Cibulka: Using NCATE as Lever for Reform

This and photo from Education Week:

New President Hopes to Use NCATE as Reform Lever

The new president of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education is brimming with ideas for change. The system of accreditation is under a microscope, said James G. Cibulka, who feels a need to respond to expectations in the field for an improved teacher workforce and teacher education programs.

“My idea is to use NCATE as a lever for reform,” Mr. Cibulka, who took over the reins of the Washington-based organization in July, said in a recent interview.

To that end, he wants to drive institutions to establish programs and practices aimed at increasing precollegiate student achievement, closing achievement gaps, recruiting a highly qualified and diverse teacher workforce, and strengthening induction programs for new teachers and other teacher-retention strategies...