Department of Education Supports Continuous Improvement, Accountability with Report on Teacher Preparation Programs
December 4, 2015
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Department of Education Supports Continuous Improvement, Accountability with Report on Teacher Preparation Programs
Tallahassee, Fla., December 4, 2015 – Today, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart released an annual report on teacher preparation programs in Florida. For the first time, the report includes how Florida’s state-approved teacher preparation programs measure up according to key performance standards that were developed by a statewide committee of educators, approved by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Governor Scott in 2013.
“For Florida’s students to have the learning opportunities they deserve, Florida-trained educators must have the preparation they need. This report is a major milestone for Florida, placing us again in the very top tier of states in the country in making commitments to college and career readiness for every student. I commend our teacher preparation programs for their collaboration on this great effort,” said Education Commission Pam Stewart.
Included for the first time in the statutorily required report are rankings based on the performance standards for Florida’s teacher preparation programs in elementary education, English/reading education and mathematics education. These rankings are based on the success of the students who graduated from these programs.
The report of all programs is designed to support recognition, continuous improvement, transparency and accountability for teacher preparation programs in Florida. Prospective educators may use the report to make decisions about the best teacher preparation program for them, and teacher preparation leaders may use the report to identify areas for improvement, as well as areas of best practice.
As a result of student-centered policies and initiatives, Florida has made significant progress in K-12 achievement. Currently, Florida ranks seventh in student achievement, and national assessments demonstrate that Florida’s students have consistently outperformed the nation in recent years.
“Florida has been raising the bar to ensure all K-12 students are college and career ready, and we must also ensure that our state’s future educators have access to high-caliber preparation programs,” summed up Commissioner Stewart.
The full report is available at here.
What They Are Saying…
"We are very proud that FIU's College of Education Reading Master's program has received the highest score in the State of Florida in the areas of teacher placement, retention, impact on student achievement, achievement by subgroups and teacher annual evaluations. Our teacher graduates are consistently placed in schools and demonstrate retention rates of over 4.77 years teaching in school districts. Most importantly, our graduates are impacting student achievement, with evidence of impact across subgroups where achievement gaps are a reality. This is certainly the product of the preparation received and the types of clinical experiences that our students are required to meet," said Dr. Delia Garcia, College of Education Dean at Florida International University.
“We at the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education at Nova Southeastern University are thrilled that our English and Reading Education programs were the #2 ranked approved teacher preparation programs for the state of Florida. This recognition acknowledges the hard work our faculty members put into their courses and practicum experiences and reflects NSU’s core values of academic excellence with student centered programs,” said Dr. Lynne Schrum, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education Dean at Nova Southeastern University.
“I am very proud of this achievement. Although the ranking is only one measure, it signifies the efforts of faculty in providing a high quality program leading to student success and a positive impact on student learning in the classroom,” said Dr. Valerie Bristor, College of Education Dean at Florida Atlantic University.
“Mathematics Education at University of South Florida (USF) engaged in extensive review that illustrates the goals of program improvement and responding to the needs of our school partners. It is good to see that the partnership work within this program is producing effective math teachers,” said Dr. Vasti Torres, College of Education Dean at the University of South Florida.
“Florida has shown itself to be a leader in making the complex and tough transition to a more meaningful accountability system of its teacher preparation programs—one which will no doubt shift the attention of programs, policymakers and the public to outcomes that really matter. Kudos to Florida for its pioneering work,” said Kate Walsh, president, National Council of Teacher Quality.
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