To:  Daniel Rich, Dean 
  College of Human Resources, Education, and Public Policy
From:  Delaware Center for Teacher Education Committee 
 
  William B. Stanley, CHEP, Committee Chair 
  Dan Boulet, Engineering 
  Kate Conway-Turner, Arts and Science 
  Marion Hyson, CHEP 
  Ann McNeil, Health and Nursing Sciences 
  Barbara VanDornick, CHEP 
Subject:  Draft Proposal to Establish a Delaware Center for Teacher Education- For 
  Review and Comment 

Introduction

The development and maintenance of an excellent educational system requires the coordination and collaboration of the broad educational community with a special emphasis on three main groups: (1) University teacher education faculty and administrators, (2) University content-area faculty and administrators, and (3) school teachers, and administrators, including State Department of Education personnel responsible for public education.  Each of these groups is essential to the process of schooling and their work should be motivated by a clear philosophy that is well planned and coordinated.

In Delaware, there have been several attempts to coordinate the work of higher education, the schools, and the Department of Education (e.g., the recent Curriculum Framework Commissions and standards-based educational reform).  However, since these three key groups function essentially within separate institutional structures and cultures, and since so many different organizations are involved, collaboration and coordination have always been difficult.  For example, at the University of Delaware alone, there are four colleges (The College of Arts and Science; The College of Agricultural Sciences; The College of Human Resources, Education, and Public Policy;  and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences) and more than twenty departments directly involved in teacher education programs.  In addition, numerous other departments are involved in teaching content area courses for students in education programs.  At the State level, there are nineteen public school districts and many other educational programs working to deliver quality pre K-12 schooling.

The Delaware Center for Teacher Education, to be located in the College of Human Resources, Education, and Public Policy at the University of Delaware,  is proposed as a means to enhance and institutionalize planning, access, and coordination among the various groups involved in the educational process.  The Center, by including representatives from key educational groups, will provide better means of sharing information, identifying mutual agendas, collaborating on clinical experiences and in-service development, coordinating projects, exchanging services, and conducting  research on important educational issues.

Mission of the Center

The Delaware Center for Teacher Education (DCTE) promotes excellence in classroom teaching through collaboration and innovation in the continuing development of educators, curriculum, and school renewal in the State and nation.  In collaboration with University faculty and administrators, school personnel, and the Department of Education (DOE), the Center seeks to develop educators who work to promote their students’ competence to contribute productively to a democratic, pluralistic society.  For example, the Center could play an active role in Delaware standards-based educational reform projects, including programs for teacher training, curriculum development, and the development of student and teacher assessment processes.

Toward this end, the Center works to strengthen outreach programs, develop partnerships, conduct research, and initiate task forces and other collaborative efforts to create exemplary educational programs.  It is expected that the DCTE will play a central role in establishing and monitoring University/School partnerships such as Professional Development Schools and in service activities.  The Center will also formalize clinical partnership through a new Delaware Education Network.  The purpose of the Network is to help implement the University’s Conceptual Framework for Teacher Education and to establish guidelines and responsibilities for  the University and participating schools.

Finally, the Center will work to help facilitate the coordination of programs for the preparation and development of teachers and other school personnel at the University of Delaware.  This role is essential to the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation process as well as the enhancement of University/State partnerships.

Functions

The Center is a place where exemplary models of teaching, learning, and curriculum will be conceptualized, implemented, and assessed.  The Center Director and staff will work in collaboration with teachers, administrators and Department of Education personnel as well as University faculty and administrators to coordinate and improve teacher education and schooling.  To facilitate such collaboration, representatives of each of the key educational groups will be invited to participate in the planning and implementation of Center activities and programs.  As appointed by the President, Provost, and Dean of the College of Human Resources, Education, and Public Policy, the Center Director will serve as the University’s primary representative to various State groups, e.g., the Delaware Professional Standards Council, the Department of Education, and district superintendents.   An essential function of the Center is the establishment of outreach programs, partnerships with school districts, and enhanced access to the University’s programs and resources for teacher development and curriculum design and assessment.  Access enhancement includes, but is not limited to, a system to respond to requests for information and services, regular meetings with educational leaders and stakeholder representatives, dissemination of research findings, and coordination with various State educational initiatives.

The Center will also be responsible for helping to facilitate the coordination of all University of Delaware teacher education programs through a system of enhanced communication and program review.  As noted above, there are four colleges and more than twenty departments directly involved in teacher education programs at the University.  Over ten percent of all undergraduate students attending the University are enrolled in a teacher education program.  To facilitate coordination, the Director of the Center will chair the University Council of Teacher Education (UCTE), and the Center will work closely with UCTE, providing both leadership and staff support. The Director will also serve as the University liaison to the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and coordinate the preparation for periodic NCATE reviews.  The University Council for Teacher Education will remain as the Unit for purposes of NCATE accreditation.

