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NCTQ To Release 2018 Teacher Prep Review

  • 04/05/18

Who: National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a non-partisan research and policy organization dedicated to ensuring every classroom has an effective teacher.

What: NCTQ's 2018 Teacher Prep Review which rates 567 traditional graduate programs, 129 alternative route programs, and 18 residencies preparing both elementary and secondary teachers.  The Review rates these programs on a number of factors, including how well they cover teachers' knowledge of subject matter, classroom management, and the need for practice. 

Unfortunately, our ratings found that both traditional graduate and alternative route models compare unfavorably with undergraduate teacher preparation models, presuming too much about candidates’ grasp of the subject matter they will be teaching without providing the additional support needed to account for their lack of knowledge. With the high number of new teachers in the workforce, particularly in schools that serve traditionally-underrepresented students who need additional support, it is imperative that programs provide prospective teachers with the proper support from their prep programs to become effective first-year teachers. 

Programs rated in the top 10 nationally include INSPIRE Texas (top alternative route elementary program), CUNY - Hunter College in New York (top graduate secondary program), and Richmond Teacher Residency (top residency program). 

About the National Council on Teacher Quality:

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. NCTQ is the nation’s expert on the quality of teacher preparation programs and evaluates national teacher education against evidence-based criteria. More information about NCTQ can be found on our website, www.nctq.org.

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