In 2004, 674,468 professionals in 40 professions licensed by the Board of
Regents and the State Education Department served New Yorkers; an increase of
12.3 percent from the 600,558 registered in 1997. One element of a highly
effective higher education system is that its institutions collaborate with
professional practitioners and the people they serve to identify emerging
needs and devise ways to meet those needs.
Since 1997, 15 professions grew at a slower rate than the 12.3 percent growth
of all professions, including two of the four design professions, 11 of the
34 health professions and two of the 13 other professions. In four of them,
the number of registered licensees actually declined, including three health
professions and one other profession. The professions with slower than
average or negative growth are:
| Health Professions |
Registered Professional Nursing |
| Dentistry |
Ophthalmic Dispensing |
| Dental Hygiene |
Podiatry |
| Dietetics-Nutrition (decline) |
Respiratory Therapy |
| Medicine |
Respiratory Therapist Technician (decline) |
| Licensed Practical Nursing (decline) |
|
| Design Professions |
Other Professions |
| Architecture |
Certified Public Accountancy |
| Land Surveying |
Certified Shorthand Reporting (decline) |
Implementation of Four New Professions and Coordination with Undergraduate and Graduate Programs. Legislation enacted in December 2002 created four new mental health professions effective January 1, 2005:
- Creative Arts Therapy
- Marriage and Family Therapy
- Mental Health Counseling
- Psychoanalysis
The Department has begun implementation of the new statute for the
licensure of Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists,
Psychoanalysts, and Creative Arts Therapists. This entails coordination of
the requirements with existing programs and program expansions contemplated
by institutions. While grandparenting provisions allow some current
practitioners to seek licensure under the new law, colleges, universities,
and psychotherapy institutes will need to work with the Department to develop
and register new licensure-qualifying programs, once implementing regulations
are approved. There also may be a need to address individuals who must make
up certain academic coursework or clinical training, rather than complete an
entire program. This can be particularly problematic when classroom
instruction is separated from clinical experience.
Additionally, in 2004, the Governor signed a law authorizing licensure of
clinical laboratory technologists and cytotechnologists, and authorizing
certification of clinical laboratory technicians. The three professions will
be licensed/certified by the Regents and the Department. The law becomes
effective in September 2006.
Professional Workforce Issues. Nationwide, six professions are among both the
fastest growing occupations and those with the largest number of job
openings, 2002 - 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
Professional Workforce Issues
Nationwide, six professions are among both the fastest growing occupations
and those with the largest number of job openings, 2002 - 2012, according to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Pharmacists
- Veterinarians
- Physicians
- Physical therapists
- Dental hygienists
- Mental health and substance abuse social workers
Three of the occupations - dental hygienists, pharmacists, and physicians
- are among the professions with slower than average growth in New York over
the past seven years.
Large workforce shortages among the licensed professions are drawing the
attention of professionals, legislators, educators, administrators,
regulators, and employers. The Regents have initiated a comprehensive
strategy to address the existing shortage in the State's nursing workforce
(estimated to be 17,000 nurses by 2005 and to rise thereafter). The State's
residents rely on these professionals for their health and safety.
The Board of Regents has also begun to discuss and identify strategies for
shortages of other professionals, such as pharmacists, engineers, and
librarians. This has been the subject of the Regents legislative forums and
the impetus for manpower surveys in nursing and pharmacy. Initiatives such as
those outlined under "Maximizing Success for all Higher Education Students"
and "Smooth Student Transition from PreK-12 to Higher Education" will help
address shortages by increasing the number and diversity of students
attracted to professional education.
The Nursing Shortage
A recent national survey found over 2.6 million registered nurses (RNs),
nationwide, a 5.4 percent increase since 1996. This was the lowest increase
reported since these surveys were first conducted. Just over 2.2 million RNs
work in nursing; about 1.5 million (71 percent) practice full time. This
year, the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses projects that 2.6
million full-time practicing RNs will be needed nationally by 2005. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for RNs will grow faster
than the average for all occupations through 2008. In New York State, with
238,192 RNs and 66,746 licensed practical nurses (LPNs) registered to
practice in April 2004, the trend is similar. The number of registered LPNs
grew by six percent between 1997 and 1999 (to 74,198), then declined by ten
percent by 2004. The number of registered RNs grew by 6.3 percent between
1997 and 2004 (to 238,192).
