The Rise & Stall of Teacher Education Reform.

Overview & Synopsis

This report characterizes the decade 1985-1995 as a series of false starts in reform of teacher education in the United States. The main purpose of the report is to raise the question of whether the next decade of reform will be any different. Chapter 1 presents the problem: the need to do something about teacher education is reaching crisis proportions, and so much of the education reform agenda depends on a quality teaching force operating under professional working conditions. Chapter 2 uses the Holmes Group (a national consortium of nearly 100 research universities across the United States that has pushed for teacher education reform from 1985-1995) as a case illustration of some of the possibilities and difficulties of accomplishing significant improvements. The Holmes Group case analysis helps identify key issues that need to be addressed. Chapter 3 looks ahead to 2006 by taking stock of the recent convergence of high profile plans of action, questioning whether this will be another cycle of "rise and stall" or whether there is enough knowledge and care to make the required core improvements. (Contains 74 references). (SM)