USD named to NCTQ Teacher Prep Honor Roll for secondary education program
According to information released by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), USD was named to the NCTQ’s Teacher Prep Review’s National Honor Roll, earning three out of a possible four stars for training undergraduate secondary educators. Across the United States, the NCTQ identified 84 secondary education programs (out of 594) for the honor roll, which means only 14 percent of all secondary education programs in the nation performed at least as well. USD was also named a top 25 Bargain for teacher education by NCTQ.
USD’s secondary and elementary education programs were evaluated based on standards developed by the NCTQ. In addition to making the Honor Roll, USD is one of just three South Dakota colleges and universities considered a “highly-rated program” (along with Northern State University and Dakota State University) for secondary education. Nine South Dakota institutions with teacher training were evaluated by the NCTQ, including USD’s elementary education program which received a two-star (out of four stars) rating, placing the program in the upper 22 percent of all reviewed programs.
“The School of Education faculty and their partners, including the College of Arts & Sciences, have been working diligently to move USD forward and serve our students better,” stated Chuck Staben, USD Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “This report by the NCTQ reflects both our cooperation as a system and real improvements we have made in teacher education, some of which are not yet fully reflected in this rating.”
The NCTQ Teacher Prep Review is a national evaluation of colleges and universities that prepare elementary and secondary teachers. The overall ratings are used to help institutions, school districts, parents and aspiring teachers compare programs and determine those that are doing the best – and worst – job of training new teachers. For more information about the state institutions listed in the Teacher Prep Review Honor Roll, please go to www.nctq.org/teacherPrep/findings/stateFindings.do?state=SD#institutions.