[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 301 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 301

Calling on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation to 
   modify the accreditation standards of the Council to prevent the 
 standards from negatively impacting Alaska Native and Native American 
                          teacher candidates.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 30, 2015

Ms. Murkowski (for herself, Mr. Sullivan, and Mr. Schatz) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Calling on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation to 
   modify the accreditation standards of the Council to prevent the 
 standards from negatively impacting Alaska Native and Native American 
                          teacher candidates.

Whereas Alaska Natives and Native Americans are underrepresented in the 
        profession of teaching;
Whereas Alaska Native and Native American students benefit academically from the 
        cultural perspectives of Alaska Native and Native American teachers;
Whereas Alaska Native and Native American teachers often serve as positive role 
        models for Alaska Native and Native American students;
Whereas increasing the number of Alaska Native and Native American teachers 
        working in native communities empowers tribes, benefits native youth, 
        and strengthens tribal self-sufficiency;
Whereas the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (referred to 
        in this preamble as the ``Council'') is the sole accrediting body for 
        educator preparation programs at institutions of higher education in the 
        United States;
Whereas the Council approved new accreditation standards in 2013 and plans for 
        the standards to be fully implemented by 2020;
Whereas the 2013 accreditation standards of the Council require that 
        institutions of higher education, when accepting candidates to their 
        schools of education, ensure that the group average performance on 
        assessments such as the ACT and SAT is--

    (1) in the top 50 percent from 2016-2017;

    (2) in the top 40 percent of the distribution from 2018-2019; and

    (3) in the top 33 percent of the distribution by 2020;

Whereas because of social, academic, and economic barriers, the average ACT and 
        SAT scores of Alaska Natives and Native Americans are disproportionately 
        lower than other categories of students;
Whereas Alaska Native and Native American students have disproportionately 
        inadequate access to exam preparation opportunities and 21st century 
        technology and are less likely to take the ACT or SAT than other 
        categories of students;
Whereas no definitive research or data has shown that performance on the ACT or 
        SAT is an effective indicator of the likelihood of success of a 
        prospective student in an educator preparation program or as a teacher;
Whereas the 2013 accreditation standards of the Council--

    (1) will force institutions of higher education to accept fewer Alaska 
Native and Native American students into teacher preparation programs in 
order to retain accreditation;

    (2) will result in fewer Alaska Natives and Native Americans gaining 
acceptance into those programs; and

    (3) will exacerbate the already low representation of Alaska Natives 
and Native Americans in the teaching community;

Whereas the Federal Government has a trust responsibility to support the 
        education of Alaska Natives and Native Americans; and
Whereas the Council should recognize the negative impact of the standards of the 
        Council on Alaska Native and Native American teacher candidates: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate calls on the Council for the 
Accreditation of Educator Preparation--
            (1) to consult with tribes and native organizations;
            (2) to jointly develop changes to the accreditation 
        standards of the Council to ensure that Alaska Native and 
        Native American teacher candidates will not be negatively 
        impacted by the standards; and
            (3) to adopt changes to the accreditation standards of the 
        Council expeditiously.
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