schools. The focus of the conceptual framework is to prepare educators who are reflective practitioners, culturally responsive, effective facilitators, critical thinkers, and proficient technology users who are capable of meeting the diverse needs of all learners. Supported by a strong knowledge base, the conceptual framework provides a system for ensuring a coherent and well-articulated professional commitment to student knowledge of content, teaching competence (skills), dispositions, and diversity. This is reflected in the curriculum, instruction, and clinical experiences provided to develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are valued in educators. The conceptual framework provides the direction for programs, courses, candidate performance, scholarships, service, and unit accountability. Coherence exists among the conceptual framework, courses, early field experiences, student teaching, practical, and learner outcomes—what our teacher candidates and graduate candidates know and are able to do.

The evolution of the current conceptual framework connects collective experiences to the emerging knowledge base in the field of education and leadership. Then, this experience and knowledge correlates with the reality of the work of P-12 public school settings. Features of this framework are:

• It is in direct alignment with the School of Education's mission statement and congruent with the mission statement of the Kentucky State University.
• Preparation programs directly connect with the learning of P-12 students and to the state/national accountability standards that have evolved over the past 25 years and especially since the adoption of the Kentucky Common Core Academic Standards.
• The faculty reviewed and accepted the Kentucky Teacher Code of Ethics and Kentucky Teacher Character and Fitness Form for Educators. This code serves to guide the program in developing and monitoring candidates' professional dispositions.

The unit’s conceptual framework identifies the variables and relationships that describe schools as social systems. One objective of the teacher education program is to ensure that our candidates understand these relationships and can use this knowledge to make wise decisions regarding areas such as reform of school curricula and selection and retention of highly qualified personnel.

SEHDCS Learning Outcomes:

Learning Outcome 1 – Student candidates possess content knowledge to provide instruction and guidance to students.

Learning Outcome 2 – Student candidates possess content knowledge in assessment, professional development, leadership, community, and analysis of instructional scenarios to provide instruction and guidance to students.

Learning Outcome 3 – Student candidates demonstrate effective pedagogy in their prospective area of learning to enhance acquisition of content, through their understanding of methods implemented within the classroom to create learning opportunities that support the development of all students.