SOAR Program Summary and Outcomes
UNF SOAR Program Overview
UNF SOAR is the UNF School Counseling Graduate Program. The acronym stands for Supporters of Academic Rigor. This two-year program is designed as a Cohort Model. This means that the group of students admitted together basically follows our 2-year graduate program together until completion. We find this provides our students with support, cohesiveness, and more opportunities for practical experience with schools and students. All of our courses are held in the late afternoons, evenings and/or some Saturdays so that students can work if they choose. The average course load is 3 courses a semester.
SOAR Mission Statement
The SOAR School Counseling Program at the University of North Florida prepares counselors who have developed strong basic counseling, relational, and reflective skills; who demonstrate sufficient multicultural content knowledge, skills, and practices; who practice from a sound foundation of theoretical and research-based knowledge; who hold and maintain a strong counselor identity; and who possess and exhibit the personal and professional dispositions necessary to work effectively as school counselors.
Vital Statistics Summary
The SOAR program is committed to continuous improvement through program evaluation and purposeful reflection of practices. Our faculty and site supervisors work closely with interns on the front line in one of the most dynamic public school systems in Florida to ensure that school candidates are well-prepared for an increasingly diverse, PK-12 student population.
2020-2021 Candidates' Demographic Summary
| Race/Ethnicity | Fall 2021 |
|---|---|
| African American or Black | 37% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.4% |
| White, Non-Hispanic, European | 51.9% |
| Two or more | 3.7% |
| Additional Demographics | Fall 2021 |
|---|---|
| Female | 81.5% |
| Male | 18.5% |
| Disability | 7.4% |
| Military Veteran | 7.4% |
| Program Outcomes | Results |
|---|---|
| 2020-2021 Graduates | 17 Students |
| Completion rate after expected 2 years | 90% |
| FTCE Credentialing Exam Pass Rate | 90% |
| Job placement rate | 95% |
2020-2021 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Vital Statistics Survey; updated Fall 2021
SOAR Program Objectives
- Recruits, selects, and retains qualified graduate students with attention given to the inclusion of candidates from culturally diverse and underrepresented populations.
- Prepares school counselors who will serve as advocates, educational leaders, team members, and consultants who will maximize opportunities for every student to achieve academically and develop as active citizens.
- Supports the development of students and faculty who are highly knowledgeable and skilled and culturally-informed and responsive practitioners who are prepared and committed to supporting and promoting greater equity and justice in our increasingly diverse schools and communities.
- Works collectively and collaboratively with diverse youth, other educators, and families in order to facilitate individual and community development.
- Develops and promotes the highest quality teaching and learning experiences for our students, our community and education partners, and ourselves by continuously assessing our teaching and learning curricula, practices, and processes
- Models community and professional identity through involvement and leadership in community organizations and initiatives; local, state, and national professional organizations; and through presentations at state, regional, and national levels.
Comprehensive Assessment Plan
Program Objective #1
Recruits, selects, and retains qualified graduate students with attention given to the inclusion of candidates from culturally diverse and underrepresented populations
| Corresponding Assessment Domains | Types of Data | Sources of Data | Data Collection Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student diversity | Demographic and other characteristics of applicants, students, and graduates | Institutional data for applicants, current student enrollment, and graduates. | When: Following each semester as part of our enrollment management process. How: Program director or faculty/staff delegate access this information from UNF Banner system. |
| Faculty diversity | Demographic and other characteristics of faculty | Institutional faculty data | When: Following each academic year (August). How: Program director or faculty/staff delegate requests this information from UNF Office of Institutional Research. |
| Program equity and inclusion | Demographic and other characteristics of applicants, students, and graduates. Student and alumni focus groups |
Institutional data for applicants, current student enrollment, and graduates. Student and alumni perceptions |
When: Institutional data: Following each academic year (August). Student and alumni focus groups: Summer (July, August) How: Institutional data: Program director or faculty/staff delegate access this information from UNF Banner system. |
Method for Data Review and Analyses Methods and How they Inform Program Improvement:
Collectively, these data inform our program’s efforts to improve around our diversity, inclusion, and equity goals. Tracking the demographics of our applicants, students, and graduates, helps us understand changes and progress toward our student and faculty diversity goals and can signal the need for innovations for our recruitment, retention, and completion strategies. We also subject our demographic data for our applicants, students, and graduates to an equity analysis. We do this by examining the demographic data across each of those three student-status categories for disproportionality. For instance, if the percentage of students from an underrepresented group who are not admitted to our program is not proportionate with the percentage of students from that group that applied, then we can know to examine the reasons for that disproportionality.
