| Teacher education programs that are NCATE accredited are required to have an assessment system that includes follow-up on their graduates. This assessment system is guided by NCATE Standard 2 which judges how each unit uses external information from graduates and employers to refine their teacher education program. These programs use the collected data to improve the teacher education at their institution. The purpose of this study was to investigate follow-up practices, compare follow-up instruments, obtain data related to the cost of the process and measure use, training and importance of quality data practices.;Surveys were sent to 30 NCATE accredited institutions in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. The response rate was 60%, a total of 18 institutions. The survey was designed to gather institution background data, sources for securing graduate information, dissemination practices of follow-up data, institutional resources and cost, employer data practices, institutional quality data practices and perceptions on factors that contribute to or inhibit the success of the follow-up process. Individual institutions' follow-up survey instruments were collected and compared to a national survey; differences are described.;There are nine conclusions that this researcher believes can be ascertained from the follow-up practices of the participating institutions: (a) Institutions have revised their follow-up instrument in the last five years. (b) Survey options offered to graduates have increased from one method to two to four options. (c) Attempts to reach graduates showed the mainstream making two to three attempts. (d) Survey return rates show a wide variation and several comments point to concern and efforts to resolve the issues. (e) Securing graduate information is mainly done through alumni and school records. (f) Employers, most often the principal, are surveyed. (g) Areas of quality data feedback practices found a mix of responses. (h) Reported survey return rate is significantly affected by various practices institutions engage in. (i) Significant differences in length and content of collected surveys were found. |
