Teacher Prep Must Meet High Standards
Failure of the state’s largest program is a sober reminder that quality matters.
By Rob DeHaas, Dallas Morning News
February 11, 2023
Teaching is among the most critical professions for the future of our state and nation. It is also quite a difficult job. From managing discipline to setting high expectations and staying up-to-date on curriculum and pedagogy, it is certainly the hardest job I’ve ever had. That’s why I’m thankful for the professors and mentors who poured into me over several years as I trained to become an educator.
In December, the state’s largest educator-preparation program failed to meet state standards, a sobering reminder that too many of our prospective teachers are not adequately equipped to serve all their students once they reach the classroom. It is also a lesson in accountability. In this context, the State Board of Educator Certification must continue to ensure all educator programs are meeting high standards. Thankfully, Texas can rise to the challenge and provide better programming to candidates across the state.
Sending well-prepared, diverse educators into classrooms should be a priority for Texas. Research demonstrates that when educators enter the classroom with the hands-on experience that comes from high-quality training, their students perform better. These teachers are also more likely to stay in the profession. We do not need to sacrifice quality for quantity; in fact, that’s a false choice. By investing in quality today, we are ensuring quantity for the future.
Quality in teacher preparation also need not be mutually exclusive from affordability. Those called to switch careers and serve our students can attend a high-quality prep program while still working to feed their families. Dallas College’s adaptive residency model is proof: We work with paraprofessionals and career changers through an apprenticeship model that allows them to keep working while empowering them to enter classrooms ready to succeed.
I am a firm believer that the surest way to prevent a teacher vacancy crisis is to keep great educators, have them mentor their colleagues, and attract excellent teacher candidates into the field through robust and thorough preparation. The surest way to recover from one is to respond thoughtfully and strategically to the issue at hand through high-quality preparation, and specific focus in hard-to-staff subject areas. This work must also be accomplished in lockstep with school district partners, as every district faces unique teacher workforce needs.
Many school systems across the state are experiencing acute vacancies in teachers, support staff and in school leadership positions. But if the people filling those positions haven’t been adequately prepared, we aren’t solving the problem, just putting it off. We rightfully set high expectations for our students and teachers alike. Shouldn’t we do the same for those who teach the teachers themselves?
December’s news regarding the preparation program under probation is notable, but it won’t change our strategy at Dallas College. We will keep focusing on accessibility for a diverse, high-quality teacher candidate pool that matches the demographics of Texas students. In doing so, we can ensure that tomorrow’s teachers are truly exceptional.
Robert DeHaas is the vice provost of the School of Education at Dallas College. He wrote this column for The Dallas Morning News.