Massachusetts School and District Profiles

Simmons University
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2023
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Annual Goals

This report lists the annual improvement goals reported to ESE in the educator preparation program provider’s state annual report. Providers may report up to three goals for the upcoming year and are asked to report on progress made toward the prior year’s goals. Annual goals are reported in May of the academic year listed.
Data last updated January 16, 2025.

Annual Goals - 2023
Educator preparation program improvement goals for the upcoming program year
Goal #1 Our goal is to increase numbers: Our School Library Teacher program envisions increasing numbers of applicants via the partnership being sought with Boston Public Schools. Our SSW/SAC program plans to increase numbers of applicants by wide advertising of the new program structure, which reduces the cost and length of the program for candidates. Our Simmons-NECC partnership for Severe Special Needs licensure intends to increase numbers in several ways: 1. Expanding its PSS program to new public school districts, increasing numbers by some 8-10 students next year. We are setting guidelines for transfer among our various NECC licensure programs to increase the flexibility of the PSS. 2. Recruiting internally at NECC with events and fliers and externally via advertising, including use of billboards on Rte 290. Recruitment internal to Simmons can include reaching out to Simmons Education minors and psychology majors via undergraduate career fairs and student liaison groups. Please note that our On-Campus programs in Elementary, Moderate, and Severe are no longer recruiting given the June 2024 closure planned for our department.
Goal #2 Our overall goal is to refine university-wide licensure program systems, encouraging continuous improvement and preparation for our future Formal Review. Over AY 2023-24, successfully teaching out the on-campus licensure programs in Elementary, Moderate and Severe Special Needs will allow us a sharper focus on the programs for the next Formal Review: School Library Teacher, School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor, and Severe Special Needs base at our off-site partnership with NECC. We will set a shared timeline in 2023-24 for the remaining programs to anticipate the Formal Review and to set common and clear expectations for documents and for utilizing shared university resources whenever possible in lieu of program director efforts. We hope to capitalize upon new connections possible across licensure programs that may be newly aligned within the new university structure.
Goal #3 Our goal is to implement and further refine curricular changes already made. Our SLT Licensure program is targeting LIS 461, Curriculum and Instructional Strategies, for redesign in summer of 2023. During AY 2023-24, a formal overview of the SLT curriculum will determine if we need major changes or can continue with continuous improvement in each course. Our practice of regular Licensure Team Meetings may allow us to share/compare our various programs to share how AntiRacist Educator Preparation looks across our courses, extracurricular events, and fieldwork. Our SSW/SAC Licensure program will successfully deliver the first course of the newly redesigned curriculum, SW539A: Social Work in Schools I.

Annual Goals - 2022
Educator preparation program improvement goals from the prior year
Goal #1 All programs will share in the university-wide prioritization of DEI concerns in teaching, including curricular assessment, syllabus design, and instruction. Other program revision efforts for the coming year include curricular redesign in the SSW/SAC program set to roll out in fall of 2023. Student feedback surveys and an advisory group including faculty and students will guide the design. One goal will be the overall reduction of credits required, hopefully increasing access to the license for more candidates. The School Library Teacher program will revise pre-practicum assignments and coursework as pre-practicum activity returns to schools in fall of 2022. Two adjuncts, the two full-time SLT faculty and other Library Science faculty will share the planning, and the scope of changes will coordinate with a training planned for PSs and SPs starting in fall semester. The Severe program at NECC has had all candidates fortify technology skills and will incorporate those expectations into instruction. Examples include requiring candidates to get Google Classroom certified and to join MassCue for its professional development training. Candidates will also be held to fluency in use of Smart boards and applications for Zoom and other Chrome extensions. The overall goal is to prepare candidates prior to practicum for the opportunities and challenges of remote instruction during practicum.
Goal #2 A pending reorganization of Simmons University will parallel the University's effort to expand all programs, possibly revisioning our OnCampus Education programming. The next year will be spent exploring ways to support undergraduate interest in school careers, including teaching and school counseling, whether at Simmons or at graduate programs post-Simmons.
Goal #3 In response to partner workforce needs, our Severe licensure program based at NECC will increase its intake of candidates next year, recruiting assistant teachers/paraprofessionals from partner districts both in Massachusetts and in Derry, NH. Along with a push to recruit more candidates for its Abu Dhabi site, this will increase the number of teachers entering the pipeline for Massachusetts severe special needs licensure. In SLT, as the Boston Public Schools shift out of pandemic response and adapt to a new superintendent, our program will attempt to renew the partnership discussion toward increasing the number of school librarians in Boston Schools. As Simmons contemplates a reorganization of its units, the OnCampus Education program may also show growth via strategic partnerships in the area.

Annual Goals - 2021
Educator preparation program improvement goals from the prior year
Goal #1 To leverage the newly developed identity as a single SO across all our licensure programs to support quality, efficiency, innovation, and use of resources. We look forward to regular gatherings, occasional retreats, and shared support from our new Educator Licensure Program Manager.
Goal #2 To embrace the creation, collection, and analysis of data for ongoing improvement within and across programs and including data from our own inquiries and from DESE sources, and then to track implementation of changes.
Goal #3 To explore how programming will change with the implementation of the AntiRacism Domain that will be forthcoming from DESE. This parallels efforts within Simmons and will shape recruitment, professional development, advising, curriculum, and field based experience, all of which will impact candidate experience.