MISCONCEPTION #3

Misconception #1 Misconception #2 Misconception #3 Misconception #4 Misconception #5

Following preparation program graduates is an easy task.

Many states still do not collect teacher employment data. Thus, teacher preparation programs must try to track their graduates through other means. For example, teacher preparation programs have used contact information provided by students before graduation and alumni directory information to survey graduates through mail, phone, and Web surveys. In our work with teacher preparation programs from across the country, we have learned that the response rate for such efforts tends to be rather low. This lack of state data on teacher employment, coupled with the difficulty of getting graduates to respond to surveys, makes tracking students very difficult for most teacher preparation programs. Moreover, the inability to track graduates into schools impedes any assessment of the teaching effectiveness of graduates.

Last updated: February 6, 2006