John Goodlad's article in the same "Kappan" issue sets forth 4 broad expectations for teachers and offers 19 postulates. The new National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education standards will cover 5 similar areas: professional knowledge bases, field experience, student selection, faculty member expectations, and governance and…

To avoid treating or paying teachers as professionals, our society and its educational system have willingly accepted mediocrity. Moving toward a new vision of teaching, this article proposes the integration of three policy mechanisms (accreditation, licensing, and advanced certification) producing three types of teachers: instructors (college…

A survey of 1,000 adults nationwide revealed that 75% believe teachers are only partially trained or not adequately trained. A national certification program for experienced teachers in at least 30 specialties is being developed, and tougher accreditation standards are being applied to teacher preparation programs. (MLF)

For the past decade, the teaching profession has been building a system of quality assurance incorporating seven elements: advanced certification, licensing standards, curriculum standards, alignment, accreditation, professional-development schools, and state standards boards. NCATE-accredited institutions produce more qualified teachers than…

Without profession-based quality control, well-meaning legislators are actually reducing the quality of our nation's teachers by implementing alternative certification laws allowing individuals with no preparation except a college degree to become teachers. Until teachers are well educated and carefully licensed, education reform will not succeed.…

Until recently, the teaching profession has lacked "official" accreditation standards. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has developed rigorous standards that have been adopted by about 500 institutions offering teacher education. NCATE-accredited institutions are held accountable for subject matter,…

The idea of teacher growth and development as a continuum spanning a teaching career guides the National Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education's emerging standards. The 1995 NCATE standards revision emphasizes performance and performance-based assessments, professional collaboration and community, technology, and diversity of curriculum,…

Outlines National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) criteria for accreditation of teacher education programs and suggests that parents find out about their school's teachers, ask principals and school boards to hire teachers from NCATE-accredited schools, and insist on teachers being trained in standards of their subject area…

The articles in this special section on quality assurance describe current and future efforts to create a coherent system of teacher preparation and development. Various experts discuss the status of the teaching profession, new accreditation and licensing developments, state reform movements, National Board Certification effects, and the need for…

Candidates at schools of education accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) will be expected to show mastery of their fields' content knowledge and demonstrate that they can teach effectively. Administrators will have to demonstrate skill in creating an effective learning environment. (MLH)