Justine Taylor-Raymond serves as the Senior Policy Director, Teacher & School Policy, at ExcelinEd.
Excellence in instruction is the foundation from which a great education is built. Across the United States, Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) equip future teachers with the tools and knowledge necessary to be effective leaders in their classroom. However, national data show that far too many students in those classrooms are falling behind in literacy and numeracy. Results from the 2024 National Assessment on Educational Progress (NAEP) show that only 30 percent of eighth-grade students read proficiently, and just 28 percent of the same students demonstrate proficiency in basic math. Research shows that well-prepared teachers are critical to student success.
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Unfortunately, educator preparation programs—ranging from traditional university-based schools of education to alternative licensing programs for career changers—do not always deliver consistent, reliable results that teachers need to be successful, and schools need to ensure positive student outcomes.
In response to this ongoing challenge, ExcelinEd has released the State Educator Preparation Provider Accountability Model Policy, providing states with a framework to increase EPP transparency to ensure greater accountability and improved outcomes for teacher preparation. Like a Consumer Reports review, this model policy provides policymakers, the public and EPPs with the information needed to ensure that future educators are prepared to be successful in the classroom.
There are many outstanding, high-quality educator education programs in the United States. However, many EPPs fall short of providing aspiring teachers with tools critical to their success and to the success of the students in their future classrooms.
Without meaningful insight into the performance of these programs, policymakers, the public and prospective educators will remain in the dark concerning the suitability of any particular preparation program. States need actionable data to identify high-performing EPPs and to improve struggling programs. Greater transparency in this area ensures more effective decision making by all stakeholders.
ExcelinEd’s model policy outlines and provides a template for an Educator Preparation Program Report Card that can be developed in collaboration with state boards of education, state departments of education and state higher education agencies.
These report cards ensure EPP program transparency and promote accountability using data. Ultimately, the report card centers on outcomes: How prepared are teachers to enter the classroom, and how do they fare once there?
To achieve this, the EPP Report Card includes the following data:
*Note that endorsement type refers to subject area and grade level
The model policy ensures the timely reporting of these desired metrics by all stakeholders, while also ensuring the confidentiality of program candidates. Additionally, the EPP report card provides state boards of education with clear-cut evidence that should be reviewed annually and used in determining interventions, approval status, or additional support among preparation programs.
Research demonstrates that highly effective teachers bolster student achievement by increasing college attendance rates and lifting students’ lifetime earnings. However, the quality of teacher preparation programs varies greatly. According to the National Council on Teacher Quality, many preparation programs continue to fall short of equipping teachers with the skills they need. Studies show that strong preparation can make a difference—candidates who learn from a highly effective mentor perform at the level of second- or third-year teachers from the moment they enter their own classroom.
The EPP report card provides states with robust datasets that can drive improvement and positive change. The report card generates transparency that is crucial for holding lower-performing teacher preparation programs accountable for properly preparing teachers and providing future educators with the information they need to select a successful program.
Quality teachers are the backbone of quality education. It is essential that graduates of EPPs have the necessary skills to support student learning on day one. By revealing programs’ effectiveness, this model policy empowers state policymakers to hold EPPs accountable for high results, all in service to strengthening schools and enhancing student outcomes.
