https://usu.box.com/s/nzn7a9h4xecp46k9v7abxdvfjxsod5tv
- “To what extent do you feel your completion of the master’s program increased your likelihood to stay in the field of special education/working with people with disabilities?”
- Graduates were asked to answer two questions using a rating scale of 0 (not at all) to 100 (to an extreme extent). 28/34 respondents provided responses to the questions. Average ratings are included below for each question:
- Current student survey: An anonymous electronic survey was sent to 42 current students. 17 individuals responded, reflecting a 40.5% response rate.
- Students were asked to answer two questions using a rating scale of 0 (not at all) to 100 (to an extreme extent). 15/17 respondents provided responses to the questions. Average ratings are included below for each question:
- “To what extent do you feel the master’s program is increasing your likelihood to stay in the field of special education/working with people with disabilities?”
- Average rating: 94.33
- Minimum rating: 71
- Maximum rating: 100
- “To what extent do you feel the master’s program is improving your effectiveness as a teacher/in regards to working with people with disabilities?”
- Average rating: 87.4
- Minimum rating: 40
- Maximum rating: 100
- Respondents provided additional open-ended feedback, available at this link: https://usu.box.com/s/0fp126r8lut49szw546v07p3tdc604vh
- “To what extent do you feel the master’s program is increasing your likelihood to stay in the field of special education/working with people with disabilities?”
- Next planned student program satisfaction survey administration – May 2026
- Students were asked to answer two questions using a rating scale of 0 (not at all) to 100 (to an extreme extent). 15/17 respondents provided responses to the questions. Average ratings are included below for each question:
Learning Outcomes:
Special Education M.S. and M.Ed.:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the structure and intent of the major special education laws (e.g., IDEA, Section 504, ESSA, ADA).
- Describe evidence-based interventions and data-based decision-making.
- Identify important variables to be considered when selecting and implementing interventions.
- Identify common cultural characteristics of prevalent cultural groups in the United States and describe how these characteristics may impact a family’s reaction to disability and special education.
- Identify and describe quality-indicators of interventions (e.g., reliability, procedural integrity) and system-wide monitoring
- Demonstrate an understanding of experimental designs as applied in educational settings.
- Demonstrate an understanding of measurement, data displays, and data interpretation, as applied to educational settings.
- Identify credible research-based information related to special education and/or behavior analysis and use research to (a – for M.S.) develop, implement, and evaluate a research project, OR (b – for M.Ed.) enhance or improve their current practices in educational settings.
- Demonstrate graduate-level writing skills.
For Special Education M.S. with ABA Coursework:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the structure and intent of the major special education laws (e.g., IDEA, Section 504, ESSA, ADA).
- Describe evidence-based interventions and data-based decision-making.
- Identify important variables to be considered when selecting and implementing interventions.
- Identify and describe quality-indicators of interventions (e.g., reliability, procedural integrity) and system-wide monitoring
- Demonstrate an understanding of experimental designs as applied in educational settings.
- Demonstrate an understanding of measurement, data displays, and data interpretation, as applied to educational settings.
- Demonstrate understanding of all relevant objectives from the BACB task list and current BACB test content outline.
- Discuss relevant objectives from the BACB task list and apply them to real-world scenarios.
- Demonstrate application of behavior analytic behavior change procedures and selecting and implementing interventions.
- Identify credible research-based information related to special education and/or behavior analysis and use research to develop, implement, and evaluate a research project.
- Demonstrate graduate-level writing skills.
For Special Education M.Ed. with School Leadership Certificate:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the structure and intent of the major special education laws (e.g., IDEA, Section 504, ESSA, ADA).
- Describe evidence-based interventions and data-based decision-making.
- Identify important variables to be considered when selecting and implementing interventions.
- Identify common cultural characteristics of prevalent cultural groups in the United States and describe how these characteristics may impact a family’s reaction to disability and special education.
- Identify and describe quality-indicators of interventions (e.g., reliability, procedural integrity) and system-wide monitoring
- Demonstrate an understanding of experimental designs as applied in educational settings.
- Demonstrate an understanding of measurement, data displays, and data interpretation, as applied to educational settings.
- Demonstrate knowledge of assessment at school and classroom levels, including the use of data to guide decisions in schools.
- Demonstrate understanding of relevant standards from the Utah Education Leadership (UEL) Standards from the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC).
