Accreditation & Annual Reports

Academic Year 2024-2025 General Profile

Academic Programs

All school-based professional preparation programs offered at Vincennes University are housed within or coordinated through the College of Social Science, Performing Arts, and Communication (SSPAC).

Historically, the Education Department has offered associate degrees in education since the mid-1960s. In 2004, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education granted VU permission to offer baccalaureate degree education programs in special education, mild intervention/elementary education, secondary mathematics, and science education to address state-wide teacher shortages in those specific areas. VU first offered coursework in these education majors in the Fall of 2007. The Dean of the College of Social Science, Performing Arts, & Communication is Dr. Cynthia Ragle, and the Education Department is chaired by Ann Herman. Numerous faculty members from other departments at the institution teach required courses in the three programs. The Education Department has established and maintains collegiate relationships with faculty members from these various departments. Faculty members from other departments have attended professional development opportunities with Education Department faculty to receive information about the program and to provide input into the program. Additionally, Education faculty members along with K-12 teachers and administrators,  participate in the Teacher Education Advisory Council (TEAC). This council meets twice a year to make recommendations concerning the curriculum for the Vincennes University Education Program. 

The chart below lists the name of each program, the corresponding certification level (initial or advanced), the academic degree awarded, and the name of the Specialized Professional Association (SPA).

Program Name	Certification Level I = initial	Degree	Nationally Recognized by Specialized Professional Association
Mathematics (grades 5-12)	I	Baccalaureate	NCTM: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics www.nctm.org/ncate
Science (grades 5-12)	I	Baccalaureate	CAEP Evidence of Standard One
Special Education, Mild Interventions, K-12	I	Baccalaureate	Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) https://exceptionalchildren.org/
Elementary Education (dual licensure program with Special Education - Mild Intervention)	n/a	n/a	CAEP Evidence of Standard One

Initial Certification Program Completer Undergraduate (Academic Year 2018 - 2024)

	Number Prepared 2024-2025	Number Prepared 2023-2024	Number Prepared 2022-2023	Number Prepared 2021-2022	Number Prepared 2020-2021	Number Prepared 2019-2020	Number Prepared 2018-2019
Special Education with Dual Licensing in Elementary Education	23	22	11	11	15	21	22
Mathematics (grades 7-12)	4	1	3	0	0	1	0
Science (grades 7-12)	4	0	1	0	2	0	0

Data Source(s): Title II Reports 

Measure 1: Completer Effectiveness

Vincennes University (VU) utilizes a multi-layered evaluation system to measure the impact of our completers on P-12 student learning and development. By combining state-level performance data with specialized EPP-designed instruments, we ensure a comprehensive view of teacher effectiveness and classroom environment.

Program Improvement Assessment (PIA)
The Program Improvement Assessment (PIA) captures direct feedback from K-12 school principals regarding the performance of VU graduates with three years or less of teaching experience.

Participation & Demographics: In April 2025, assessments were collected from principals across multiple school corporations, including North Knox, South Knox, and the Vincennes Community School Corporation.

Completer Profile: The 2025 assessment group included teachers specialized in Special Education/Elementary Education, Science Education, and Math Education.
Performance Rankings: Overall, the majority of the 9 responses received were very positive, ranking VU graduates better than 50% or higher than their peers in critical teaching domains.

Assessment Dimension	Key Finding (Spring 2025)
Impact on Student Learning	77.7% of completers were ranked in the top half of their peer group (Rating 3 or 4).
Professional Knowledge	88.9% were ranked better than at least 50% of their peers, demonstrating strong content mastery.
Instructional Skill	62.5% of graduates were rated as performing better than 50% or more of their peers in active instruction.
Professional Dispositions	100% of graduates received the highest possible rankings (3 or 4), meeting or exceeding district expectations for professionalism.

Student Perceptions: My Class Inventory (MCI)

To complement principal observations, the EPP monitors the classroom environment through the My Class Inventory (MCI). This measure focuses on the psycho-social learning environment, which directly impacts student achievement.

Fall 2024 Reporting Cycle Summary:

In the Fall of 2024, the EPP collected data from 22 recent completers across four school districts.

• Student Satisfaction: Students reported high levels of satisfaction with their VU-trained teachers, yielding a mean score of 20.41.
• Environment Baseline: The inventory established baseline scores for Cohesiveness (10.64) and Difficulty (13.09).
• Actionable Data: By administering the MCI twice annually (Fall and Spring), the EPP measures how a teacher's impact on student perceptions and classroom climate evolves over the course of a full academic year.

Spring 2025 Reporting Cycle Summary: 

In the Spring of 2025, the EPP collected data from 21 recent completers to evaluate the classroom environment as they approached the end of the academic year.

• Student Satisfaction: Students continued to report positive perceptions of their VU-trained teachers, yielding a mean score of 18.52.
• Environment Status: The inventory recorded end-of-year scores for Cohesiveness (8.10) and Difficulty (13.62).
• Actionable Data: By administering the MCI twice annually (Fall and Spring), the EPP measures how a teacher's impact on student perceptions and classroom climate evolves over the course of a full academic year.

Summary of Data Used for This Update:

1. PIA Report (Spring 2025): 9 assessments from 5 principals across 3 local corporations.
2. MCI Report (Fall 2024): 22 responses focused on classroom psycho-social environment.
3. MCI Report (Spring 2025): 21 responses focused on classroom psycho-social environment.

