UC Honored With National Award for Its Preparation of Teachers

The University of Cincinnati College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) will be honored by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) for innovations in preparing future teachers for the classroom. The association’s Teacher Education Quality and Accountability Award recognizes how the college is gathering and analyzing data throughout its teaching program to build on success and to continuously improve on preparing highly qualified teachers. Lawrence J. Johnson, dean of the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services, will be presented with the award at the AACTE’s 58th annual meeting that takes place in San Diego from Jan. 29-Feb.1.

The award is yet another highlight of celebrations marking the college’s 100th anniversary. The honor recognizes the college’s efforts to maintain the rigorous performance-based standards to achieve the endorsement of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The college again achieved NCATE accreditation last spring.

Johnson says that the college collects data on virtually every level, including student satisfaction surveys ranking the quality of their programs, classes and faculty. Students must also gather evidence to demonstrate that as a student teacher, they’re delivering on successful learning in their classrooms. Results of surveys from mentor teachers in the partnering schools show that they believe the UC teacher candidates create meaningful learning experiences and create learning environments that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement, and self-motivation. The college reports that for the past three years, passing rates on the PRAXIS exams for teacher licensure have been 100 percent.

“Every year, every aspect of the program is evaluated, from the faculty to the dean to the quality of the internships and the impact our interns have on the students they work with,” Johnson says.

“These data-based evaluations demonstrate the strengths of our graduates and the positive impact they have on their students and school systems,” says Anne Bauer, UC professor of special education and NCATE coordinator for CECH.

“I applaud our College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services for its innovative approaches to teacher preparation, a discipline that affects the lives of so many school-aged children.  It’s terrific to see the University of Cincinnati’s quality and excellence affirmed like this on a national level,” said UC President Nancy L. Zimpher.

Nationally, Dean Lawrence J. Johnson has led teacher college accountability efforts in testimony before congressional committees, resulting in legislation requiring each state to develop a report card on teacher education. More recently, he testified before the U.S. Senate Caucus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education on how teacher education programs could help build the nation’s workforce in math and science specialties.

Johnson is a member of the state Educator Standards Board, which collaborates with the Ohio Board of Regents to develop and recommend standards for Ohio teachers and principals, renewal licenses for educators, and professional development standards. He is also co-chair and CEO of the Teacher Quality Partnership, a statewide study of Ohio’s 50 teacher education programs. The $10 million study is following graduating students into their teaching jobs to explore the qualities of an outstanding teacher and how these high standards can improve the math and English performance of schoolchildren.

The AACTE is a national voluntary association of higher education institutions and other organizations and is dedicated to ensuring the highest quality preparation and continuing professional development for teachers and school leaders in order to enhance prekindergarten-through-12th grade student learning. Its nearly 800 member institutions prepare more than two-thirds of the new teachers in the United States each year.