UofM Teacher Preparation Program Exceeds Expectations on State Report Card
February 20, 2020 -The University of Memphis teacher preparation program received an “Exceeds Expectations” on this year’s state Educator Preparation Report Card.
The UofM was one of only nine educator preparation programs in Tennessee to receive an “Exceeds Expectations” of the 39 programs in the state. The report card tracks outcomes in the state’s teacher preparation programs.
“We are proud of the collective and collaborative efforts of our faculty and staff
in the College of Education and the support and engagement of our district partners,”
said Dr. Kandi Hill-Clarke, dean of the College. “It is good to see the hard work
taking place in the College of Education being recognized across the state.
“In the College of Education, we have been taking a more intentional approach to the preparation of teachers with an enhanced focus on meeting the needs of P-12 students, which include closely analyzing and monitoring our data, aligning our curriculum with state standards, strengthening our relationships with district partners as well as our level of responsiveness and refining our processes and support to ensure that our candidates are student- and classroom-ready.”
The designation is an improvement over last year when the UofM met expectations.
“We have put intentional efforts in place around recruitment, retention and a stronger focus on supporting our students,” Hill-Clarke said. “We have seen the outcomes of our hard work. However, we know there is still much more to be done as we enhance efforts to diversify the teaching workforce across our state and improve new teachers’ induction into the profession.”
The UofM’s grow-your-own teacher prep initiative, the River City Scholars Program, launched in 2019 with 19 undergraduate and more than 30 graduate teacher scholars. The collaborative with Shelby County Schools, Achievement School District and local charter schools is focused on preparing equity-minded, culturally competent teachers who are strong in their content knowledge and pedagogical skills.
To view the Educator Preparation Report Card, visit teacherprepreportcard.tn.gov.