This publication offers a collection of articles that explores the current state of teacher training in this country and suggests alternatives to the status quo. It is the first of two publications by the Trustees for Better Teachers project, a multi-year initiative of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni aimed at improving teacher education in the United States. As stewards of their institutions, trustees are ideally placed to take a critical look at teacher training programs at their schools and press for reforms.
Sandra Stotsky has devoted her entire career to maintaining high standards in American education, particularly in the training of teachers. As Senior Associate Commissioner in the Massachusetts Department of Education, she directed the revision of Massachusetts’ K–12 curriculum standards, as well as the regulations for teacher licensure and licensure testing. Together, these formed the essential elements of […]
Calling the schools that train America’s teachers an “industry of mediocrity,” our friends at the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) issued a devastating report on teacher-training programs at colleges and universities across America. Based on objective evaluations of the standards, curricula, and outcomes at teacher-preparation programs, the NCTQ Teacher Prep Review found that the […]
This step-by-step guide outlines the principles and criteria for an excellent teacher preparation program, gives examples of real-life programs that work, provides models for boards to adapt to their own situation, and outlines an action plan for trustees. It is the second of two publications by the Trustees for Better Teachers project, a multi-year initiative […]
Thanks to the efforts of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education—and a rare, if welcome, instance of Congress standing up for students’ rights in higher education—the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) abandoned its de facto “social justice” criterion. Yet while the development made […]
College costs have risen dramatically over the last several decades. In many cases, it’s difficult to find a college where per-student costs are under $20,000 each year. Most often, tuition doesn’t measure the true cost because taxpayer and donor subsidies pay part of the expenses. While costs are rising, education quality is in precipitous decline, […]
We’ve all heard it from our parents and grandparents before: “In MY day…” But before you head toward the eye-roll, less conspicuous tune-out or the more polite nod-and-smile, the Bullitt County Museum has posted a recent donation: the 1912 eighth grade exit exam for the Kentucky county’s schools. There has been no shortage of claims […]
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