What Teacher Preparation Programs Make the Grade?

June 3rd, 2011

Category: News, Policy and Practice

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has partnered with U.S News and World Report to conduct an in depth analysis of teacher preparation programs throughout the United States in order to provide the public information on each program’s ability to produce effective educators.

In Delaware (and other states), the study will assess programs across 17 standards, including classroom outcomes.  This will provide all Delaware stakeholders a clear picture of programs that are successful at developing the next generation of teachers – and those that aren’t.  NCTQ will analyze four higher education preparation programs in the state, including the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Wilmington University, and Wesley University.

Currently, higher education institutions prepare over 80% of educators throughout Delaware – which does not include relationships alternate route providers have with higher education institutions (Teach For America candidates take coursework through Wilmington University); therefore, the implications of the study should spur dramatic change in program quality.  This will be accomplished by:

  • giving aspiring educators information on schools that will best prepare them for the profession –  increasing the selectivity and enrollment of students within these programs;
  • enabling government and elected officials to provide tailored support and funding based on program effectiveness information;
  • encouraging districts and principals to hire staff from proven programs; and
  • requiring universities and education schools to implement a continuous improvement model through analysis of current practices and adopting those from effective programs.

The Rodel Foundation supports NCTQ’s efforts because we believe what has always been intuitively understood and now backed by research – which is that the quality of the teacher is the most important school-level factor determining student success.




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Author:
Brett Turner

bturner@rodelfoundationde.org

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