Senate Passes Teacher Council Bill

The Senate has approved a bill that WEAC President Terry Craney says will enhance the already high quality of teaching in Wisconsin.

The Senate voted 28 to 4 in favor of SB 364, which creates a state Professional Standards Council in the Department of Public Instruction.

“A Professional Standards Council overseeing teacher training, licensing and classroom practices would increase teacher accountability,” Craney said. “The council would be composed of teachers, higher education academics, curriculum interests, parents and students. It would provide a formal structure to address educational improvement issues.”

WEAC initiated the drive to create a state council on teacher standards, according to Craney.

“Our involvement dates back nearly two years ago, when we requested the creation of the bi-partisan study committee that developed this bill,” Craney said. “A WEAC representative served on the committee that worked eight months to craft a framework overwhelmingly embraced by the education community.”

Craney said teachers support high standards not only for students, but also for their profession.

“This bill creates a forum for the people with the most knowledge and the most experience in education to work together to achieve common goals,” Craney said. “The council will create a system for continuous review of the quality of teacher training, the standards for achieving and maintaining certification and the review of effective classroom practices.”

Craney said the recent “Quality Counts” report in Education Week placed special emphasis on the need for states to enact this type of legislation. The bill now goes to the Assembly.