WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation's teacher-training programs do not adequately prepare would-be educators for the classroom, even as they produce almost triple the number of graduates needed.
That's according to a survey of more than 1,000 programs released Tuesday.
The National Council on Teacher Quality review is a scathing assessment of colleges' education programs and their admission standards, training and value.
The report is likely to drive debate about whom and how the nation prepares to be teachers in the coming decades. Once a teacher settles into a classroom, it's tough to remove him or her involuntarily and opportunities for wholesale retraining are difficult — if nearly impossible — to find.
The report drew immediate criticism. The head of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, called the report a "gimmick."
