The Wall Street Journal (10/1, Banchero, Helliker, Subscription Publication) reported that in a press event on Friday, Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced an $185 million competitive program to reward states whose colleges demonstrate improved teacher licensing tests and close teacher education programs deemed ineffective, noting that such programs have been criticized for not adequately training teachers. The piece notes that Duncan lamented research indicating that many nascent teachers feel unprepared, and notes that the NEA supports beefing up teacher training, quoting NEA President Dennis Van Roekel, "NEA has long championed approaches that support rigorous entry into the profession of teaching." The Journal continues to relate Duncan's description of the new program.
Duncan, Van Roekel Differ On Assessing Teacher Effectiveness.The Huffington Post (10/4, Resmovits) reports that Van Roekel was an "unlikely partner" for Duncan during the announcement, in that the NEA has "warred with the Obama administration in the past, going as far as adopting a resolution this summer that took on the title, '13 Things We Hate About Arne Duncan.' But Van Roekel appeared by Duncan's side on Friday, along with Teach for America President Wendy Kopp. 'This plan is a useful tool in helping to ensure that candidates entering the profession from any pathway meet the same high and rigorous standards,' Van Roekel said in a statement." However, the Post reports, this apparent amity "masked the fundamental difference in the approach that Duncan and Van Roekel take regarding the role of student tests in measuring teachers' performance. While Van Roekel would rather teachers be measured by exams that assess teaching practices, Duncan wants the exams to track how much teachers helps their students improve."
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