Elementary Teacher Preparation in
Mathematics: Nebraska

Analysis of Nebraska's policies

Nebraska relies on its coursework requirements as the basis for articulating its requirements for the mathematics content knowledge of elementary teacher candidates.

The state requires elementary teaching candidates to earn a minimum of six semester hours of credit in mathematics. However, Nebraska specifies neither the requisite content of these classes nor that they must meet the needs of elementary teachers. 

Unfortunately, the state has yet to adopt subject-matter testing requirements—as a condition of licensure—for any of its teachers.

Citation

Nebraska Department of Education Title 92 Chapter 24, Section 006.19 www.ets.org/praxis "No Common Denominator: The Preparation of Elementary Teachers in Mathematics by America's Education Schools," NCTQ, June 2008 http://www.nctq.org/p/publications/docs/nctq_ttmath_fullreport.pdf

Recommendations for Nebraska

Require teacher preparation programs to provide mathematics content specifically geared to the needs of elementary teachers.
Although Nebraska requires some mathematics coursework, the state should require teacher preparation programs to provide mathematics content specifically geared to the needs of elementary teachers. This includes specific coursework in foundations, algebra and geometry, with some statistics. 

Require teacher candidates to pass a rigorous mathematics assessment.
Nebraska should assess mathematics content with a rigorous assessment tool, such as the test required in Massachusetts, that evaluates mathematics knowledge beyond an elementary school level and challenges candidates' understanding of underlying mathematics concepts. Such a test could also be used to allow candidates to test out of coursework requirements. Teacher candidates who lack minimum mathematics knowledge should not be eligible for licensure.

State response to our analysis

Nebraska was helpful in providing NCTQ with facts that enhanced this analysis. The state also contended that it does specify that coursework in the area of mathematics must meet the needs of elementary teachers and that student standards are included in the preparation coursework. 

Last word

The state's academic coursework guidelines are too vague to ensure that mathematics content will be specifically geared to the needs of elementary teachers. Further, although Nebraska requires that teacher preparation programs prepare elementary teacher candidates to teach to the state's elementary student standards, it is quite hard to monitor or enforce, absent a licensing test that 1) is directly aligned to state student learning standards and 2) reports teacher performance in each subject area, so that teachers cannot fail a subject area or two and still pass the test.