Federal News in Brief

Negotiations on Teacher-Preparation Rules Fail

By Stephen Sawchuk — April 17, 2012 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A three-month-long effort to set new teacher-preparation reporting and accountability rules effectively reached its conclusion last week after the U.S. Department of Education declined to renew a negotiated-rulemaking process that had already been extended.

Negotiators tapped by the field appeared far apart on major issues—including the place of student-achievement outcomes in judging the quality of teacher-preparation programs—during a conference call held April 12.

The Education Department had proposed requiring states to classify their teacher-preparation programs into four categories, using a mix of measures, including student-achievement information. Programs in the top two categories would have qualified for offering federal teach grants for teacher candidates who commit to teaching in low-income schools.

Several negotiators said they didn’t believe that such measures as “value added” calculations were ready to be used to judge program quality.

“There’s not enough research at this point in time to suggest that this has enough validity and reliability across the country, or state by state, and yet we’re trying to put it into ... regulations that will now deny students financial aid based on something that is yet to be proven as valid,” said Joseph Pettibon, an associate vice president for academic services at Texas a&m University.

A variety of alternatives, including pilot programs and temporary waivers, were discussed, but differences of opinion appeared to run too deep.

“Simply based on the discussion today, I don’t think a few hours [of additional negotiations] would do it, and I don’t think a few weeks would do it,” said David M. Steiner, the dean of the education school at Hunter College in New York City. “Long-standing divisions have re-emerged, and I don’t see a [likely] consensus on anything close to what the department has in mind.”

The Education Department will craft the rules on its own, though they must still go out for public comment before being approved.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the April 18, 2012 edition of Education Week as Negotiations on Teacher-Preparation Rules Fail

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Mathematics Webinar
Pave the Path to Excellence in Math
Empower your students' math journey with Sue O'Connell, author of “Math in Practice” and “Navigating Numeracy.”
Content provided by hand2mind
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Recruitment & Retention Webinar
Combatting Teacher Shortages: Strategies for Classroom Balance and Learning Success
Learn from leaders in education as they share insights and strategies to support teachers and students.
Content provided by DreamBox Learning
Classroom Technology K-12 Essentials Forum Reading Instruction and AI: New Strategies for the Big Education Challenges of Our Time
Join the conversation as experts in the field explore these instructional pain points and offer game-changing guidance for K-12 leaders and educators.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Federal Dianne Feinstein's Fight to Stop Gun Violence in Schools Central to Her Legacy
The California Senator will be remembered for her strong support of gun restrictions to stop school shootings.
5 min read
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speaks to members of the media as crowds of people participate in the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control on March 24, 2018, in San Francisco.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speaks to members of the media as crowds of people participate in the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control on March 24, 2018, in San Francisco.
Josh Edelson/AP
Federal Obituary Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, an Advocate for Liberal Priorities, Dies at Age 90
Feinstein pushed for bans on military-style weapons after the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.
10 min read
Senator Dianne Feinstein shakes hands with supporters of Planned Parenthood on July 6, 2018, in Oakland, Calif.
Senator Dianne Feinstein shakes hands with supporters of Planned Parenthood on July 6, 2018, in Oakland, Calif.
Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
Federal Biden Credits School Shooting Survivors as He Creates Gun Violence Prevention Office
President Biden announced the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, fulfilling a long-time goal of school shooting survivors.
5 min read
President Joe Biden speaks about gun safety on Sept. 22, 2023, from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., applauds at left.
President Joe Biden speaks about gun safety on Sept. 22, 2023, from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., applauds at left.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Federal A Flood of Public Feedback Has Delayed a Title IX Change Covering Trans Athletes—Again
The Biden administration has not taken the final step to adopt long-awaited Title IX changes that would explicitly protect LGBTQ+ students.
5 min read
Isaya S. waves out the window of a Seattle Public Schools bus while participating in the annual Seattle Pride Parade on June 25, 2023, in Seattle.
Isaya S. waves out the window of a Seattle Public Schools bus while participating in the annual Seattle Pride Parade on June 25, 2023, in Seattle.
Lindsey Wasson/AP