Schools of Education

Deseret News - (12/1/2010)

In my most recent column, I addressed the immense value of teachers as well as the increasing need to attract high-quality graduates into the profession. Improving student outcomes involves not only drawing new teachers into the profession, but better preparing them for the demands of the profession. Amidst an environment of mediocre (or worse) math and reading proficiency in many parts of the country, schools of education are under increasing scrutiny. As Michelle Rhee, the highly-publicized former D.C. schools chancellor recently stated, "We're going to back-map where they [teachers] came from, which schools produced these people. And if you are producing ineffective or minimally effective teachers, we're going to send them back to you." Her comments, alongside the results of a recent survey in which more than 60% of teachers stated that teacher preparation programs did not adequately prepare them for the realities of the profession, highlight the need to increase the rigor and accountability of schools of education.

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