FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, September 16, 2014

CONTACT:
Patrick Riccards | Director of Media Relations & Strategy | (703) 298‐8283

Statement from Woodrow Wilson Foundation President Arthur Levine on PDK/Gallup Survey on Teaching, Teacher Education

“Universities Can and Should Do a Better Job Preparing Prospective Educators”

PRINCETON, N.J.— The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation today released the following statement from Foundation President Arthur Levine regarding the latest PDK/Gallup Survey on perceptions of teaching and teacher evaluation:

The latest PDK/Gallup poll results shouldn’t come as a surprise. Educators know that the overall quality of teacher education in the United States is weak. They know that universities can and should do a better job preparing prospective educators for the classroom. The news is that parents and others now see this unfortunate reality and know that too many of our teachers’ colleges are falling short.

The stakes are just too high to continue to do nothing. Some colleges of education need to be closed, based on poor quality. Others need to redesign their programs to better meet the needs of today’s schools and students. And all teacher education programs must focus on three key components: rigorous academic work, robust classroom experience, and strong pre- and in-service mentoring.

As a nation, we are holding our classroom teachers and schools to higher levels of accountability than ever before. Our colleges of education must be equally accountable.

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About the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
Founded in 1945, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation (www.woodrow.org) identifies and develops the nation’s best minds to meet its most critical challenges. The Foundation supports its Fellows as the next generation of leaders shaping American society.

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