Chart 18
| A growing shortfall in a critical
area |
 |
As Chart 18 indicates, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration has projected a growing shortage in registered nurses in New York State through 2020.
Demand for Pharmacists
A National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation pharmacist
employment survey found 5,499 vacant chain pharmacy positions, nationwide, as
of January 2003. It estimated that retail pharmacies expected to fill four
billion prescriptions by 2006, up from three billion in 2001.
A new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health
Resources and Services Administration, "The Pharmacist Workforce: A Study of
the Supply and Demand for Pharmacists," estimates that the demand for
pharmacists is increasing sharply. The report found that unfilled full- and
part-time drug store pharmacist positions across the United States rose from
about 2,700 vacancies in February 1998 to nearly 7,000 by February 2000. It
estimates that the number will grow. The report estimates that there are
196,000 licensed pharmacists in the United States. It expects the number of
active pharmacists to grow by only 28,500 over the coming decade, 800 less
than the 29,300 growth over the past decade. Pharmacy school applications also
fell, nationwide, with the number of 1999 applicants 33 percent lower than the
number in 1994 (the high point of the last decade).
The cause of an anticipated shortage of practitioners is widely regarded to
be related to the changing nature of the profession and the increased workload
and other demands on pharmacists. In New York, the number of pharmacists
registered to practice grew by one percent, from 18,851 to 19,036, between
April 1997 and April 2004. The mean age of pharmacists responding to the
Department's 2001 survey was 46. Approximately 25 percent planned to leave the
workforce over the next five years.
The Department continues to collaborate with school districts and the
professional programs in New York's colleges and universities to identify
shortages in both instructional personnel and those professionals who provide
related services to students (i.e., physical therapists, occupational
therapists), and to provide incentives for individuals to enter programs
leading to licensure and/or certification in these areas.
It is also important to increase efforts at encouraging students enrolled
in New York State programs leading to professional licensure to choose to
practice in New York after graduation. Recently, 38 percent of the pharmacy
graduates at the University at Buffalo opted to not practice in New York. This
suggests an opportunity to close the workforce shortage gap by attracting
these qualified candidates to New York professional employment opportunities.
As Chart 19 indicates, for the professions of pharmacist, registered
professional nurse, and licensed practical nurse, there has been very little
or no growth in the number of licenses issued in New York State.
Chart 19
The reasons for professional workforce shortages are complex, as are the
dynamics of change in the professional environment. The Regents believe that
one key element in addressing both challenges is a strong link between higher
education institutions and the needs of the diverse communities served by
these institutions and the professionals they prepare.
The following describes planning elements that the four sectors, the Board
of Regents and the Department will undertake to support the priority for An
Adequate Supply of Qualified Professionals.
Sector Initiatives in Response to Priority for An Adequate Supply of Qualified Professionals
The City University of New York
The CUNY School of Professional Studies will continue to respond to the educational needs of New York City regional workforce demands.
- The University plans to inaugurate new programs (e.g., Graduate School of Journalism, Educational Leadership programs) to meet workforce demands and challenges of the current professions.
- CUNY estimates that its addition of 28 faculty lines in nursing over the last two years may result over time in an increase of 200 to 250 additional nursing graduates per year. Resources permitting, CUNY intends to continue to add capacity to its nursing programs during the period of its master plan.
- CUNY will work closely with other agencies to coordinate University-wide workforce development efforts in health, education, and the human services.
Independent Colleges and Universities
- The independent sector will continue to play a key role in the development of New York's economy and global competitiveness by meeting emerging workforce needs. It also will continue to develop a workforce that can adapt to state-of-the-art technologies, learn new skills on the job, and find solutions as problems emerge in a changing and highly competitive workplace.
- The independent sector will continue to produce citizens who are knowledgeable about and proficient in the global dimensions of their professions and can communicate in foreign cultures. This may be measured by evidence of international issues integrated into programs to provide academic and cultural exposure to the world in which they will study, work, and live.
- The independent sector will also continue to respond to existing shortages in the nursing, pharmaceutical, library science, and other professional workforces. Independent colleges are developing new programs of study in pharmaceutical science, pharmacy management, biomedical technology, clinical trials management, and joint medical-law programs.
