| What is the State Partnership Program? |
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The State Partnership Program was established in
the late 1980s as part of the NCATE Redesign. The goals of the original
program were to integrate
State and national professional educator preparation standards, increase
the rigor of reviews of teacher education institutions, and reduce the
expense and duplication of effort that occur when States and NCATE conduct
two separate reviews. In the year 2000, the State Partnership Program
mission was then expanded to include a commitment on the part of NCATE
and its partner States to align State content teacher education standards
with the NCATE’s national, professional standards for teacher preparation;
and, to develop a relationship in which NCATE and its State partners
collect and analyze data on candidate performance. This alignment has
been recommended in many recent education reform reports, including the
National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF).
Today, the State Partnership Program also provides support to States
in implementing a system of accountability for teacher education. States
are often deferring to NCATE standards or using them to jump start their
own standard setting process. In fact, many States rely on NCATE’s
program review process in lieu of their own. When States make decisions
about the quality of institutions’ programs by using NCATE’s
findings, it saves the State significant time and expense. |
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| How can a state form a partnership with NCATE? |
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| State considering a partnership with NCATE should
first contact NCATE State Relations staff. Once a State Agency indicates
that it desires a partnership
with NCATE, the online State Partnership Agreement Form—which outlines
the partnership—is completed and submitted to NCATE. States renewing
their partnerships also complete the State Partnership Agreement Form
online and submit it to NCATE. For more information about the process
of becoming a State Partner, click
here. |
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| Does my state have a partnership with NCATE? |
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| NCATE maintains partnerships with 50 States, including
the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. To find out whether your State
is a partner,
and what kind of partnership it holds, click
here. |
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| Which state agency is the official NCATE partner? |
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| State Partnerships are formed with the State Agency
responsible for approving teacher education institutions’ right to
operate programs that lead to teacher licensing. This agency is usually
the State Department
of Education, but may also be an independent professional standards board.
In some States, the higher education commission may join the partnership
if that governing body has oversight of public teacher education institutions. |
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| How can I contact my state agency regarding the partnership with NCATE? |
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| All contact information is listed in the State Contact Directory. |
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| How long is an NCATE partnership in effect? |
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| Partnerships that are renewed or established in 2002 and beyond will remain
in effect for seven years. NCATE notifies the State of requirements and
timelines for continuing the partnership. |
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| I am the state contact for the state agency that
holds the partnership with NCATE, and our partnership is up for renewal
soon—what do I
do? |
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| States due to renew their partnership should contact
Shari Francis, Vice President for State Relations. For more information
about the process of
becoming a State Partner, click
here. |
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| What is the State Partnership Board, and what does it do? |
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| Once a year, during NCATE’s All Boards Meeting in the fall, the State
Partnership Board (SPB) meets to approve new and continuing State partnerships,
establish policy for the NCATE State Partnership Program, and ensure the
State’s perspective in NCATE governance. The SPB is comprised of
a majority of State education policy makers; the chair of the board is
always a Chief State School Officer. During the annual meeting, an audit
committee conducts an in-depth review of each State’s agreement and
supporting materials for new and renewing partnerships. The audit committee
reviews the State’s responses to the partnership conditions and issues
a recommendation regarding the partnership to the full board. The full
SPB acts on the recommendation of the audit committee and reports its results
to the State representative and in a written report, to the State director
of teacher education and the chief executive officer of the State professional
standards board. States are asked to ensure a representative is available
by telephone during the SPB meeting. |
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| What decisions can be rendered by the State Partnership Board after consideration
of a partnership agreement? |
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After reviewing a state’s partnership application,
the State Partnership Board (SPB) will declare one of the following actions:
- Full partnership to be renewed in seven (7) years.
- Conditional partnership to be reviewed and reconsidered by NCATE staff
within timeframe set by the SPB.
- Conditional partnership to be reviewed and reconsidered by the SPB
during its next annual meeting.
- Postponed partnership in which the SPB takes no action and the state
must resubmit the agreement the following year.
- Denial
States may request a one-year delay in renewing the partnership by sending
a letter to NCATE Vice President for State Relations, Shari Francis.
The existing partnership would remain in effect. |
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