Those Nonsense Annual NCTQ Ratings Are Coming on June 17
On June 17, 2014, the so-called National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) will unleash upon the world its ratings of teacher training programs.
Here is part of an announcement sent on June 9, 2014, to members of the press:
Washington, DC – On Tuesday, June 17, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) will release the highly anticipated 2014 Teacher Prep Review – an annual evaluation of the nation’s teacher preparation programs. This year’s Review will include an expanded and more comprehensive evaluation of teacher preparation programs, which, for the first time, are ranked numerically. [Emphasis added.]
Grade ‘em and rank ‘em, because we can.
NCTQ is well funded. Of course Gates money is in there, as is Broad Foundation money (big supporters of Teach for America and promoters of its own brand of nonaccredited superintendent via its superintendents academy) and Arnold Foundation money (also huge supporters of TFA).
Surely NCTQ is not biased by its funders (tongue in cheek).
In yet another advertisement, this one dated June 10, 2014, NCTQ states,
This year’s edition repeats our analysis of elementary, secondary, special ed undergrad and grad programs but includes 38% more institutions with full ratings on 836. [Emphasis added.]
For NCTQ, getting “full ratings” is tough since they are a non-accredited, self-appointed, antagonistic rater of traditional teacher training programs.
NCTQ “rates” teacher training programs based upon artifacts. An NCTQ rating does not require a site visit.
NCTQ even hires students and others to gather the superficial information upon which it bases its ratings.
Shallow as it is, NCTQ feels the need to branch out, as noted in that June 10th advertisement:
In addition to analyzing colleges and universities providing traditional teacher preparation, NCTQ rated–for the first time–secondary alternative certification providers.
Now this is going to be interesting since for years the NCTQ advisory board has Those Nonsense Annual NCTQ Ratings Are Coming on June 17 | deutsch29:
