[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 161 (Friday, October 30, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7675-S7676]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
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SENATE RESOLUTION 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
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:
S. Res. 301
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;
[[Page S7676]]
(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.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Madam President, today I am submitting a resolution,
with Senators Sullivan and Schatz, calling on the Council for the
Accreditation of Educator Preparation, CAEP, to modify one of their
accreditation standards that applies to the qualifications for
enrollment of teacher candidates.
The goal of accreditation agencies is to ensure that the education
provided by our Nation's institutions of higher education and their
various programs meet appropriate levels of quality.
In 2013, CAEP--the only accreditor of teacher preparation programs in
the country--revised its accreditation standards. Problematic, however,
is Standard 3.2 that would require teacher preparation programs to
ensure that each cohort of students enrolled in the program has an
average SAT/ACT/GRE score in the top 50 percent from 2016-2017; the top
40 percent from 2018-2019; and the top 33 percent by 2020.
I am all for making sure that our Nation's youngsters have the best
possible teachers. We need well-trained, culturally competent,
intelligent, effective teachers in every classroom in America.
But there is no definitive research or data that shows that
performance on the SAT, the ACT, or the GRE is an effective indicator
that someone will become an excellent teacher. Worse, basing acceptance
into a teacher preparation programs on these tests will have a negative
impact on young Native Americans and Alaska natives who want to become
teachers in their own communities--where they are so desperately
needed.
Compounding this inappropriate use of these tests is the fact that
Native American and Alaska native students experience academic,
economic, and social barriers that result in their SAT, ACT, and GRE
scores being disproportionately lower than their peers of other races.
Native students also have disproportionately inadequate access to exam
preparation and are less likely to take the ACT or SAT than their
peers.
This new CAEP Standard 3.2 will, therefore, effectively block
decades-long efforts to train more Native American and Alaska native
teachers, when we know that Native American and Alaska native students
benefit from having teachers who understand their culture, their
history, and their learning styles.
My resolution calls on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator
Preparation to do three things: to consult with tribes and native
organizations; to jointly develop changes to these standards to ensure
that Native Americans and Alaska natives will not be negatively
impacted by these standards; and to adopt changes to the standards
expeditiously.
I hope that my colleagues will pay close attention to this issue,
reach out to the teacher preparation programs in their states, and join
my colleagues, Senators Sullivan and Schatz in co-sponsoring this
resolution, as the Council's standards will impact not only our Native
American and Alaska native communities. This standard will also very
likely impact young African Americans and Hispanic Americans who hope
one day to become teachers but who experience similar barriers to
producing high scores on standardized tests.
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