Assessing and Evaluating Teacher Preparation Programs

Mary M. Brabeck, PhD, is a professor of applied psychology and dean emerita of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University.

"There is ample evidence that effective teachers are the most important in-school contributors to student learning in classrooms."

Kurt F. Geisinger, PhD, is a Meierhenry Distinguished University Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is also director of the Buros Center for Testing.

"Validity is almost always the most important characteristic in any measurement."

George Noell Jr., PhD, is a professor of psychology at the Louisiana State University.

"Value added assessment provides an indicator that ties student learning outcomes to teacher preparation now, as opposed to deferring to some future time."

Robert Pianta, PhD, is a Novartis Professor of Education and dean of education at the University of Virginia.

"When teachers receive feedback based on the observations of their practice in the field, their practice improves and student learning improves as well."

Frank C. Worrell, PhD, is a professor in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

"In using surveys to evaluate teacher education programs, we need to get a range of perspectives."

Carol Dwyer, PhD, is a psychologist and professor emeritus.

"Decisions about program effectiveness need to be made as consistently and fairly as possible, using the most trustworthy data and methods.

Ronald Marx, PhD, is a professor of Educational Psychology and Dean of Education at the University of Arizona.

"Institutions and programs that prepare teachers should commit to a system of continuous improvement based on examination of data about their programs."