Brief 6: Redesigning Educator Prep Programs

In this brief we discuss the importance of aligning teacher preparation programs with the classroom experience in K-12 schools. Until recently, most preparation programs focused solely on inputs rather than how their graduates performed with students. Improving the standards for preparation programs and holding them accountable for their graduates will require a commitment from both higher education and K-12. In the brief we provide practical advice for how to align teacher preparation with K-12 as well as examples from the field.

This is the fifth in a series of six briefs on K-12 and higher education alignment titled K-12/Higher Education Alignment: An Action Agenda for Increasing Student Success. The series is based on our experience as the national director for the Core to College project and the experience of the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) with the College and Career Readiness Partnership. Each brief describes a different alignment challenge, practical advice for action, important resources and state examples.