Challenge

States and educator preparation programs (EPPs)—both traditional and alternative—are required by law to collect extensive information from the new teacher pipeline, which graduates nearly 200,000 teacher candidates annually.

States and programs report on

• State teacher certification requirements
• Pass rates on teacher licensure examinations
• How states identify and provide technical assistance to low-performing teacher preparation programs

Since 1998, Westat has partnered with the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) within ED to collect the congressionally mandated accountability information. Westat supports EPPs in preparing their reports to states and collects the data from states that are reported to ED and annually to Congress. Westat has collected the data through an online survey since the project was initiated.

Solution

Westat provides direct support to states through our service center operations, which provide one-on-one contacts with state and EPP coordinators.

We use a variety of outreach and training tools, including in-person meetings, webinars, online trainings, and podcasts, to connect with coordinators and stakeholders. Our outreach not only provides technical support in completing the surveys but also helps states and EPPs interpret the Higher Education Act requirements in the context of state and local policies related to educator preparation and effectiveness.

Westat co-authors the annual Secretary’s Report to Congress, which describes the Title II data in the context of federal policy on teacher preparation. In addition, we release the state and EPP data through ED’s Title II Higher Education Act web page, which we maintain for OPE.

Results

For over a decade, Westat has been instrumental in achieving 100% reporting compliance for both states and EPPs, even though entities receive no funding for the data collection. Since its inception, the state reporting process has been completely paperless.

By providing technical assistance to states and EPPs, we are helping to ensure that federal and state policymakers have timely information when making decisions that affect policies related to preparing and certifying effective teachers as they begin their careers.