NEA supports existing accreditation programs

In response to a report released this week (September 20, 2006), the NEA urged more teacher education programs at colleges and universities to participate in existing professional accreditation programs. NEA also noted that, in addition to educating future teachers, more attention must be paid to retaining highly qualified teachers already in the profession.

The report by the Education Schools Project said that teacher education programs are not sufficiently rigorous, not systematically tied to outcomes in preK-12 classrooms, and not governed by uniform and meaningful state standards. It also calls for a new system of professional accreditation to assure quality and accountability.

“Every child has the right to a highly qualified public school teacher, and this report’s recommendations highlight important steps that teacher education programs and state agencies can take to make that goal attainable,” said NEA President Reg Weaver.

“However, the call to create another accrediting organization is an attempt to recreate the wheel. The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education has had a long-standing, positive effect on the quality of prospective teachers. NCATE’s performance-based standards are viewed by participating institutions as truly transformative, and those standards are continuously evolving and improving. It’s telling that three of the five schools ranked highest by U.S. News and World Report are NCATE accredited, including Teacher’s College at Columbia University where the report’s author recently served as president. NCATE accreditation is voluntary, and too many schools opt out, but those that choose to participate in the rigorous process clearly improve the preparation of their graduates.

“Voluntary accreditation processes are not enough to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers, though. With new teachers leaving the profession at such a rapid rate, we must invest more time, money and resources, not only in teacher preparation, but in recruitment and retention efforts as well. ... Through rigorous preparation programs accredited by NCATE, higher salaries, high-quality professional development and continuing growth through National Board Certification, we can make a great public school and a highly qualified teacher a reality for every child.”

Alverno College in Milwaukee was one of four schools nationwide cited in the report as examples of how to train educators successfully. Those schools, it said, have “successfully linked clinical and academic faculties in planning, curriculum design, and teaching.”

The report by the Education Schools Projects is available at: www.edschools.org/reports.htm.

Posted September 22, 2006