Educators from K-12, higher education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education are working to systematically improve the preparation of Missouri teachers through a group called Missouri Transforming Educator Preparation (MoTEP). Representatives of MoTEP presented updates on their work to the Missouri State Board of Education and the Coordinating Board for Higher Education in a joint meeting this week.

“Our goal is to elevate the teaching profession and ensure we have an effective teacher in every classroom in the state,” said Paul Katnik, assistant commissioner for the office of educator quality. “This joint effort to improve educator preparation will benefit future educators and lead to better education for our children.”

MoTEP is comprised of 50 participants representing higher education, K-12 education, professional associations and organizations, and the Departments of Higher Education and Elementary and Secondary Education. MoTEP is working with the Department to develop a performance report for each educator preparation program, allowing institutions to understand their program’s strengths and weaknesses.

After gathering input from four other states and meeting with the Missouri Technical Advisory Committee (MoTAC), the panel developed an updated Annual Performance Report (APR) prototype while also beginning the early stages of the next performance report design. The APR gives educator preparation programs and the public a look at each program’s performance based on standards for educators, focusing on academic achievement, college and career readiness, attendance, and graduation rates.

“We are working out how to build effective partnerships between K-12 school districts and educator preparation programs,” said Dr. Nicole Nickens, Associate Dean of the College of Education at the University of Central Missouri.

The committee is planning fall regional meetings with teachers who host educator candidates in their classrooms. The information gathered from the regional meetings will drive professional development opportunities to support the host teachers.

MoTEP, as a part of the Network for Transforming Educator Preparation (NTEP) association of states, provides Missouri educators with the opportunity to make the most of the collective knowledge of the national network combined with expertise from within the state of Missouri. This effort also aligns with the Department’s Top 10 by 20 initiative to prepare, develop and support effective educators in classrooms across the state.