Updated: 12:48 p.m., U.S. Eastern time
The National Council on Teacher Quality release on Thursday a scathing critique of teacher-education programs across Texas.
The two-year study of 67 undergraduate schools of education in the Lone Star State finds that many fail to provide adequate teacher training in science, mathematics, and reading. The nonpartisan research and advocacy group, which has issued reports critical of training programs in other states, also concluded that teacher-education requirements vary across Texas, “with no apparent rationale.”
Among its findings:
- Sixty-three of the 67 schools (94 percent) lack “proper content in mathematics that elementary teachers need.”
- Eighty-four percent of the schools inadequately prepare middle-school teacher candidates in the subjects they will be teaching.
- Three-quarters of the schools ignore a state regulation that requires them to train elementary-school teacher candidates in effective methods of reading instruction.
At least two of the schools that received low grades are fighting back. Charles P. Ruch, interim dean of Texas Tech University College of Education, said his institution concluded that the study’s methodology “lacks scientific rigor” and that “the findings are of questionable merit and the conclusions suspect.”
Hollis Lowery-Moore, dean of the College of Education and Human Development at Lamar University, concurred.
The Texas Association of Colleges for Teacher Education rejected the findings and said the council did not inform the programs about the assessment methods it would be using. All but four of the schools refused to participate in the study, which the council based largely on a review of course catalogs, syllabi, textbooks, and course schedules that it obtained from students or other means.
“The study was, unfortunately, destined to fail from the outset because of design shortcomings and a lack of straightforward collaboration with state agencies and respective universities,” the Texas association wrote in a letter that is included in the report.
Kate Walsh, president of the national council, said on Thursday that she was disappointed the schools didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to submit materials that might change the preliminary assessments the council issued to the schools in the fall. “We’re accustomed to the fact that this kind of study isn’t something ed schools embrace, but this is the first time we’ve had such organized resistance,” she said. As for the schools’ request to opt out of the study, she said, “If you’re a publicly approved institution, whether public or private, we think it’s fair game to study you.”
The study assessed the programs using 25 standards, including admissions requirements, preparation to teach reading and mathematics, and content preparation. Ms. Walsh said in a written statement that the report is not intended to reflect on the quality of instruction at the education schools.
“But no matter how great the instruction, if the fundamentals are askew and large areas of teacher preparation are either being neglected or mishandled, teachers aren’t getting what they need,” she said.
The council said it had received a letter of endorsement from more than 30 Texas school superintendents who were planning to use the report in recruiting teachers.
Eight teacher-education programs were identified as “needing serious attention.” The report said programs at seven other schools that graduate fewer teachers also needed “significant design improvement.” The remaining schools did not receive an overall rating, but were scored on various components of the analysis.
On a positive note, the report cited Southern Methodist University and Texas A&M University at College Station for offering exemplary elementary reading instruction. Four schools also received high marks for overall strong program design.
The report was issued the same day that the National Research Council and the U.S. Education Department released a study recommending better monitoring of teacher-training programs.