After 16 plans from states were approved earlier this month on how to fix the problem of poor and minority children receiving a lower quality of teachers, The Hechinger Report is taking a look at an issue most states focused on: reforming teacher preparation.

The Hechinger Report analyzed five different ways the state proposals will tackle the issue of fixing teacher preparation programs in order to produce higher quality teachers.

Several states, for example, will look at the current success of the teacher training programs already in place. In order to get the best feedback on how to fix problems, states will try different ways to judge the effectiveness of the programs. Pennsylvania, for example, will track dismissed teachers to determine what specific preparation program they were from.

Kentucky also proposed a program that trains existing faculty about changes to teacher preparation programs. Regional coaches employed by the state will teach existing faculty members about new standards to keep everyone on the same page, according to the article.

In Maine and Missouri, both will begin analyzing and updating teacher prep programs to ensure that soon-to-be teachers are exposed to urban environments with high-risk students in order to be adequately prepared.

Other states will create assessments that teachers must take before teaching in a classroom, an assessment that will analyze "pedagogy skills." Right now, according to the article, only twelve states require teachers pass a state-approved performance exam, though twenty states have teacher preparation programs that feature some kind of assessment.

Read more here. 

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

09/24/2015