2 Major Initiatives in Higher Education Reforms for College
Affordability Reforms for Teacher Preparation Programs
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Tuition at public four-year college increased by 250% over last
30 years Average student graduates with $26,000 in debt 58% of full
time students earned a 4-year degree, in six years (2004) What is
the Problem?? Source: White House Fact Sheet: Presidents Plan to
make College More Affordable, August 2013
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The Response
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Pay Colleges/Universities for Performance Promote Innovation
& Competition Ensure Student Debt is Affordable
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New College Ratings: 2015 Compare value of colleges with
similar missions Identify those (1) helping disadvantaged students;
(2)improving performance $10 Million in Presidents FY 2015 Budget
The Response
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Access, % Pell Grant Recipients Affordability Outcomes Base
Student Aid on College Value by 2018 Employment of Graduates
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The Response American Council on Education Ratings could harm
higher education Improper Federal Role National Assoc. Independent
Colleges & Universities Unintended consequences Rating system
would reflect political priorities Association of Public and
Land-Grant Universities Alternative to federal rating system
Instead focus on student readiness index California State
University Proposed possible metrics for system State University of
NY Embrace the rating system as tool for stakeholders, informed
decision making
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Reforms in Teacher Preparation Programs By almost any standard,
many if not most of the nations 1,450 schools, colleges, and
departments of education are doing a mediocre job of preparing
teachers for the realities of the 21st-century classroom. Americas
university-based teacher preparation programs need revolutionary
change--not evolutionary tinkering. For decades, schools of
education have been renowned for being cash cows for universities.
The large enrollment in education schools and their relatively low
overhead have made them profit-centers. But many universities have
diverted those profits to more prestigious but under-enrolled
graduate departments like physics--while doing little to invest in
rigorous educational research and well-run clinical training.
http://www.tc.columbia.edu/news.htm?articleID=7194
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What is the Problem?? Student performance lags far behind other
nations
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What is the Department saying Teacher preparation programs are
not always attracting the strongest candidates only 24% of all
teachers, and only 14% of teachers in high- poverty schools, come
from the top third of college graduates More than three in five
education school alumni report that their preparation did not
prepare them for classroom realities 70% of superintendents and
principals said teachers were not prepared to address the needs of
students with disabilities. What is the Problem??
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States identified less than 2% of teacher preparation programs
as low performing Current HEA reporting requirements = 440
reporting fields for states; 250 for IHEs What is the
Problem??
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Shift to EffectivenessNot Just in K-12 The Department is
interested in ensuring that teacher preparation programs, school
districts and prospective students have access to meaningful,
outcome-based as well as input-oriented indicators of program
effectiveness that will promote improvements in those programs, and
provide to potential employers and prospective students actionable
information to guide their hiring and program application
decisions. -U.S. Department of Education
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2011/teacherprep.html
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Rate every teacher preparation program on 1-4 scale Rating
system as proposed by feds K-12 student outcomes of program
graduates based on value added scores; Employment outcomes for
graduates including placement and retention; Customer satisfaction
(graduate and principal surveys); Professional accreditation OR
state approval; Shift to EffectivenessNot Just in K-12
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Whats To Come? Proposed regulations are expected out soon Keep
informed stay tuned!!
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CEC Advocacy: Preparing Future Educators to Meet the Needs of
Children with Disabilities IDEA Personnel Preparation Program needs
greater investment; Higher Education Opportunity Act must prepare
all educators to work with students with disabilities; emphasize
high-quality clinical experiences Support TEACH Grant loan program
for shortage areas (i.e. special education) Not allow for use of
value-added measures
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CEC-Supported Legislation Reforms Preparation Programs The
Educator Preparation Reform Act (S.1062/H.R.2172) Introduced by
Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Congressman Mike Honda (D-Calif.)
Emphasizes preparation for all educators on needs of students with
disabilities. Increases clinical preparation requirements and
eligibility. Enhances the Teacher Quality Partnership Grants
Program, an initiative to create partnerships between teacher
preparation programs and high-need schools, program graduates are
all prepared to teacher students with disabilities and must teach
for at least three years in a high-need school. Supports TEACH
Grants which provide up to $16,000 scholarships to recruit high
performing students into teaching in high-need fields, including
special educators, in exchange for four years of teaching in
high-need school. Includes accountability measures for preparation
programs based on admissions standards, clinical preparation
requirements and outcomes measures such as placement, retention,
and performance. Urge Your Senators/Representative to
Co-Sponsor!
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Discussion Tying ranking to financial aid eligibility Impact of
high stakes decisions based on student test scores? Will teacher
preparation programs want to maintain special education focus? Will
this exacerbate the special education shortage?