- cIcu supports a nursing faculty initiative to increase the number of
academic nurses and reverse the alarming trend of rejecting qualified
nursing applicants.
Proprietary Colleges
- Few proprietary colleges offer programs leading to professional licensure. Exceptions are in court reporting and accounting. One that offers a degree in court reporting is moving strongly into the areas of captioning and communication access real-time translation (CART); another offers a degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing.
State University of New York
- SUNY will continue to develop programs important to New York's future.
Recent program development activity suggests that campuses are sensitive to
that mandate, with new programs in areas such as materials science and
materials engineering, bioinformatics and computational biology, forensic
biology, nursing (accelerated), and cybersecurity. The plan identifies 40 new
professional licensure-qualifying programs tentatively scheduled for
introduction in 2004-2008 in areas that include nursing, dental hygiene,
engineering, social work and accounting.
- SUNY plans to give particular attention to increasing diversity among
graduates in fields corresponding to State needs.
- Consistent with the community college strategic plan goal to ensure
responsiveness to statewide needs, there is ongoing attention being given to
expansion of training opportunities for nurses throughout the State.
Regents Initiatives in Response to Priority for An Adequate Supply of Qualified Professionals
Initiatives Addressing the Supply of Practitioners
Opportunities in Nursing
The Department has established the Empire Promise Nurse Opportunity Corps
through the State Board for Nursing and the Liberty Partnerships Program in
collaboration with the Foundation of the New York State Nurses Association,
six colleges and universities, and area health education centers. It prepares
pupils from groups historically underrepresented in nursing who have just
completed the ninth grade to become world class nurses and perhaps future
nursing faculty dedicated to investing their talents in New York State. It
provides three summer residential "immersion into nursing" experiences on
campuses with a baccalaureate nursing program, followed by support, RN
mentoring, and tutoring in pupils' home communities.
The Department will work to generate additional opportunities for students
to learn about the nursing profession. Members of the State Board for Nursing,
who understand the need to inform students early in their education about the
diverse opportunities that nursing can provide, are developing a nurse
speakers' bureau that will provide a pool of qualified nurses to speak to
student groups about nursing as a career.
Professional Education Opportunities
The majority of Title VIII professions require a baccalaureate or higher
degree for admission to licensure; however, many students find it practical to
begin professional studies at a two-year college. In cooperation with two- and
four-year institutions as well as professional associations, the Department
will seek funding to develop outreach programs aimed at students in associate
degree programs in an effort to streamline their continued education at the
baccalaureate level. Additionally, the coordination of joint programs between
two- and four-year institutions is essential. The Department is able to
facilitate the relationships among secondary schools, colleges and
universities, professional associations, and students to insure that two-year
programs become an important source of professionals in New York.
Attracting and Maintaining a Culturally Diverse Population of Licensed
Professionals
Many of New York's ethnic populations have been underrepresented in many
professional disciplines. As the Department confronts shortages in several
professions, it is important to tap the resources that have not yet been
explored in many of New York's diverse cultures. With the assistance of
professional and cultural associations as well as secondary and higher
education institutions, the Department has engaged in outreach programs aimed
at these underrepresented students. Additionally, in a first step, all
registered professional programs in psychology require all students to take a
course in ethnic and cultural diversity. That requirement will be assessed as
the Department reviews the remaining registered programs leading to licensure.
Recruitment of Librarians
New Century Libraries would invest $2 million to attract and teach new
librarians, including school library media specialists, through recruitment,
training, and retention programs at libraries and graduate schools. This
initiative would generate cooperative training programs and partnerships with
library systems and library schools, support development of a statewide
recruitment program to help increase diversity among New York's professional
librarians, create scholarship programs, and develop statewide and regional
training programs.
The New York State Library's plan, "Making it REAL! Recruitment, Education,
and Learning: A Proposal to Create a New Generation of Librarians to Serve ALL
New Yorkers," will change recruitment and education of librarians and
cultivate a diverse new workforce to serve the needs of diverse groups and
special populations. The Library, partnering with 13 library systems and six
library schools, applied to the U.S. Institute for Museum and Library Services
for a three-year grant of nearly $3 million to implement the plan. The
partners will create model Teaching Libraries and scholarships to recruit and
educate professional librarians. The grant will provide financial support to
48 master's degree students in library and information science. It will build
statewide resources to enhance workforce recruitment, including a career Web
site, an initiative to reach out to diverse populations and raise awareness of
the project, annual meetings of recruits and project participants, and
publication of outcomes.
