Why this matters
Providing every aspiring teacher with a strong clinical practice experience requires collaboration from prep programs and districts, often supported by their state. Establishing a partnership with clear expectations provides an opportunity to define each entity’s role and clarify terms. For example, while prep programs and districts may agree that cooperating teachers should be “effective instructors,” they may have different criteria for what that means or may rely on measures like teacher evaluations, which often identify nearly every educator as effective. This process can also ensure that prep programs and districts are aligned in terms of their goals, understanding of future hiring needs, and expected outcomes for student teachers.
What the field says
In an NCTQ survey, more than half of districts (60%) and prep programs (72%) identified partnerships between placement schools and teacher prep programs as “most important” or “very important” elements of clinical practice, yet a third of districts think this sort of partnership is difficult or impossible, and 20% identified creating regular meetings and feedback loops as the area they most want to improve in their district–prep program partnership.
Key Components and Actions
But what about...
Embedding fieldwork in schools
Some prep programs and school districts have created tightly knit partnerships, embedding preparation within the walls of K–12 schools.
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Providing state support for building partnerships
Many states have found success offering funding, providing guidelines, or convening support to help establish and sustain these partnerships
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Accessing federal funding sources
Federal funds may be a useful resource.
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University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
An apprenticeship program helps more people complete teacher prep and stay in the classroom
Texas
Texas
Establish a clear vision for high-quality preparation, and help less prepared teachers rise to meet it
US PREP
US PREP
Helping prep programs re-envision clinical practice with a focus on partnerships and quality
Michigan
Michigan
Replicating a medical model—including paid clinical practice—in teacher preparation
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Measuring whether every student teacher will be ready on day one
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Dedicating staff time to create a more streamlined, supportive, and attractive student teaching experience
Questions to consider
- What are the goals you intend to achieve related to student teaching?
- How will you measure success toward those goals?
- What role can you take in the partnership?
- What roles do you need others to play?
- What resources do you need from others to reach those goals?
- What resources can you provide (e.g., data infrastructure, sample MOUs)?
- What opportunities to give and receive feedback will you build into the partnership?
- How will you track whether feedback is acted upon?