Program Objective #2
Prepares school counselors who will serve as advocates, educational leaders, team members, and consultants who will maximize opportunities for every student to achieve academically and develop as active citizens
| Corresponding Assessment Domains | Types of Data | Sources of Data | Data Collection Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student knowledge, skills, and dispositions | Aggregate student assessment data | Aggregate data for student performance on tasks aligned with CACREP standards and SOAR student competencies Aggregate data from 1st and 3rd semester student evaluations Aggregate data from FTCE exam |
When: Aggregate student performance data: Following each Spring term (May). Aggregate data from 1st and 3rd semester student evaluations: After each Fall semester Aggregate data from FTCE exam: Reported to institutions following each test administration. Compiled yearly following the Spring semester (May) How: Aggregate student performance data: Individual faculty members compile student performance on learning tasks/assignments affiliated with each CACREP standard and SOAR student competency. These compiled data are then submitted to the program director or faculty/staff delegate and those data are compiled and organized into a spreadsheet. Aggregate data from 1st and 3rd semester student evaluations: Faculty hold a workshop or meeting after each Fall semester in which these evaluations take place. Aggregate data from FTCE exam: Compiled yearly by the program directory or a faculty/staff delegate following the Spring semester (May) |
| Program site supervisor and employer perceptions | Data from graduates, site supervisors, and employers | Aggregate data from site supervisor evaluations of students UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey |
When: Aggregate site supervisor evaluations of students: These data are compiled following each Spring semester (May) UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: Spring semester (May). How: Aggregate data from site supervisor evaluations of students: Site supervisors evaluate individual students after each semester of a field experience. The program director or a faculty/staff delegate compiles these individual evaluations and puts the aggregate data into a table. UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: The program director or a faculty/staff delegate distributes the survey to site supervisors and principals. Data then is compiled. |
| Program alumni perceptions and performance | Data from graduates, site supervisors, and employers | Alumni Survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey Alumni focus groups |
When: UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: Spring semester (May). Alumni focus groups: Summer (July, August) How: UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: The program director or a faculty/staff delegate distributes the survey to alumni. Data then is compiled. Alumni focus groups: Student and alumni focus groups: Facilitated by the UNF Institute for Race and Ethnic Relations. Findings/themes |
Method for Data Review and Analyses Methods and How they Inform Program Improvement:
This SOAR program objective is one of two relating directly to the development of student knowledge, skills, and disposition in service of school counseling practice.
The data used to inform our understanding of student development within our program correspond with three main assessment domains: 1) Student knowledge, skills, and dispositions as exemplified through task performance and faculty perceptions of student task performance, 2) the perceptions and judgments of program stakeholders who provide forms of supervision and evaluation – site supervisors and principals, and 3) the perspectives of our graduates regarding their own knowledge, skills and dispositions developed from their time in our program or subsequent development building from foundations developed from our program.
Collectively these data provide us with opportunities to appraise our program performance preparing school counselors through two primary measures: the CACREP Eight Common Core Areas and accompanying standards and the School Counseling areas and standards; and the SOAR School Counseling Program Five Student Competencies.
By affiliating learning activities/tasks within our course curricula with CACREP standards and our student competencies, we are able to aggregate student performance so that we can identify preparation strengths and deficiencies at a granular curricular level. Additionally, the evaluative data (both formative and summative) from our site supervisors is crucial in helping us understand how students are applying knowledge, skills, and dispositions to practice.
Finally, perception data from our site supervisors, principals, and alumni directly related to CACREP Core and School Counseling areas provides us with valuable data reflecting how the degree of which each group is compositely satisfied with our preparation program.
