ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A rule that would allow the New Mexico Public Education Department to oversee teacher preparation programs has garnered criticism and pushback by school leaders and education groups.
Speakers at a public hearing Tuesday described the proposal as overreaching and premature with some questioning the legality of the rule’s evaluation system, the Albuquerque Journal reported .
The proposal would allow the agency to decide whether preparation programs can continue operating in the state. The programs are currently run by groups such as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education or the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
At an Albuquerque Public Schools board committee meeting Monday, board President David Peercy described the proposal as “a very bad idea” and “nonsense,” saying the current accrediting groups have the training and expertise to oversee the programs.
The proposal, which state education officials seek to implement by the end of the month, would also create an evaluation system that calls for site visits and a scorecard system. Under the scorecard, the programs would be given an A-F grade that would take into account candidate acceptance rates into programs, their results on performance and licensure tests and their ratings in the state teacher evaluation system.
Education Secretary-designate Christopher Ruszkowski said improving teacher preparation is a multifaceted process and the state “must leave nothing to chance when it comes to preparing aspiring teachers for our students.”
State public education officials have met multiple times with the Higher Education Department, which also agrees that the current teacher preparation system needs improvement, Higher Education Secretary Barbara Damron said.
Ruszkowski said “all feedback will be considered” as the proposal is reviewed.
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Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com
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