- Identify credible research-based information related to special education and/or behavior analysis and use research to enhance or improve their current practices in educational settings.
- Demonstrate graduate-level writing skills.
Assessment Planning:
- Students are assessed on learning outcomes within coursework. The objectives listed for each program are essential objectives; completion of the program requires students to achieve these objectives in order to successfully move through coursework and their culminating project (thesis or creative project).
- Current students self-evaluate their progress towards the program learning objectives annually through a survey. The survey is distributed every May and reviewed by program faculty every September (beginning in 2025).
- Program graduates complete a survey annually to rate their satisfaction with their master’s program training/experience, and provide information related to their professional accomplishments. The survey is distributed every May, and reviewed by program faculty every September (note: this timeline begins in 2026).
- Program faculty complete a survey annually to rate their satisfaction with the master’s program, and to provide suggestions related to improvements, enhancements, or changes. The survey is distributed every May, and reviewed by program faculty every September (note: this timeline begins in 2026).
- Program data (enrollment, graduation, etc.) are compiled regularly and reviewed by program faculty every August.
Data Collection:
Measures of Student Learning:
- Grade Point Average (GPA) of Current Students: GPA represents a direct measure of student learning, as program objectives are reflected in course objectives. A student receiving a higher grade in a course reflects that the student has mastered course objectives.
|
GPA |
Number of Students (Total N = 48) |
Percentage of Students |
|
4.0 |
15 |
31.25% |
|
3.5-3.99 |
28 |
58.33% |
|
3.0-3.49 |
5 |
10.42% |
|
2.5-2.99 |
0 |
0.0% |
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst Exam Passage rate: the BACB exam passage rate is a direct measure of student learning, as program objectives are aligned with required learning objectives from the BACB.
- BCBA exam passage rates are available for programs that have 6 or more graduates take the BCBA exam. These are reported as first-time pass rates.
- 6 graduates in the SPED MS with ABA coursework program took the exam in 2024
- All 6 passed, representing a 100% first-time passage rate for the program
- Passage rates for years prior to 2024 were reported by alumni on an anonymous electronic survey.
- 12 graduates in the SPED MS with ABA coursework program completed the survey
- 10/12 respondents provided answers to the question, “Have you taken the BCBA exam yet?” All 10 indicated they passed the exam on their first attempt.
- Exam completion years included 2014 (3 respondents), 2015 (1 respondent), 2016 (1 respondent), 2021 (1 respondent), and 2024 (4 respondents)
- BCBA exam passage rates are available for programs that have 6 or more graduates take the BCBA exam. These are reported as first-time pass rates.
- Student Ratings of Progress Towards Objectives: Student ratings of progress toward objectives represents an indirect measure of student learning. Students and graduates self-reported ratings on progress on objectives in their programs through an anonymous electronic survey (January 2025). Ratings provided on a 5-point rating scale: No apparent progress (1), Slight progress (2), Moderate progress (3), Substantial progress (4), Exceptional progress (5). Additional option of “Not applicable”.
- Survey of recent graduates: Survey sent to 19 recent graduates (graduated within past 3 semesters); 8 respondents (42% response rate). Not all respondents completed all questions in the survey.
- SPED M.Ed.
- 1 respondent ranked progress on program objectives.
- Average rating across 9 objectives: 4.78. Respondent indicated “Exceptional Progress” on 8/9 objectives and “Moderate Progress” on 1/9 objectives.
- SPED M.S. with ABA Coursework
- 1 respondent ranked progress on program objectives.
- Average rating across 11 objectives: 4. Respondent indicated “Exceptional Progress” on 1/11 objectives, “Substantial Progress” on 9/11 objectives, and “Moderate Progress” on 1/11 objectives.
- Survey of current students: Survey sent to 42 current students; 17 respondents (40.5% response rate). Not all respondents completed all questions in the survey.
- SPED M.S. and M.Ed.
- 6 respondents ranked progress on program objectives.
- Average rating across 11 objectives:
- Overall across 6 respondents: 4.36
- Respondent 1 average rating: 4.56
- Respondent 2 average rating: 4.22
- Respondent 3 average rating: 4.67
- Respondent 4 average rating: 4.8
- Respondent 5 average rating: 3.33
- Respondent 6 average rating: 4.56
- SPED M.S. with ABA Coursework
- 7 respondents ranked progress on program objectives.