Program Objective #3
Supports the development of students and faculty who are highly knowledgeable and skilled and culturally-informed and responsive practitioners who are prepared and committed to supporting and promoting greater equity and justice in our increasingly diverse schools and communities
| Corresponding Assessment Domains | Types of Data | Sources of Data | Data Collection Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student knowledge, skills, and dispositions | Aggregate student assessment data | Aggregate data for student performance on tasks aligned with CACREP standards and SOAR student competencies Aggregate data from 1st and 3rd semester student evaluations Aggregate data from FTCE exam |
When: Aggregate student performance data: Following each Spring term (May). Aggregate data from 1st and 3rd semester student evaluations: After each Fall semester Aggregate data from FTCE (Florida Teacher Certification Examination): Reported shortly after each Aggregate data from FTCE exam: Reported to institutions following each test administration. Compiled yearly following the Spring semester (May) How: Aggregate student performance data: Individual faculty members compile student performance on learning tasks/assignments affiliated with each CACREP standard and SOAR student competency. These compiled data are then submitted to the program director or faculty/staff delegate and those data are compiled and organized into a spreadsheet. Aggregate data from 1st and 3rd semester student evaluations: Faculty hold a workshop or meeting after each Fall semester in which these evaluations take place. Aggregate data from FTCE exam: Compiled yearly by the program directory or a faculty/staff delegate following the Spring semester (May) |
| Program stakeholder perceptions | Data from graduates, site supervisors, and employers | Alumni Survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey Site supervisor survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey - Principals Alumni focus groups Aggregate data from site supervisor evaluations of students UNF COEHS Employer Survey Focus groups with community members including SOAR Advisory Team |
When: Alumni Survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: Following Spring semester (May). Site supervisor survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: Following Spring semester (May) UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey - Principals: Following Spring semester (May) Alumni focus groups: Summer (July, August) Aggregate data from site supervisor evaluations of students: Aggregate site supervisor evaluations of students: These data are compiled following each Spring semester (May) UNF COEHS Employer Survey: This survey is distributed every two years. Focus groups with community members including SOAR Advisory Team: (May) How: UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: The program director or a faculty/staff delegate distributes the survey to alumni, site supervisors, and principals. Data then is compiled. Alumni focus groups: SOAR faculty member(s) facilitate and compile data/findings. Aggregate data from site supervisor evaluations of students: Site supervisors evaluate individual students after each semester of a field experience. The program director or a faculty/staff delegate compiles these individual evaluations and puts the aggregate data into a table. UNF COEHS Employer Survey: COEHS Director of Assessment & Research distributes survey and sends corresponding report to SOAR program director and faculty. Focus groups with community members including SOAR Advisory Team: SOAR program director or faculty delegate facilitate focus group among advisory team and compiles data/findings. |
| Student diversity | Demographic and other characteristics of applicants, students, and graduates. | Institutional data for applicants, current student enrollment, and graduates. | When: Following each admissions period (by semester) and compiled for each academic year following each Spring semester (May). How: Program director or faculty/staff delegate access this information from UNF Banner system. |
| Faculty diversity | Demographic and other characteristics of faculty. | Institutional faculty data. | When: Following each academic year (August). How: Program director or faculty/staff delegate requests this information from UNF Office of Institutional Research. |
| Program equity and inclusion | Demographic and other characteristics of applicants, students, and graduates. | Institutional data for applicants, current student enrollment, and graduates. | When: Following each admissions period (by semester) and compiled for each academic year following each Spring semester (May). How: Program director or faculty/staff delegate access this information from UNF Banner system. |
Method for Data Review and Analyses Methods and How they Inform Program Improvement:
The SOAR program is rooted in equity and justice school counseling practices and programming, both historically and presently. This rootedness is embodied by this program objective and its corresponding assessment domains, data, and our methods for using and analyzing these data to improve our program.
Here, assessment data come from three sources: 1) aggregate student performance data (as indicated by the appraisal of learning activities/tasks, aggregate data from a more global/holistic assessment of students via the 1st and 3rd semester student evaluations, and aggregate data from program student performance on the Guidance & Counseling PK-12 Subject area portion of the FTCE), 2) Perception data from a range of stakeholders (alumni, site supervisors, employers, and community members), and 3) diversity, equity, and inclusion data for program applicants, students, graduates, and faculty.
Here the addition of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) data has a foundation in our programmatic emphasis on equity and justice and the culturally responsive practices and processes that we believe help move us toward those aims. Our program faculty believe that striving toward an increasingly diverse students and faculty is an appropriate aim in its own right, but also that increased program diversity serves to help support the development of more culturally-informed and responsive practitioners and educators. As such, examining data related to DEI is as valuable a component to program effectiveness and development as aggregate student performance data.
