Washington, D.C. -- The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a nonpartisan research and policy group, is seeking feedback on proposed revisions to two of its standards used to evaluate teacher preparation programs, Elementary Mathematics and Reading Foundations. Interested parties are invited to review the proposed revisions and submit comments via the NCTQ website, with the open comment period closing on October 15, 2021.
Quality mathematics and reading instruction in elementary school is fundamental to the success of all students both in academics and in life. With teachers as the most significant in-school factor influencing student learning, ensuring that teacher preparation programs provide aspiring teachers with the essential content knowledge and pedagogical skills they need to effectively teach math and reading is paramount.
Since 2013, the NCTQ Teacher Prep Review has provided evaluations of educator preparation programs across the country against standards that are based on peer-reviewed research on what makes teachers most effective in the classroom. The revision of two key standards for elementary teacher preparation—Elementary Mathematics and Reading Foundations (formerly called Early Reading)—will facilitate a transparent process inclusive of feedback from external stakeholders, clarify and update expectations for programs based on the most up-to-date research, and ensure that NCTQ's review and feedback to programs is clear and actionable.
"It has been 17 years since we first began the groundwork for the Teacher Prep Review standards," said NCTQ President Kate Walsh. "It was time to refresh how we evaluated elementary teacher programs in the two critical areas of mathematics and reading, the foundational skills for student learning. Our team has worked extensively with experts in both elementary math and reading content to refine these standards, and we consider feedback from anyone invested in the development of future elementary teachers to be an essential part of this process."
This will be the first time NCTQ has employed an open comment period before a standard was either developed or revised, a positive development reflecting a more cooperative relationship between NCTQ and the field of teacher education. The open comment period is the next stage in a process that began with extensive literature reviews, convening external advisory panels of experts and practitioners, and conducting initial sample tests on various iterations of the revised standards.
The open comment period for the proposed revisions runs from Monday, September 20th to Friday, October 15th. During that time, NCTQ invites all stakeholders—teacher educators, researchers, teachers, policymakers, advocates, and school leaders—to provide feedback on the proposed changes to the Elementary Mathematics and Reading Foundations standards to help ensure that the revised standards will result in high quality feedback to programs as well as an accurate summary of the mathematics and early reading instruction available to prospective teachers.
Read more about the standard revision process for the NCTQ Teacher Prep Review, learn about the proposed revisions to the Elementary Mathematics and Reading Foundations standards, and submit feedback on the proposed revisions here: www.nctq.org/pages/TPR-Standards-Revision-Home.
To schedule an interview with NCTQ President Kate Walsh, contact Nicole Gerber at (202) 393-0020 ext. 712 or by email at ngerber@nctq.org.
About the National Council on Teacher Quality: NCTQ is a nonpartisan research and policy group, committed to modernizing the teaching profession and based on the belief that all children deserve effective teachers. We recognize that it is not teachers who bear responsibility for their profession's many challenges, but the institutions with the greatest authority and influence over teachers. More information about NCTQ can be found on our website, www.nctq.org.