Charge

The CAEP Commission on Standards and Performance Reporting will transform the preparation of teachers by creating a rigorous system of accreditation that demands excellence and produces teachers who raise student achievement. Specifically, the Commission will develop accreditation standards for all preparation programs that are based on evidence, continuous improvement, innovation, and clinical practice. Along with rigorous standards and evidence, the Commission will recommend transparent CAEP public accountability reporting with multiple measures, including those directly linked to student achievement.

Charge Deliverables

• Recommending to the CAEP board, the essential standards and accompanying evidence for the preparation of teachers and leaders, aligned with state and national reform initiatives on teacher preparation, state program approval and licensure, and taking into account:
  • National Research Council's recommendations for teacher preparation with a focus on content and instructional knowledge, selection and quality of candidates, and field experiences;
  • Recommendations from NCATE's Blue Ribbon Panel on Clinical Preparation and Partnerships for Improved Student Learning;
  • Implications of Common Core State Standards and InTASC standards.
  • New and emerging evidence, data streams, teacher performance assessments, classroom observation, and performance management systems on teacher preparation programs linked to student achievement;
  • Equal applicability of standards to all providers;
  • Attracting more high-quality providers to promote excellence and continuous improvement; and
  • Exploration of levels of accreditation to support continuous improvement.
• Developing recommendations for public accountability and how a CAEP annual report might support the standard setting and continuous improvement processes.

Tasks

• Solicit and review white papers to inform specific performance areas in which standards might be set and how they would be implemented to foster continuous improvement.
• Gather testimony from the field to inform the development of the standards.
• Gather input from the field to inform the development of standards by offering expert input on draft documents.
• Maintain liaison with developing efforts to identify performance measures and define preparation program components.

Background

America's students are graduating unprepared for college and career, lagging behind other industrialized countries in knowledge and skills demanded in a today's global economy. Decades of research shows that great teaching is the single most important factor on student achievement in the classroom, yet many students do not have access to effective teachers. Leaders of school districts and policymakers nationwide have raised concerns that today's teacher preparation programs are not producing teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to raise student achievement. In this context, accreditation must be a strong lever in shaping educator preparation and assure the public of the rigor of teacher education programs. Accreditation is sometimes criticized for its lack of transparency and focus on inputs rather than outcomes. It is imperative for accrediting bodies to respond by redesigning accreditation, placing evidence and quality improvement central to their mission.

The Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP) – the new professional accreditation organization for teacher education programs in the United States – has charged a high profile Commission with developing rigorous, evidence-based standards to transform teacher education. CAEP is the product of two earlier accrediting bodies – the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC). With emerging evidence, data streams, and the most sweeping education reforms in decades, CAEP is poised to raise the bar for teacher education with the goal of producing great teachers for every classroom. The CAEP Commission on Standards and Performance Reporting is the first step in using accreditation to leverage change in teacher preparation and helping to ensure that our students are prepared to compete in today's global economy.