Today, Thursday, May 11, the National Council on Teacher Quality releases its latest ratings for 717 undergraduate programs that prepare secondary education teachers.
This nationwide study names the University of Iowa College of Education as one of only 16 programs in the nation to receive the exclusive “Top Tier” designation, with the college in the top 2 percent.
The study examines programs’ admission standards, subject-area preparation, requirements for courses on instructional methods, guidance on how to manage a classroom, and whether programs provide and ensure the high quality of practice opportunities.
“Being designated as one of the top 16 Secondary Education programs in the nation by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) is exhilarating and well-deserved recognition for University of Iowa faculty and the teacher candidates who are admitted to and successfully complete the program,” says Nancy Langguth, associate dean for teacher education and student services.
Secondary education candidates in the University of Iowa teacher education program must meet high admission standards and complete a major in the content area for which they will be licensed. Whether in art, English, mathematics, music, a science, a social science, or a world language, candidates’ mastery of content cannot be taken for granted. This expectation is in addition to a robust teacher preparation plan of study that meets and exceeds Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) core teaching standards for Iowa licensure. Again, candidates and the faculty who prepare pre-service teachers in their respective program areas truly are to be commended for this Top Tier/Top 2 percent designation.
This edition of the Teacher Prep Review analyzes undergraduate programs preparing secondary school teachers. The next set of ratings from NCTQ will appear in Fall 2017, covering graduate and alternative (or nontraditional) programs preparing elementary teachers. The ratings for graduate and nontraditional secondary follow in Spring 2018, followed by undergraduate and graduate special education programs in Fall 2018.