The cowardly lion phenomenon in accountability for teacher prep

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The first place that states' Race to the Top commitments are starting to bite is in their pledged development of new teacher evaluation systems.  Another place that they should soon start to bite is in accountability for teacher prep programs. 

Unfortunately, a new Center for American Progress report by Ed Crowe reveals that fewer than half of the12 Race states have indicated that they will utilize data on graduates' effectiveness in the classroom to decide which programs in the state will retain their approval.  Oh sure, all 12 states have agreed to post relevant program information (although three won't do so until 2014). But only the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island have indicated that they plan to actually use the data for decision-making.

Crowe dismisses past initiatives by these and all other states to confront and close weak programs as showing "little courage." Nail on the head.

Julie Greenberg