TEACHER PREPARATION

Policy Action: Make Teacher Preparation Count

Too often, teacher preparation programs are considered the weakest link at public colleges and universities. Under- graduate students know these programs are easy to get into and easy to get out of. In top-performing countries like Finland and Singapore, teachers are recruited from the top third of their class.19 In Illinois, as in most states, students admitted to colleges of education have lower grades and test scores than students in other undergraduate programs.20

The content of what is taught in teacher training programs varies widely. It is often mismatched to what teachers say they need to know and be able to do once they are in the classroom, and against some of the skills and work we now understand matter in the classroom, including using data to inform instruction, involving parents, and more. And Illinois does not evaluate or hold teacher education programs accountable based on their graduates’ ultimate effectiveness in the classroom.

As a result, a mounting body of evidence suggests that many traditional teacher training programs do not prepare candidates to improve student achievement.21 Understanding how Illinois’ programs prepare our teachers is a necessary first step to addressing this challenge.

Link accreditation of teacher training programs to the performance of graduates. Training programs should be evaluated based on how well their graduates are prepared for teaching, as opposed to the coursework they complete. In order to determine if pro- grams are effectively preparing teachers, the state must first define effective teaching using a variety of measures including student achievement data, and then use that data as a basis for regular teacher evaluation. Then, Illinois should collect data on the performance of teachers once they are in the classroom, link that data back to colleges of education and make that information publicly available. A stronger more results-oriented accreditation process will allow the state to promote effective training, and to improve, grow or close programs based on demonstrated impact.

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