Data Source(s):

• PIA data
• MCI data

Data Collection and Timeline 

April - May: Administration of Program Impact Assessment (PIA) to employers

Spring (April) and Fall (August): Administration of My Class Inventory (MCI) 

June - July: Compilation and analysis of all completer effectiveness data 

August - September: Faculty review of data and identification of trends 

Monthly Education Department Meetings and Monthly Accreditation Meetings: Implementation of programmatic improvements based on findings

Bi-Annual Teacher Education Advisory Council Meetings all compilation and analysis, identification of trends are shared. During this time, conversations to create and implement programmatic improvements based on findings.

Measure 2: Satisfaction of Employers and Stakeholder Involvement

The EPP monitors employer satisfaction through two primary assessments: the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Principal Survey and the internally developed Program Impact Assessment (PIA). These tools allow the EPP to gauge how well-prepared our graduates are for the classroom and to identify areas for continuous program improvement.

The IDOE Principal Survey is a statewide assessment where building administrators rate first-year teachers on a 4-point scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 4 = Strongly Agree).

• Missing 2023 Data: Results for the 2022-2023 reporting cycle are not available because VU did not meet the state-mandated threshold of 10 respondents for that specific year. The IDOE suppresses data for institutions with fewer than 10 responses to protect the anonymity of teachers and administrators.
• Performance Trends: Despite the missing year, data from 2024 and 2025 demonstrate a positive upward trend in employer satisfaction. The overall average score for VU candidates rose from 2.87 in 2022 to 3.33 in 2025, significantly closing the gap with the state average (3.37).
• Strengths: In the most recent 2025 data, employers rated VU graduates highest in Professional Dispositions (3.56), followed by Knowledge Preparation (3.27) and Pedagogical Preparation (3.22).

The Program Impact Assessment (PIA) provides a direct look at the effectiveness of our completers based on employer observations. This assessment uses a 4-point scale (4 = Teacher ranks higher than 75% of peers and 1 = Teacher ranks lower than 75% of peers).

• Impact on Student Learning: Employers continue to express confidence in our graduates' ability to facilitate student growth. In 2025, 77.8% of employers rated VU graduates at a Level 3 or 4. The three-year rolling average for this category remains high at 3.28.
• Professional Dispositions: This remains a standout area for VU graduates. In the 2025 data, 100% of surveyed employers rated our graduates as Level 3 or Level 4 in their ability to demonstrate school district professional dispositions, resulting in an average score of 3.22.
• Instructional Skill & Knowledge: While the 2025 snapshot showed a slight dip in instructional skill ratings compared to the exceptional 2024 results, the three-year rolling average (3.23) confirms that the vast majority of our graduates are performing at or above the level of their peers in both professional knowledge and classroom execution.

Summary of Results
The longitudinal data indicates that Vincennes University graduates are well-regarded by their employers. By utilizing a combination of state-level survey data and the more granular internal PIA, the EPP ensures a robust feedback loop. The recent 2025 data highlights our graduates' exceptional professional conduct and a steady improvement in overall principal satisfaction compared to previous years.

Data Source(s):

Principal Survey Data (State Collected)
Measure 2 - Employer Satisfaction - Principals Survey (IN DOE)

Program Impact Assessment (PIA) Data
Measure 2 - Program Impact Assessment (PIA) Data

Measure 3: Candidate Competency at Completion

Institution Pass Rates listed below are generated by the Title 2 Report and are calculated based on Indiana's Cut Scores.

Assessment Pass Rates

The pass rates table is populated from files provided by the testing company or state. The table provides information on the performance of the students in your teacher preparation program on each teacher credential assessment in Indiana. In cases where a student has taken a given assessment more than once, the highest score on that test is used. In the case of a teacher preparation program with fewer than 10 scores reported on any single initial teacher credential assessment during an academic year, the program shall collect and publish information with respect to an average pass rate and scaled score on each state credential assessment taken over a three-year period. (§205(a)(1)(B))

Source: Title II Report: Vincennes University Traditional Report AY

Program Assessment Pass Rates: Institutional vs. Statewide

Institutional Data				Statewide Data
Group	Number Taking Assessment	Number Passing Assessment	Institutional Pass Rate	Number Taking Assessment	Number Passing Assessment	Statewide Pass Rate
All program completers, 2024-25	Pending publication of 2024-25 Title II test scores	Pending publication of 2024-25 Title II test scores	Pending publication of 2024-25 Title II test scores	Pending publication of 2024-25 Title II test scores	Pending publication of 2024-25 Title II test scores	Pending publication of 2024-25 Title II test scores
All program completers, 2023-24	19	19	100%	1768	1574	89%
All program completers, 2022-23	13	13	100%	1828	1611	88%
All program completers, 2021-22	11	10	91%	2155	1940	90%
All program completers, 2020-21	16	14	88%	2255	1899	84%

Measure 4: Ability of Completers to be Hired

Source: Title II Report: Vincennes University Traditional Report AY 2024-25

PLEASE NOTE: To be hired in teaching positions, candidates must graduate from the program and pass the Indiana Department of Education’s required certification test for that specific program/content area/grade span. In spite of these preliminary metrics, we do have self-reported evidence from completers of being hired in their academic areas, whether it is on an emergency license or after completion of the licensing exams following graduation, but outside of the Title II reporting windows. The table below shows where our most recent graduates have self-reported earning employment, and the overall percentage of completers in their cohort in the workforce.

Academic Year	Percent of Completers reporting employment in their content areas
2024-25	64.5%
2023-24	96%
2022-23	100%
2021-22	100%
2020-21	71.0%
2019-20	54.4%
2018-19	63.6%

For full accreditation information, visit the COUNCIL FOR THE ACCREDITATION OF EDUCATOR PREPARATION WEBSITE.