Principal and Teacher Preparation to Support the Needs of Diverse Students

Research Rundown Issue: October '19
Publisher: RAND Corporation
Date Published: July '19

Description

A RAND analysis looked at what school leaders and teachers had to say about the training they received prior to teaching. The study found that educators who had greater amounts of field experience during their preservice training were more likely to find their preparation programs effective. The study also found that 38% of white teachers and 39% of white principals indicated that their preservice training did not prepare them to work with Black, Latinx, and low-income students, as compared to 24% of teachers and principals of color.

Why This Matters in Minnesota

The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) is currently working to amend the rules that set standards for teacher preparation in Minnesota, making updates to both unit/program approval rules and the Standards of Effective practice that govern the knowledge and skills taught to teacher candidates. It is imperative that these rules ensure ample opportunities for teacher candidates to apply what they learn to the classroom. This study also highlights how essential it is to strengthen requirements that will help teacher candidates meet the needs of Minnesota’s increasingly diverse student body, and in particular, students of color, English Language Learners, low-income students, and students with special needs.