News Briefs - November 21

Accountability, child abuse proposals advance

Proposals dealing with teacher preparation and child abuse prevention are advancing in the Legislature. The Legislative Council has approved recommendations from two bi-partisan study committees and forwarded them to the full Legislature. One set of recommendations would create a Professional Standards Council to oversee teacher preparation, licensing and certification. The other recommendations involve improvements in child abuse and neglect prevention programs.

Report assesses quality of teachers

The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future released a report rating the quality of teachers in each state. The commission looked at issues including out-of-field teaching, student teaching, professional accreditation, and teachers as a percentage of total staff. Wisconsin received four out of 12 “total quality indicator” points. The state has the highest requirements for student teachers, but lags in professional accreditation, professional standards boards and nationally certified teacher categories. WEAC’s legislative agenda calls for establishment of a state professional standards council and incentives for National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification.

Resignations spur special legislative elections

Three resignations could have major implications for control of the state Legislature next year. The resignations of Assembly Speaker Ben Brancel, Sen. Lynn Adelman and Rep. James Rutkowski mean three special elections next year. In the 42nd Assembly District, 15 people are seeking to replace Ben Brancel, who resigned after he was appointed state agriculture secretary. The primary is December 16 and the general election is January 13. The special elections to replace Adelman and Rutkowski will be next spring.

Posted November 21, 1997