Florida's Teacher Education Centers: A New State Policy for Teacher Education.

Overview & Synopsis

The Teacher Education Center Act of 1973 both established a mechanism for the development of a statewide system of teacher education centers and sponsored a new form of institutional cooperation designed to give new shape and meaning to teacher education in Florida. The new state policy for teacher education will be fully realized when teachers, administrators, and university faculty learn to cooperate with one another on an equal basis. Ten centers, approved by the State Council for Teacher Education Centers, are now in their first year of operation. Administrative and planning work is carried out by the director, staff, and teacher center council. Training work can be conducted by university personnel, classroom teachers, school district personne1, or community members with special expertise. Most center activity is scheduled during the teacher's normal workday. Teacher education centers were provided with funds from both the state department of education and the state university system. Following are some of the common problems which teacher education centers faced in their first year of operation: (a) deadlines and directives, (b) partnership problems, (c) organizational strain, (d) reward systems, (e) building grass roots support, and (f) external events. (PB)