Top Story
September 30, 2009
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Metro State launches initiative to guarantee graduates of teacher licensure program
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Patricia Hurrieta, Metro State alumna and principal of Godsman Elementary, says the teacher guarantee will give teachers an extra edge when applying for jobs. |
Metropolitan State College of Denver will now guarantee the work of graduates from its Teacher Education program during their first year of teaching.
“We are confident in the quality of our Teacher Education program, and establishing this guarantee shows our commitment to the entire education process that is necessary to develop productive citizens for tomorrow’s workforce,” says Metro State President Stephen Jordan.
The Statement of Assurance says that if the principal finds that the teacher, during his or her first year, needs more training, the College will extend the opportunity for the teacher to come back to audit a course(s) at no expense to correct the identified problem. About 2,000 students are currently enrolled in the College's Teacher Education program.
“This guarantee gives teachers an extra edge when applying for jobs throughout their first year, and it shows that Metro State firmly believes in what it’s teaching if it offers a guarantee,” says Patricia Hurrieta, principal of Denver’s Godsman Elementary and also a 1993 graduate of Metro State.
The College’s initiative speaks volumes, according to Colorado Commissioner of Education Dwight D. Jones. “This extraordinary step provides a gold seal of quality that will boost confidence among hiring districts. I applaud the leadership shown by Metro State, its president and its board in providing this stellar warranty plan.
“The move demonstrates continued commitment to the notion that improving our education system is a shared, statewide issue and we believe Metro State has raised the bar by standing behind their programs—and students—to this degree.”
Colorado Commission on Higher Education Chairman James T. Polsfut applauds the College’s bold step in guaranteeing the effectiveness of the teachers that the College prepares. “This promise by Metro State should serve as an added guarantee to employing districts and parents of the quality of our classroom teachers, and as evidence of further accountability on the part of our higher education system in preparing future educators.”
According to “Teacher Attrition and Mobility: Results from the 2004-05 Teacher Follow-up Survey,” the most recent study in this area by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 22.9 percent of 55,000 elementary/secondary teachers in the U.S., within their first one to three years, either moved to another school or did not return to the profession. The NCES is a research unit of the U.S. Department of Education.
“Coming back to a refresher class can help districts retain teachers who need just a little more support during this critical transition time,” says Dean of the School of Professional Studies Sandra Haynes. “The College is among only a handful of institutions nationwide doing this. We believe that the return rate will be very low, however, as Metro State stands by the quality of our graduates.”
The Statement of Assurance, which will be posted in Metro State’s College Catalog, reads as follows:
Metropolitan State College of Denver guarantees that its teacher education graduates have successfully completed a Teacher Education program approved by the Colorado State Board of Education, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. The curriculum of the departments of Teacher Education at Metro State assures that each teacher candidate has demonstrated thorough understanding of and the ability to apply the teaching strategies, the classroom management/school discipline methods, and the measurement and evaluation tools necessary for success as a first-year licensed teacher.
In the event that the employing district of a teacher certified for licensure by Metro State, and appropriately placed within certification endorsement areas, finds that the teacher has displayed a lack of knowledge or competency in any of these pedagogical skills during the first year of teaching, the teacher may return to Metro State for up to one academic year after the problem is noted by the district, and audit the course(s) that correspond to the deficiency. These classes will be provided at no cost to the school district or to the student.
