Delivering Well Prepared Teachers Policy
Colorado's approval process for its traditional and alternate route teacher preparation programs could do more to hold programs accountable for the quality of the teachers they produce.
Beginning in 2011, Colorado will produce an annual report that shows the relationship between teacher preparation programs and student academic growth. The effectiveness of programs will be examined using aggregate data, including the correlation among different preparation programs and student academic growth, educator placement, and educator mobility and retention. The report will be limited to language arts and math teachers in grades 3-10 because those are the only students tested by the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP).
However, it does not appear that the state has articulated a plan to apply any transparent, measurable criteria for conferring program approval.
Colorado will also make these reports available to the public on its website.
Establish the minimum standard of performance for each category of data.
Programs should be held accountable for meeting established standards of performance, with articulated consequences for failing to do so, including loss of program approval after appropriate due process.
Colorado recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.