- Average rating across 11 objectives:
- Overall across 7 respondents: 3.69
- Respondent 1 average rating: 3
- Respondent 2 average rating: 4.56
- Respondent 3 average rating: 4
- Respondent 4 average rating: 3.7
- Respondent 5 average rating: 3.8
- Respondent 6 average rating: 3.91
- Respondent 7 average rating: 2.91
- SPED M.Ed. with School Leadership Licensure
- 2 respondents ranked progress on program objectives.
- Average rating across 11 objectives:
- Overall across 2 respondents: 3.23
- Respondent 1 average rating: 2.64
- Respondent 2 average rating: 3.82
- SPED M.S. and M.Ed.
- SPED M.Ed.
- Survey of recent graduates: Survey sent to 19 recent graduates (graduated within past 3 semesters); 8 respondents (42% response rate). Not all respondents completed all questions in the survey.
Results Used / Use of Results:
Updates made to the program in 2024-2025 academic year, based on program evaluation and faculty input:
- Revised application materials, deadlines, and application review process
- Refined student progress and advisor load tracking system
- Revised SPED 6900 to align with SPED 6700 changes
- Refined program evaluation processes
- Made program evaluation processes and results publicly accessible on website
Updates made to the program in 2023-2024 academic year, based on program evaluation and faculty input:
- Revised which semesters courses are offered to decrease length of program
- Revised SPED 6700 to incorporate drafting of thesis proposal
- Revised SPED MEd with School Leadership Certificate program to align with adjustments to School Leadership Certificate in TEAL (reduced credit numbers, adjusted required coursework)
- Revised systems for tracking advisor and committee assignments to facilitate more equitable distribution of students and enhance efficiencies
Updates made to the program in 2022-2023 academic year, based on program evaluation and faculty input:
- Improved onboarding for incoming students:
- Launched orientation webinars, during which information is provided to students about the structure of the program, advisor/advisee expectations, creative project and thesis expectations
- Started assigning advisors during students’ first semester
- Revised welcome email to better facilitate connecting students to resources
- Developed smoother pathways for undergraduate students to pursue/continue enrollment in master’s programs (split-forms and transfer credits for on-campus and OPTT undergraduate special education programs)
- Updated program materials
- Information survey used to match advisors
- Revised applicant review rubric
- Created box folder of faculty advising resources
- Updated ABA curriculum to align with new BACB 6th Edition Test Content Outline
- Renewed ABA Verified Course Sequence status
Strategic Planning Based on Analysis of Program Evaluation Data:
In Fall of 2025, the Chairperson of the Master’s Program Committee reviewed feedback from USU AAA program assessments from 2024 and revised program evaluation plan and information provided on the website.
In Fall of 2024, the Chairperson of the Master’s Program Committee reviewed feedback from USU AAA program assessments from 2021 and revised program evaluation plan and information provided on website.
In Fall of 2022, the Chairperson of the Master’s Program Committee reviewed “Remediation Plan for Master’s Programs per 2021 Review”, which was informed by the December 2021 Master’s Program Self-Study and Summary of Analysis, Assessment and Accreditation for Special Education M.Ed. and M.S. Programs. Based a review of this information, the Chairperson established goals for program improvement, which included the following:
- Launch student and faculty orientations
- Develop and implement strategic recruitment plan for all programs
- Pursue funding opportunities
- Develop and refine procedures and materials
- Annual graduate student review to increase retention and graduation
- Develop student handbook and faculty tip guides
- Revise student and graduate satisfaction surveys
- Revise application requirements, materials, deadlines
- Explore adjustments to existing programs (to aid recruitment, retention, and graduation)
- Create guidance documents and rubrics for theses and creative projects (professional portfolios)
- Build library of theses and creative project (professional portfolio) examples
Annual Feedback:
The following review and feedback procedures are used on an annual basis:
- The Chairperson of the Master’s Program Committee compiles an annual report detailing current data and goals for improving program outcomes. This report is presented annually to department faculty at the Fall Department Retreat.
- The Master’s Faculty Committee reviews the report and meets to discuss report findings.
- The Department Head reviews the report and attends the Committee meeting to discuss report findings.
Link to Past Program Assessments:
https://usu.box.com/s/jszzzk51smyujnuwgutspk1j0rllhmgh