Page 16 - Leadership Matters February 2013_3140b78f.pub
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Educator
preparation and
licensure update
By Brad Hutchison
Superintendent, Olympia 16
One mission of the IASA is to
support school leaders as they tirelessly
work to improve the educational
experience for all learners. One way
that members of IASA work to support
the continual school improvement
efforts within Illinois is to voluntarily
serve on a wide array of committees.
Fellow IASA Board of Directors member Dr. Robert
Lupo (Superintendent of Ridgewood Community No.
234)
and I recently served on the ISBE-sponsored
Illinois P20 Council Educator Licensure Steering
Group. The committee was formed at the request of
State Superintendent Chris Koch to advise the Illinois
State Board of Education (ISBE) and policymakers on
educator licensure and teacher preparation changes
required as part of Public Act 97-0607.
Other professional stakeholder organizations such
as ISBE, the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE),
the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), public/
private
teachers
prep
colleges/universities,
professional organizations, unions and policy/
advocacy groups also were invited to serve on the
steering group committee. Dr. Erika Hunt, director of
the Illinois State University Action for Education
Leadership Project, and Audrey Soglin, executive
director of the Illinois Education Association (IEA)
were appointed co-chairs of the steering group
committee.
A key component of the law required that the
number of Illinois certifications be reduced from 66 to
3 licensures by July 1, 2013. To accomplish this
daunting task, the Educator Licensure Steering Group
divided the volunteers into two subcommittee focus
areas:
Partnerships and Clinical Experience
Educator Pipeline
Multiple
meetings,
webinars
and
video
conferences were conducted for more than six months
by members of the Educator Licensure Steering
Committee who worked to bring forth meaningful
recommendations. Members reviewed research, best
practices, national and Illinois trends on the topic of
teacher preparation, and partnerships so that the best
possible recommendations could be provided to ISBE.
The committee also conducted surveys of more
than 2,500 non-tenured teachers, cooperating
teachers, school and district administrators, and
faculty of colleges/universities in hopes of having the
best feedback possible as we worked to complete the
assigned task. Armed with this information, members
of the steering committee developed the following key
success factors that need to exist to foster meaningful
partnerships between P-12 Districts and community
colleges/universities:
Partnerships should include P-12 districts,
community colleges, and colleges/
universities.
Partnerships should be developed to foster
partnerships across multiple programs and
the units should include an Advisory
Committee.
Partnerships
should
demonstrate
collaboration in the design, including the
design and implementation of the clinical
experiences.
Partnership roles and expectations should
be clearly defined and agreed upon in
writing and or with a memorandum of
understanding.
ISBE should engage stakeholders in
developing a rubric that will guide the
development and assessment of the
Memoranda of Understanding that meet
state requirements for the partners.
was presented
to ISBE on December 20, 2012 can be
accessed by clicking on the above highlighted link.
Actively participating in educational reform
committees takes time and energy, but I am
appreciative to have a voice in the process and would
encourage other IASA members to volunteer to serve
when the opportunity presents itself.
