Contact: Lindsey Ross, Senior Press Secretary
Lindsey.Ross@iga.in.gov
317-232-9498
STATEHOUSE (March 28, 2019) – A bill authored by State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) that would update requirements and improve transparency for teacher preparation programs in Indiana recently passed the House Committee on Education unanimously.
Senate Bill 562 would require teacher preparation programs to report to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and make public on their website the number of teacher candidates in each content area who complete the program, do not pass the content area licensure exam, and do not retake the exam. It would also require prep programs to report any other underlying data requested by the IDOE.
“By requiring this information to be made public, SB 562 requires transparency for teacher preparation programs in preparing students for licensure exams,” Raatz said. “I believe teacher candidates are repeatedly failing the current tests required of them, which is adding to our teacher shortage. I am hopeful this legislation would be a first step in addressing this issue and help shed light on why so many qualified teacher candidates are failing their licensing exams.”
SB 562 would also require the IDOE to annually report information regarding teacher preparation programs, including retention rates, and teachers who hold licenses to the Interim Study Committee on Education and Legislative Council.
SB 562 will now move to the full House of Representatives for further consideration.
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For a high-resolution photo of Sen. Raatz, click here.
