Washington, D.C. — Carmel Martin, Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress, today offered praise for new regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education to strengthen and improve teacher preparation programs. Previously, Martin served as assistant secretary for planning, evaluation, and policy development at the U.S. Department of Education.
Teaching is a deeply important and demanding profession, yet one-third of new teachers report feeling unprepared to teach on day one. The Obama administration’s actions today will strengthen teacher preparation programs by holding them to higher standards, requiring them to provide candidates with more classroom-based experience and ensuring school administrators receive the information they need to make informed hiring decisions.
States such as Delaware, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Massachusetts, among others, are already leading the way on improving their system for preparing teachers, and the Department of Education’s announcement will build on that momentum. Teachers, families, and students will all benefit from the Obama administration’s commitment to supporting prospective teachers through more effective preparation programs.
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