Keegan, Madigan Respond to Display Ad Commentary on Alternative Teacher Certification Placed in Education Week by ASCD

1/23/2003

From: Kimberly Tulp of the Education Leaders Council 202-261-2605

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- Lisa Graham Keegan, CEO of Education Leaders Council (ELC) and Dr. Kathleen Madigan, president of the American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence (American Board) today released the following statement regarding the display ad commentary on alternative teacher certification placed in Education Week by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

"The paid advertisement that ran in Education Week yesterday incorrectly and misleadingly states that the American Board intends to develop a teacher certification program that is a 'quick and easy' solution, bent on 'devaluing professional knowledge' and rushing teachers into the classroom whose experience is 'harmful to the students they teach.'

"In actuality, the American Board has been diligent in its development of a comprehensive teacher certification program, regularly consulting with expert thinkers such as Dr. Bill Sanders and Tom Kane. The resulting teacher certification places a primary focus on quality, testing both subject-area mastery and professional knowledge. It also includes a pre-service component, in full compliance with NCLB regulations, ensuring that teachers are classroom-ready with the direct content knowledge necessary to impact student academic achievement.

"Unlike the flawed research cited by ASCD, credible studies by Dan Goldhaber and Dominic Brewer have shown that teachers certified in their subject-area outperform teachers without subject-matter preparation, as measured by student performance. Given that this critical area is largely ignored in traditional teacher certification programs that are too often committed to the study of pedagogy, the American Board needs to be lauded, not attacked, for developing viable alternatives that address all aspects of teacher preparation, in a format that encourages the entry of new teachers into the profession, particularly in high-need communities.

"It is for this reason that we are most disappointed in the comments made by ASCD. The American Board and its partners are willing and active participants in the dialogue about new alternatives and the need to establish policies that support both traditional and alternative pathways to the classroom. We have never positioned the American Board as a one-size fits all solution, and we welcome and expect the opportunity to engage in a discussion about new research and alternatives. The absence of this discussion and categorical comments that offer nothing but the status quo are the true 'disservice to students.'"