Last, multivocality is also a valuable component to inclusive practices aimed at greater equity and justice. As such, our use of perception data in a variety of forms (surveys, supervisor evaluations, and focus groups) provides opportunities for our program to be informed by many voices and perspectives including alumni, employers, and community members.
Program Objective #4
Works collectively and collaboratively with diverse youth, other educators, and families in order to facilitate individual and community development
| Corresponding Assessment Domains | Types of Data | Sources of Data | Data Collection Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student knowledge, skills, and dispositions | Aggregate student assessment data | Aggregate data for student performance on tasks aligned with CACREP standards and SOAR student competencies Aggregate data from 1st and 3rd semester student evaluations Aggregate data from site supervisor evaluations of students Student data from the Multicultural Counseling Competence and Training Survey-Revised (MCCTS) |
When: Aggregate student performance data: Following each Spring term (May) Aggregate data from 1st and 3rd semester student evaluations: After each Fall semester Aggregate site supervisor evaluations of students: These data are compiled following each Spring semester (May) How: Aggregate student performance data: Individual faculty members compile student performance on learning tasks/assignments affiliated with each CACREP standard and SOAR student competency. These compiled data are then submitted to the program director or faculty/staff delegate and those data are compiled and organized into a spreadsheet. Aggregate data from 1st and 3rd semester student evaluations: Faculty hold a workshop or meeting after each Fall semester in which these evaluations take place. Aggregate data from site supervisor evaluations of students: Site supervisors evaluate individual students after each semester of a field experience. The program director or a faculty/staff delegate compiles these individual evaluations and puts the aggregate data into a table. The MCCTS is administered to every student during the first field experience, SDS 6940 Practicum, as a pre- and post-survey of their multicultural competence. |
| Program equity and inclusion | Data from graduates, site supervisors, and employers | Alumni Survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey Site supervisor survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey Alumni focus groups UNF COEHS Employer Survey Focus groups with community members including SOAR Advisory Team |
When: Alumni Survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: Following Spring semester (May). Site supervisor survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: Following Spring semester (May) Alumni focus groups: Summer (July, August) UNF COEHS Employer Survey: This survey is distributed every two years. Focus groups with community members including SOAR Advisory Team: (May) How: UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: The program director or a faculty/staff delegate distributes the survey to alumni, site supervisors, and principals. Data then is compiled. Alumni focus groups: SOAR faculty member(s) facilitate and compile data/findings. UNF COEHS Employer Survey: COEHS Director of Assessment & Research distributes survey and sends corresponding report to SOAR program director and faculty. Focus groups with community members including SOAR Advisory Team: SOAR program director or faculty delegate facilitate focus group among advisory team and compiles data/findings. |
| Program equity and inclusion | Demographics and other characteristics of Advisory Team | Advisory member demographic data | When: Following each academic year (May) How: Program director or faculty/staff delegate compiles these data. |
Method for Data Review and Analyses Methods and How they Inform Program Improvement:
The data used for this program objective includes aggregate student assessment data; and data from graduates, site supervisors, employers, and community members.
Elements from these data focus on collaboration and collective efforts and leadership for and alongside diverse youth, families, and other educators in ways that support the individual and community development.
In addition to aggregate student assessment data and perception data from graduates, site supervisors, and employers; we also look closely here at demographic data of our advisory members as they represent our most direct influence of community voices.
Together, these data help us to understand student preparedness to work effectively in diverse schools and communities, while also providing useful information related to how well our own program is modelling such efforts.
