IMPORTANT UPDATES: As of 2021, while programs will continue to be honored for performing well on individual standards, there will no longer be an overall program ranking across all standards. Making this change keeps the focus on what is most useful to programs, which is how to improve in each specific area. Additionally, NCTQ is discontinuing our review of secondary preparation programs in order to better prioritize elementary programs. While we still deeply believe in the importance of strong secondary teacher preparation, we have concluded that elementary preparation is the lynchpin and where there is the most current need for the Review's guidance, particularly in early reading and mathematics.
[schedule]
[methods]
Use the following links to access the full research rationales, methodologies, and scoring rubrics for the current Teacher Prep Review elementary standards:
[exemplars]
The resources below, shared with permission from top-programs in each standard, can guide and support others as they work to improve their own policies and practice.
Admissions + Program Diversity: Statements from 8 programs that have achieved both selectivity and diversity in their teacher preparation program, and how they were able to accomplish it.
Individual program resources:
Building Content Knowledge: In lieu of highlighting top programs, NCTQ has provided customized recommendations for each program in the Building Content Knowledge analysis on how to improve content coverage. View your program's Recommendations tab in the Content Coverage Tool to see the "Most Aligned" Set of Courses that meet your institution's requirements and provide the most comprehensive coverage of the social studies and science topics aspiring elementary teachers need for the classroom.
Elementary Mathematics: Varying designs of elementary mathematics coursework requirements for four programs are provided here as a resource. Each of these programs earns an A+ on the NCTQ Elementary Mathematics standard for dedicating 100% of the recommended minimum instructional time in each of the essential topic areas for teacher preparation in elementary mathematics: Numbers and Operations, Algebraic Thinking, Geometry and Measurement, Data Analysis and Probability, and Mathematics Pedagogy.
Individual program resources:
Classroom Management: Four exemplary student teacher observation tools designed to ensure future teachers learn and practice the five universal classroom management strategies.
Individual resources:
Clinical Practice: Tools from three exemplar programs used in the mentor selection process to confirm that selected mentors are strong instructors and possess mentorship skills.
Individual program resources:
Reading Foundations: Leaders from top-performing programs shared what their programs do and how they built a high-quality approach to prepare their candidates to teach reading. Each of these six programs also shared examples of exemplary course syllabi, schedules, content crosswalks, and other materials to serve as models for the field.
[contact]
The NCTQ Teacher Prep Review team is always happy to answer any questions from program leaders or faculty, including discussing materials and scores. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Ron Noble, Chief of Teacher Prep at ron.noble@nctq.org.
Please submit program materials to the Teacher Prep Review team at ron.noble@nctq.org.
Upcoming releases and schedule
The next round of data collection for the NCTQ Teacher Prep Review is scheduled for Spring 2024.
Access standard methodologies and scoring rubrics
Use the following links to access the full research rationales, methodologies, and scoring rubrics for the current Teacher Prep Review elementary standards:
Admissions (view the research rationale, methodology, scoring rubric)
Building Content Knowledge (view the research rationale, methodology, program analysis and recommendations)
Building Content Knowledge (view the research rationale, methodology, program analysis and recommendations)
Clinical Practice (view the research rationale, methodology, scoring rubric)
Elementary Mathematics (view the research rationale, methodology, scoring rubric)
Elementary Mathematics (view the research rationale, methodology, scoring rubric)
Program Diversity (view the research rationale, methodology, scoring rubric)
Reading Foundations (view the research rationale, methodology, scoring rubric)
Reading Foundations (view the research rationale, methodology, scoring rubric)
Exemplar resources from top programs
The resources below, shared with permission from top-programs in each standard, can guide and support others as they work to improve their own policies and practice.
Admissions + Program Diversity: Statements from 8 programs that have achieved both selectivity and diversity in their teacher preparation program, and how they were able to accomplish it.
Individual program resources:
- Alfred University (NY)
- CUNY - Brooklyn College (NY)
- CUNY - Lehman College (NY)
- Florida International University (FL)
- Metropolitan College of New York (NY)
- Trevecca Nazarene University (TN)
- University of Houston (TX)
- University of Idaho (ID)
Building Content Knowledge: In lieu of highlighting top programs, NCTQ has provided customized recommendations for each program in the Building Content Knowledge analysis on how to improve content coverage. View your program's Recommendations tab in the Content Coverage Tool to see the "Most Aligned" Set of Courses that meet your institution's requirements and provide the most comprehensive coverage of the social studies and science topics aspiring elementary teachers need for the classroom.
Elementary Mathematics: Varying designs of elementary mathematics coursework requirements for four programs are provided here as a resource. Each of these programs earns an A+ on the NCTQ Elementary Mathematics standard for dedicating 100% of the recommended minimum instructional time in each of the essential topic areas for teacher preparation in elementary mathematics: Numbers and Operations, Algebraic Thinking, Geometry and Measurement, Data Analysis and Probability, and Mathematics Pedagogy.
Individual program resources:
- California State University - Northridge
- University of Central Oklahoma
- University of Montana
- West Virginia State University
Classroom Management: Four exemplary student teacher observation tools designed to ensure future teachers learn and practice the five universal classroom management strategies.
Individual resources:
- National Institute for Excellence In Teaching - TAP Teaching Standards Rubric
- University of Alabama in Huntsville (AL) - Evaluation Rubric for Interns
- Western Governors University (online) - Elementary Student Teaching Observation
- Murray State University (KY) - Teacher Candidate Performance Record
Clinical Practice: Tools from three exemplar programs used in the mentor selection process to confirm that selected mentors are strong instructors and possess mentorship skills.
Individual program resources:
- Colorado Christian University (CO) - School-Based Teacher Selection Form
- Georgia Southwestern State University (GA) - Master Teacher Selection Process
- Western Governors University (online) - Host Teacher Nomination Form
Reading Foundations: Leaders from top-performing programs shared what their programs do and how they built a high-quality approach to prepare their candidates to teach reading. Each of these six programs also shared examples of exemplary course syllabi, schedules, content crosswalks, and other materials to serve as models for the field.
- Fort Lewis College (Undergraduate, CO)
- Samford University (Graduate, AL)
- Southern University and A&M College (Undergraduate, LA)
- Southern Utah University (Undergraduate, UT)
- Texas A&M University - Texarkana (Undergraduate, TX)
- University of Virginia (Graduate, VA)
How to reach out about your program scores or other questions
The NCTQ Teacher Prep Review team is always happy to answer any questions from program leaders or faculty, including discussing materials and scores. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Ron Noble, Chief of Teacher Prep at ron.noble@nctq.org.
Please submit program materials to the Teacher Prep Review team at ron.noble@nctq.org.
Last Updated 06/13/23
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