Nursing Faculty
See Regents Priority C8.
Initiative to Address Continuing Professional Competency
Continuing Professional Education
While mandatory continuing education requirements reach approximately
one-quarter of our licensed professions, all professionals need to be
competent to provide the services they offer. The Department has developed
partnerships with professional associations as well as private sector groups
to ensure that an adequate supply of professional education opportunities is
available. Such opportunities include use of distance learning technology as
well as inclusion of non-traditional learning opportunities such as
mentoring, developing patents, and participation in study groups.
Similarly, the Department will continue to provide key information to
licensed professionals to keep them current, to learn important practice
information, and to prevent instances of misconduct. This information will be
provided on the Web site in various formats, including practice alerts,
practice guidelines, and general practice information regarding scope of
practice, new professions, and other key information.
Indicators of Progress: An Adequate Supply of Qualified Professionals
- Change over time in the number of newly licensed practitioners of key professions.
- Change over time in the number of nursing faculty, pharmacists, and librarians, statewide.
- Change over time in the number of graduates of licensure-qualifying programs and the number choosing to practice in New York State.
- Change over time in the number of higher education institutions, statewide, offering continuing professional education to practitioners of one or more licensed professions.
D. Qualified Professionals for Every Community throughout the State
11. Regents Priority: An Adequate Supply of Qualified
Teachers, School Leaders and Other School Professionals
To provide all pupils with the high-quality education to which
they are entitled, the Regents will work with the State's higher
education institutions and K-12 educational community to meet
the needs of our schools for decades to come by:
- Recruiting, preparing, and retaining an adequate supply of
qualified teachers for all subject matter areas and for all
geographic locations throughout the State; and
- Recruiting, preparing, and retaining outstanding school
leaders.
|
Improving instruction in the PreK-12 schools depends on teachers who have the requisite knowledge and skills to assist all children to meet
or exceed the Regents Learning Standards and on school administrators and other school personnel to serve as effective leaders for the State's schools and districts. Collaboration with the schools to assist in preparing their pupils to enter and succeed in higher education is one of the elements of a highly effective higher education system.
In 2002-03, New York's public schools enrolled 2,823,146 pupils from
kindergarten through high school. By racial/ethnic origin, 54.3 percent were
White; 19.9 percent, Black; 18.9 percent, Hispanic; and 6.8 percent other
minorities. The challenge is to provide an adequate supply of teachers who
reflect and are prepared to teach diverse pupil populations, including the
gifted and talented, non-native speakers, pupils with disabilities, pupils of
all racial/ethnic backgrounds, and pupils from socioeconomic backgrounds
ranging from those eligible for free or reduced-price lunches to those with
family incomes in the highest brackets. To ensure that every pupil in our
richly diverse American mix achieves the knowledge and skills specified in the
Regents Learning Standards, colleges must prepare quality teachers and further
improve collaboration between education faculties and liberal arts faculties.
School districts must identify the instructional needs of their teachers,
prepare professional development plans to meet those needs, and improve
retention of experienced teachers. Effective instructional leaders must guide
our schools and districts.
In 1996, the Regents Task Force on Teaching identified four gaps between the
condition of the educational system and the goal of a system with qualified
teachers for all students:
Gap 1. Recruitment and retention: New York does not attract and keep enough of the best teachers where they are needed most.
Gap 2. Higher education/pre-service: Not enough teachers leave college prepared to ensure that New York's pupils reach higher standards.
Gap 3. Professional development for existing classroom teachers. Not enough teachers maintain the knowledge and skills needed to teach to high standards throughout their careers.
Gap 4. Environment. Many school environments actively work against effective teaching and learning.
This Plan attempts to address these gaps insofar as higher education programs and services may address them.
Demand for Teachers and Leaders
In 2002-03, 217,935 classroom teachers were employed in New York State's
public schools and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). More
than three percent were either not certified for the subjects or levels they
were teaching or held temporary licenses. Of teachers reporting their age, more
than nine percent are at or near retirement age. Statewide, nearly 75 percent
of schools lack a certified library media specialist; 30 percent of elementary
schools upstate, and more than 90 percent in New York City, lack full-time
certified school librarians.