The Director is expected to meet regularly with leaders (deans, chairs and other directors) of the various units involved in educational programs at the University to help ensure that all programs are functioning in accordance with our teacher education conceptual framework,  as well as with NCATE and State guidelines.

Finally, the Center will engage in various research activities, including those developed by faculty and professionals, as well as projects initiated by school districts, the State and other external agencies.  For the Center to remain a credible and independent voice in the discourse on educational policy and practice related to teaching, learning, and curriculum,  it must be informed by and engaged in educational research.  Ideally, the Center will be a place where the best available thinking and models for teaching, learning, and curriculum are explored, promoted, and developed.

Structure and Organization

The Center will be located in the College of Human Resources, Education, and Public Policy (CHEP).  The Director of the Center will hold a fiscal-year, senior professional position requiring the educational background and experience sufficient to hold an appointment at the rank of full Professor in the one of the teacher education units at the University.  In addition to strong scholarly credentials, the Director should have had significant experience in university teacher education programs, administrative experience in higher education, and significant experience working in outreach programs or other forms of collaboration with educational groups outside the University.

To better coordinate the efforts of other University Centers involved in educational research, development, and other work with Delaware schools, the University will establish a Council of Educational Research Centers.  The establishment of such a council is essential to ensure that the Directors of other centers outside the DCTE communicate on a regular basis and work to maximize effectiveness and eliminate redundant activities.  The DCTE should serve as a focal point for working with the other centers, and the Director of the DCTE will chair the Council, whose members will include the directors of other University educational centers (e.g., The University of Delaware Research and Development Center, the Mathematics and Science Resource Center, and the Center for Educational Leadership and Policy.

The Director of the Center will report to the dean of the College of Human Resources, Education, and Public Policy.  However, given the University  wide responsibilities of the Center, the Director is expected to consult regularly with deans of the other Colleges involved in teacher education, as well as with the heads of units offering methods and content area course work taken by undergraduate and graduate teacher education students.  Preliminary operating bylaws for the Center will be developed by the DCTE Committee in the spring of 1998.  These bylaws will be revised as necessary by the Center director in consultation with the CHEP Dean and members of the Center staff.

   All University teacher education faculty and professionals should have the opportunity to apply for secondary appointments in the Center.  Secondary appointments to the Center will be determined on the basis of available funding and the potential contribution of the faculty or professionals seeking an appointment.  Typically, funded appointments will involve a fiscal year appointment (e.g., two-ninths applied to Center work) or a reassignment of a portion of one’s work load to Center activities for a specified time (an administered load).  If the University expects full faculty support for the work of the Center, it needs to make a significant adjustment in the faculty reward structure to recognize the value of Center activities as one criterion for promotion and tenure.  Formal guidelines for the recognition of a more flexible faculty reward structure should be developed and implemented by the University to support the Center’s activities.

 In addition to secondary appointments, some faculty or professionals will receive full time appointments to the Center for a limited period of time (e.g., one to three years) depending on the nature of the project in which they are involved.  When such projects are finished, these faculty or professionals would return to their respective units.

The Center also seeks to provide support for visiting scholars, teacher fellows from local districts, postdoctoral fellowships, public service and other graduate assistantships, and administrative internships (including school district and Department of Education personnel), The administrative internships and public service assistantships should provide new opportunities for collaboration with school districts and the State.

The activities of the following units, or significant elements of such units, should be included within the Center’s organizational structure, and the heads of those units incorporated within the DCTE will report to the Center director.

An Advisory Board will be appointed by the CHEP Dean with the advice of the other deans responsible for teacher education programs and in consultation with representatives of the various groups concerned with teacher education in the State.  The Advisory Board’s role is to monitor and review the Center’s activities, and make recommendations regarding the initiation of other activities when necessary.  The Advisory Board’s membership should include representatives from each of the major groups involved in the Center’s mission (i.e., teachers and school administrators, State Department of Education personnel, University administrators from teacher education units, teacher education faculty, University administrators and faculty involved in teaching content area course work included in teacher education programs, teacher education students, and representatives of the private sector.

There is a clear distinction between the role of the Center Advisory Board and the University Council on Teacher Education.  Although the Center works closely with the University Council for Teacher Education, the role of the Center Advisory Board is limited to issues related to the Center’s mission.  In contrast, the University Council on Teacher Education is the unit responsible for establishing and reviewing policy for teacher education at the University of Delaware as well as the unit accredited by NCATE.  Consequently, all DCTE policy recommendations should be forwarded to UCTE for review and approval.

Conclusion

The proposal to establish a Delaware Center for Teacher Education is a direct response to the need to facilitate and enhance University of Delaware/State partnerships to improve PK-12 schooling in Delaware.  Toward this end, the Center will work to help coordinate existing teacher education programs at the University and to establish new collaborative efforts in response to the educational needs of the State.  The goal is for the DCTE to be established and functioning by July I, 1997.