Georgia offers guarantee on teachers trained at its public universities - noteworthy news - Brief Article

Black Issues in Higher Education, Jan 2, 2003

ATLANTA

Georgia is offering a guarantee on the teachers coming out of its public universities: If a school district doesn't think its new teachers have been trained properly, it can send them back to college.

It appears to be the nation's first large-scale effort of this kind. Some individual universities around the country have offered guarantees on their graduates.

"We're guaranteeing the quality of our teachers," says Jan Kettlewell, an associate vice chancellor with Georgia's Board of Regents. "We're trying to weave together knowledge and skills."

The guarantee applies to graduates of the University System of Georgia's 15 teacher education programs, and starts with teachers who graduated last spring. School district officials who decide a teacher, in the first two years on the job, isn't performing up to standards can send the teacher back to college for additional training at no cost to the district or the teacher.

Any teacher needing more instruction will design a plan with the school district and the university. The teacher can take a course in the summer, at night, on weekends or even online, depending on what needs to be corrected.

Over the past few years, the state's 15 public institutions that offer education programs have focused courses to produce better-prepared teachers. Entry requirements for teacher programs were raised. More math and reading courses for elementary school teachers were mandated. In addition, potential teachers are getting practical in-school experience earlier and mentoring programs exist for graduates who become teachers.