Governor’s Commission on Training America’s Teachers Pennsylvania Education Policy Forum Philadelphia, November 10, 2006 Robert E. Feir, Executive Director

Governor’s Commission on Training America’s Teachers

Pennsylvania Education Policy ForumPhiladelphia, November 10, 2006

Robert E. Feir, Executive Director

Governor's Commission on Training America's Teachers

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Teachers are the Future . . .


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. . . Because Children are the Future

“Teachers must succeed if students are to succeed, and students must succeed if society is to succeed.”

Michael Fullan


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Commission Organization

Appointed by Governor Rendell last August 40 members Met monthly (October-June) 4 regional meetings and 1 teleconference Meetings with interested groups Surveys


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Commission Members

HE presidents, deans, faculty, and students

PK-12 teachers and administrators

Teacher union and administrator leaders

Parents, business, and community leaders

Representatives of Governor and PDE

4 Legislators


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Commission Goals

Assure world class preservice teacher education

Link preservice and continuing professional education in PK-12

Address need for quality teachers in shortage areas (subjects and districts)

Capitalize on “over-supply”


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Commission Focus

“Our concern has been to improve the education of tomorrow’s teachers so every child in Pennsylvania will have an opportunity to succeed in the high-skill, technological, diverse, global society that our students will be called upon to lead.”

Commission Final Report


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Commission Report

Approved by Commission June 9 Finalized and printed in July Presented to the Governor August 4

Available for download at:

www.pateach.org


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Findings – Opportunities

Large, diverse system of teacher education General satisfaction with quality of new

teachers – in Pennsylvania and elsewhere Policies that generally support continued

professional growth of teachers


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Findings – Challenges

Shortage areas

Diversity – shortage of teachers of color

Better preparation for complex and diverse teaching environment

Improved partnerships between higher education and PK-12


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Shortage areas– Math– Science– World languages– Special education– Hard-to-staff schools – urban (and to a lesser

degree rural) schools – and retention issues


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Challenges – Shortage Areas

Subject Area

Ratio of Certificates to New Hires 2001-02 through 2003-04

Mathematics 1.3

Science 2.2

World Languages 1.4

Special Education 1.9

All Certificates 2.8


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Diversity – shortage of teachers of color– 6% teachers of color– 24% students of color – Issue has become more pronounced during past

decade


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Challenges – Teacher Diversity

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

1994-95 1996-97 1998-99 2000-01 2002-03 2004-05

Students of Color

Teachers of Color


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Better preparation for complex and diverse teaching environments– Classroom management– Standards– Standardized test preparation– Differentiated instruction– Using assessment data to improve instruction– Technology


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Challenges – Better Preparation

New Teachers Not Well Prepared or At

All Prepared for:

Respondents Providing Rating

SuperintendentsVeteran

TeachersNew

TeachersEducation

Deans

Classroom management 27% 44% 39% 0%

Standards 24% 15% 25% 0%

Test Performance 41% 26% 53% 2%Differentiated instruction 38% 37% 32% 0%Using test data to improve instruction 56% 44% 31% 2%

Technology 17% 28% 30% 0%


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Improved partnerships between higher education and PK-12

“We need to redefine teacher education from a 4- or 5-year collegiate experience to a 7-year collegiate and practice experience featuring increased quality of preservice programs, induction, and continuing professional education, as well as improved linkages among them.”

Commission Final Report


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Recommendations

Improve initial preparation, induction, and professional development

Respond to shortages of high quality teachers

Increase the economic competitiveness of teacher education

Improve data for state policy purposes


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Recommendations

Improve initial preparation, induction, and professional development

– University-based programs, especially clinical practice, and PDE oversight

– Induction – 2 years and better focused ($$)– Innovations in transition to teaching ($$)– Professional development – more focused– Professional development schools ($$)– Differentiated staffing in schools– NBPTS support ($$)


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Recommendations

Respond to shortages of high quality teachers– Math-science loan forgiveness ($$)– Math-science expansion pilot projects ($$)– More urban clinical experiences ($$)– Grow-your-own programs ($$)– Standardized intern certification programs– Reciprocity– District and university efforts to increase pipeline


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Recommendations

Increase the economic competitiveness of teacher education– Specialized teacher education consortia in high-

need areas ($$)– PASSHE out-of-state enrollment cap– Reciprocity– Previous recommendations on program

improvements


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Recommendations

Improve data for state policy purposes– Greater unification and accessibility – teacher

certification and professional personnel data


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Commission Report

Available for download at:

www.pateach.org


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Governor’s Commission on Training America’s Teachers

Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaEdward G. Rendell, Governor

Robert E. Feir, Executive Director2986 North Second Street

Harrisburg, PA 17110717/720-4239

[email protected]

Documents

Governor’s Commission on Training America’s Teachers Pennsylvania Education Policy Forum Philadelphia, November 10, 2006 Robert E. Feir, Executive Director