Program Objective #5
Develops and promotes the highest quality teaching and learning experiences for our students, our community and education partners, and ourselves by continuously assessing our teaching and learning curricula, practices, and processes
| Corresponding Assessment Domains | Types of Data | Sources of Data | Data Collection Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student perceptions | Student perception data of learning experiences | UNF Instructional Satisfaction Questionnaire (ISQ) Student focus groups |
When: ISQs: Last 2 weeks of each term before finals through 2 days after. Student focus groups: Following Spring Semester (May, June) How: Distributed and made available to students from the University Office of Institutional Research Student focus groups: Facilitated by SOAR program faculty |
| Faculty perceptions | Faculty perception data of learning experiences | Faculty Program Assessment workshops Faculty program meetings |
When: Faculty Program Assessment workshops: August, prior to the start of each Fall semester Faculty program meetings: Monthly throughout Spring, Fall semesters How: Faculty Program Assessment workshops: Organized and facilitated collectively by SOAR faculty. Faculty program meetings: Convened and facilitated by SOAR program director. |
| Stakeholder perceptions | Data from graduates, site supervisors, and employers of learning experiences | Alumni survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey Alumni focus groups |
When: Alumni survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: Following Spring semester (May) Alumni focus groups: Summer (July, August) How: UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: The program director or a faculty/staff delegate distributes the survey to alumni, site supervisors, and principals. Data then is compiled. Alumni focus groups: SOAR faculty member(s) facilitate and compile data/findings. |
| Program assessment | Results of Program Assessment Plan | Faculty Program Assessment workshops | When: UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: The program director or a faculty/staff delegate distributes the survey to alumni, site supervisors, and principals. Data then is compiled. How: Faculty Program Assessment workshops: Organized and facilitated collectively by SOAR faculty. |
Method for Data Review and Analyses Methods and How they Inform Program Improvement:
Data related to this objective have been identified for their capacity to inform the learning experiences (pedagogy. Practices, and curriculum) our program develops and facilitates for our students, our partners, and ourselves.
These data include student ISQ data affiliated with instructors and courses, qualitative student assessment data (focus groups), as well as faculty assessment of our own courses and teaching as surfaced and explored within regularly occurring faculty program meetings as well as faculty program assessment workshops which are the convenings in which all program data generated from our Program Assessment Plan are systematically examined in service of a program evaluation/assessment that is formative and generative.
Our Faculty Program Assessment workshops are centered on the perceptions of our students – both current (through ISQs and focus groups) and former (through our Alumni survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey and Alumni focus groups).
Program Objective #6
Models community and professional identity through involvement and leadership in community organizations and initiatives; local, state, and national professional organizations; and through presentations at state, regional, and national levels
| Corresponding Assessment Domains | Types of Data | Sources of Data | Data Collection Procedures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stakeholder perceptions | Data from graduates, site supervisors, and employers | Alumni survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey Site supervisor surveys / UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey Alumni focus groups Focus groups with community members including SOAR Advisory Team |
When: Alumni and Site supervisor survey/ UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: Following Spring semester (May) Alumni focus groups: Summer (July, August) Focus groups with community members including SOAR Advisory Team: (May) How: UNF SOAR Satisfaction with Preparation Survey: The program director or a faculty/staff delegate distributes the survey to alumni, site supervisors, and principals. Data then is compiled. Alumni focus groups: SOAR faculty member(s) facilitate and compile data/findings. Focus groups with community members including SOAR Advisory Team: SOAR program director or faculty delegate facilitate focus group among advisory team and compiles data/findings. |
| Student performance and practices | Student service and scholarship | Student leadership, advocacy, and service inventory | When: Summer (June) How: The program director or faculty/staff delegate distributes inventory link via email to current students. Compiled data are shared with program faculty. |
| Alumni performance and practices | Alumni service and scholarship | Alumni leadership, advocacy, and service inventory | When: Summer (June) How: The program director or faculty/staff delegate distributes inventory link via email to program alumni. Compiled data are shared with program faculty. |
| Faculty performance and practices | Faculty service and scholarship | Faculty leadership, advocacy, and service inventory | When: Summer (June) How: The program director or faculty/staff delegate distributes inventory link via email to faculty. Compiled data are shared with program faculty. |
Method for Data Review and Analyses Methods and How they Inform Program Improvement:
The data supporting our assessment and opportunities for program improvement in this program objective area include perception data from stakeholders, as well as performance data from students, alumni, and faculty concerning expressions of professional and community identity, leadership, scholarship, and service.
These data allow us to learn from how graduates, supervisors, and employers perceive and understand their own conceptions of their professional identities as well as program faculty’s. In addition, our Program Assessment Plan utilizes data representing examples of student, alumni, and faculty leadership, services, scholarship, and advocacy. These data are collected through our Student leadership, advocacy, and service inventory which provides the means for alumni, current students, and faculty to self-report examples of each.