Eureka College Division of Education Eureka, Illinois Institution Comment Comments submitted by: James Miller, Director, Teacher Education
Eureka College supports the need to assess and evaluate the Teacher Education Program in a manner that is transparent and produces data to improve the quality of teaching, increase student achievement and close the achievement gap. To accomplish this, Eureka College is committed to: Rigorous standards that align with Illinois Student Learning Standards; Illinois Professional Teacher Standards (IPTS) and the Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators (CoEIE) n Regular evaluation and assessment from outside accreditation organizations including the Illinois State Board of Education and the Higher Learning Commission n Ongoing internal reviews with particular emphasis on research linking components of teacher preparation with student achievement n Utilization of an External Advisory Committee composed of practicing educators from surrounding school districts for input and advice n
With the implementation by the Illinois State Board of Education of revised IPTS, new CoEIE, and the new Common Core State Standards for students on September 1, 2010, Eureka College, along with colleagues in other Teacher Preparation Institutions, will review, rewrite and revitalize curriculum and courses to align Teacher Preparation programs with these standards. The review of the NCTQ preliminary report generated additional questions. What are the specific recommendations from NCTQ? Does the highest score in each area ensure the most effective teacher preparation program?
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The assessment of a teacher preparation program is complex. The NCTQ activities, i.e. reading syllabi, reviewing provided “paperwork” including a college catalog, and using information from U.S. News and World Report, do not constitute a comprehensive assessment of the Teacher Education Program. An authentic review of Eureka College, and all Illinois Teacher Preparation Institutions, must involve more than assessment of “paperwork.” The Teacher Preparation Program at Eureka College welcomes recommendations for improvement as part of a continual process to assess current programs as well as develop a plan of action to meet future educational challenges. How does NCTQ plan to support the colleges and universities that chose to participate in this process?
www.nctq.org/edschoolreports
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