Chapter 5: The role of Educator Preparation Programs in Fostering Partnerships in the special Education Process

Educator preparation programs (EPPs) are charged with the responsibility of preparing teachers for the 21st century classrooms. In order to meet the challenges of effectively preparing preservice teachers, EPPs must build upon existing effective components of current programs and extend features to include innovative collaboration, consultation, and cooperation between all stakeholders. Although the ultimate goal of EPPs is to improve teacher quality and positively impact student learning, effective and innovative programs should be mutually beneficial for all involved, which also must include the partnerships between the preservice teacher, students, school-community, administration, and parents.

Historically, EPPs at institutions of higher education have been designed to provide aspiring educators with entry level knowledge and skills in order to become licensed teachers. With very little change, this system has continued for decades. However, in 2001 with the passage of No Child Left Behind, student proficiency in reading and math were placed at the forefront of education, and with that also came an emphasis on hiring highly qualified teachers to provide such education. Since then, with the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), the label “highly qualified” has been eliminated, but emphasis continues to be placed on rigorous curriculum and measurements of student outcomes (Davis, 2015). Since its inception in 2002, this shift in focus has been challenging for veteran teachers, but has also increased tenfold the need for effective, knowledgeable, well-prepared new classroom teachers (Whitford et al., 2018).