American Board Executives Available for Comment on 'Test Theft' and 'Sabotage Attempt' (CORRECTION)

6/12/2003

From: Kimberly B. Tulp of the Education Leaders Council, 202-261-2605; e-mail: kbt@educationleaders.org Keri P. Mattox of FitzGerald Communications, 202-912-4409; e-mail: kmattox@fitzgerald.com

WASHINGTON, June 12 -- Addressing the need to place highly qualified teachers in every classroom in order to achieve student academic success, American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence executives are available to comment on recent reports that the American Board initiative has been a target of education establishment organizations' sabotage plans.

The Issue: Attempts to Sabotage the American Board Initiative

"Education establishment opponents, using a stolen copy of a confidential test, may have engaged in an unsuccessful attempt to sabotage a federally-funded project aimed at making it easier for states to put a qualified teacher in every public classroom."

-- Statement issued on June 12, 2003 by House Education Committee, "House Education Committee Will Investigate Apparent Attempt to Sabotage Teacher Certification Reform Initiative, Boehner Says."

According to Lisa Graham Keegan, CEO of Education Leaders Council and board member of the American Board, long-time education organizations, including the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) have spearheaded an initiative to discredit and derail the timely delivery of the American Board teacher certification test.

These organizations oppose the tests being developed by the American Board because, once completed and implemented, they will provide a new path to teacher certification, which, once widely available, will embrace and place highly qualified individuals in teaching positions without requiring them to attend a College of Teacher Education. This could ultimately impact the revenues and prestige position currently enjoyed by those involved in organizations such as AACTE.

American Board Position:

It is the American Board's position that, despite attempts to derail federally supported efforts to develop alternate routes to teacher certification, the organization will deliver a rigorous test that will embrace and certify highly qualified individuals that wish to give of their time and talent to educate our students.

While some disagree with this new path to certification made possible by the American Board, committed individuals, with the support of industry partners such as Promissor, will move forward without veering from the timeline to implement this important and enlightened approach.

For Comment: Lisa Graham Keegan, CEO, Education Leaders Council

Lisa Graham Keegan was named Chief Executive Officer of Education Leaders Council (ELC) in May 2001. Ms. Keegan is one of the nation's most prominent -- and outspoken -- education reform advocates. Keegan's policy expertise, combined with her history of successfully implementing state-level education reforms, has made her a sought after education reform expert who frequently addresses Congress, state legislative bodies and education organizations.

Kathleen Madigan, president, American Board

Dr. Kathleen Madigan is an educator committed to providing all students with the highest quality education possible and an advocate for children with special needs. Nationally recognized as a "teacher of teachers," Dr. Madigan currently serves as President of the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence. Dr. Madigan has been a regular and special education classroom teacher, principal, college professor, curriculum coordinator, and research project director. Dr. Madigan is also currently serving on the Select Panel to redesign teacher preparation programs for the Board of Regents, the State Board of Education and Governor Mike Foster of Louisiana. In addition, she serves on the technical advisory panel for the California Commission on Teacher Certification in the area of reading.

American Board: The American Board addresses the need to place a highly qualified teacher in every classroom. Through assessments of rigorous standards in content area and professional teaching knowledge, the American Board offers a new approach to certification that helps states identify qualified individuals with the skills and commitment to impact student academic achievement. Founded by Education Leaders Council and the National Council on Teacher Quality, the American Board is recognized as an approved provider of teacher certification in the new federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. For more information, visit http://www.abcte.org.

To learn more about the American Board, please call (202) 261-2600 or visit our website at http://www.abcte.org. The American Board is founded by Education Leaders Council and the National Council on Teacher Quality.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Correcting the last line of the first paragraph. It should read "education establishment organizations" instead of "anti-education establishment organizations".