Section 75.320  Quality Indicators

Each quality indicator is intended to measure an applicant's achievement of the goal to which it applies. (See Section 75.310.) The application for funding required under Section 75.340 shall list the specific quality indicators to be considered in a given funding cycle and their values, which shall range from 0 to 10. The total value of an individual application shall be considered on a 100 percent basis. That is, the percentage of the total represented by any quality indicator will be such that the total percentages of all quality indicators equal 100 percent.

a)         Goal 1:  Not to exceed 15 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

1)         provision of scholarships for agricultural teacher preparation programs;

2)         communication with teachers in high schools and community colleges (e.g., newsletters, website, brochures);

3)         speaking engagements involving representatives of the agricultural teacher preparation program and high school students;

4)         on-campus recruitment activities for high school students; and

5)         receipt of a grant under Subpart A.

b)         Goal 2:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

1)         graduate assistantships for students specializing in teacher preparation;

2)         enrollment of students in the graduate agricultural education program;

3)         graduate courses (other than online courses) that complement schedules of secondary teachers of agriculture;

4)         a master's of education program and additional coursework leading to an endorsement in agricultural education; and

5)         online coursework in agricultural education that is available to graduate students.

c)         Goal 3:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

1)         assignment to each agricultural education faculty of no more than 25 undergraduates;

2)         interview conducted by a panel prior to each student beginning student teaching; and

3)         qualification of graduates being eligible for dual endorsements (i.e., in agriculture and another subject area) due to the faculty providing candidates with information about endorsement options and requirements.

d)         Goal 4:  Not to exceed 25 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

1)         requiring student teachers to develop a minimum of one lesson plan a week and participate in at least three cooperative teaching experiences (including, but not limited to, teaching with community college instructors, agricultural extension personnel, agricultural commodity groups, agricultural literacy project coordinators, or farm organizations) during their student teaching component;

2)         faculty observation and evaluation of student's teaching, with results shared with the student teacher (at least three half-day visits with at least one on-site);

3)         developing teaching skills related to online and other electronic learning; information about the structure of Illinois' agricultural education system integrated into a required agricultural education course; and

4)         activities available to all students related to assessing community needs, developing lesson plans for cooperative teaching with nonagricultural education staff, and designing a sequential course of study in an agricultural field.

e)         Goal 5:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

1)         completion of at least one course in each technical agricultural education field (i.e., agronomy, animal science, horticulture, agricultural business and agricultural mechanics technology);

2)         credit provided for technical internships in AFNR; and

3)         completion by graduates of requirements necessary to obtain an endorsement on a professional educator license for agricultural education and for a related science or mathematics field of study, as identified in the application for funding.

f)         Goal 6:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

1)         conferences at least annually for supervisors of student teachers focused on their roles and responsibilities;

2)         requiring students to develop professional portfolios;

3)         maintaining placement records of graduates in the agricultural education files; and

4)         placement of at least 40 percent of graduates in teaching positions at secondary or postsecondary institutions.

g)         Goal 7:  Not to exceed 25 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

1)         ensuring agricultural education students are members of the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers (IAVAT) Student Branch, and that they demonstrate commitment to professionalism, as evidenced by their participation in various professional activities (e.g., IAVAT Student Branch conference, Central States Research Conference, Alpha Tau Alpha Student Teacher Conference, Intra-University Student Teacher Exchange); and

2)         faculty members also attend and participate in professional conferences and meetings (i.e., IAVAT annual conference, Central States Research Conference and Illinois Team Ag Ed meetings) and connect to instruction at the secondary level.

h)         Goal 8:  Not to exceed 15 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum, that pre-service teachers, during their clinical and student teaching experiences, conduct supervised agricultural experience visits (e.g., outside of the school), provide instruction relative to supervised agricultural experience record-keeping, plan and develop a school-based supervised agricultural experience for their students, and participate in National FFA Organization proficiency award judging beyond the local chapter level. Instruction about agricultural-based supervised agricultural experiences is integrated into a required agricultural education course at the postsecondary level.

i)          Goal 9:  Not to exceed 15 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

1)         student attendance at State or national FFA conventions and at least three leadership and/or career development events;

2)         agricultural education students' completion of award applications specified in the application for funding; and

3)         students' membership in post-secondary agriculture organizations.

j)          Goal 10:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum, an advisory committee of the agricultural teacher preparation program that meets at least two times a year and has representation of agricultural organizations, agricultural business and industry, teachers and a student teacher, and produces an annual report that includes recommendations to be given to the teacher preparation program and presented at the annual IAVAT conference.

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)