Current and projected shortages of qualified teachers exist in certain
geographic areas of the State and in several instructional fields, including:
- Bilingual education
- mathematics
- career and technical education
- science
- English
- social studies
- languages other than English
- special education
- library media specialist
Table 6 shows the degree of difficulty in recruiting certified teachers reported by school districts seeking such teachers in identified hard-to-fill disciplines.
Table 6:
Difficulty of Recruiting Certified Teachers
Subject
Area |
|
Somewhat Difficult or
Very Difficult |
| Foreign Language |
96.0% |
| Science |
89.7% |
| Mathematics |
89.3% |
| Vocational |
81.3% |
| English as a Second Language |
73.1% |
| Computer Science |
63.7% |
| Music or Art |
52.9% |
| Special Education |
45.3% |
Source: Dana Balter and William Duncombe, Staffing Classrooms: How New York's School Districts Find Their Teachers, Syracuse University, 2004.
With respect to geography, research on the teacher labor market in New
York State (Wyckoff et al., 2003) found that 85 percent of public school
teachers accepted their first teaching positions within 40 miles of their
hometowns. This provides strong evidence of the value for communities and
schools to increase their effort to "grow" their own teachers through such
efforts like Future Teachers of America.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an average of 69,058 openings
for elementary and secondary teachers annually, nationwide, from 2002 to
2012.
Over the coming decade, new school leaders will also be needed to
replace retiring principals and superintendents. New York's public schools
employed 4,108 school principals and 763 school superintendents in
2001-02. Almost 16 percent of the principals and 30 percent of the
superintendents were nearing retirement.
Since the Regents enacted their teaching policy in 1998, the Department
continues to closely monitor the supply and demand of teachers. Over the
past six years, the Regents have responded to shortage issues by enacting
a number of new pathways, including:
- The conditional provisional certificate to allow school districts to more effectively recruit teachers from other states;
- The alternative teacher education program to provide access for "second career teachers" to enter the profession;
- Continuation of the transcript evaluation route which many school districts with teacher shortages rely on to employ new teachers;
- An alternative pathway for licensed speech language pathologists to secure a license as a teacher of speech and language disabilities (a comparable pathway is being developed for licensed bilingual psychologists to become certified bilingual school psychologists); and
- A supplemental certificate allowing a certified teacher to effectively transition to another subject area while completing the academic preparation in that area.
Supply of Teachers and Leaders
As of the fall of 2004, 114 of New York's 268 colleges and universities
prepare school personnel. In 2001-02, the colleges recommended 15,541 new
candidates for certification. In 2002-03, they recommended 16,333
candidates, a 5.1 percent increase over the preceding year. However,
candidates recommended by colleges made up only 69.9 percent of all new
candidates for certification in 2001-02 and 63.4 percent in 2002-03. The
other 30 to 37 percent of the candidates applied directly to the
Department to evaluate their credentials. The regulations authorizing
individual evaluation will sunset in 2007 for childhood education
certification and in 2009 for all other certification areas.
In several fields with teacher shortages, significantly higher
proportions of candidates for certification apply individually to the
Department through the transcript evaluation route to teacher
certification. In 2002-03, 44.9 percent of all new teachers of mathematics
7-12 and 64.1 percent of all new teachers of biology and general science
7-12 had individual evaluations.
To encourage career changers and others to pursue careers in teaching,
in 1999 and 2000 the Regents authorized teacher preparation institutions
to register Alternative Teacher Preparation (ATP) programs. Teacher
preparation institutions offer ATP programs in partnership with local
school districts. After a summer of introductory coursework, candidates
receive Transitional Certificates and are placed in classrooms to teach
under school district mentoring and college supervision. By the end of
their programs, the candidates must meet all requirements for initial
teaching certificates.
Statewide, 19 colleges and universities have registered ATP programs.
Twelve of the 19 are in New York City. The number of ATP candidates
beginning teaching grew from 385 in 2000-01 to 2,833 in 2003-04. Over the
four years, ATP programs have enabled 6,321 candidates to become certified
teachers. Anecdotally, principals have reported high levels of
satisfaction with teachers prepared by ATP programs.
Agreement on the academic requirements of two- and four-year colleges
through articulation agreements will contribute to the smooth transition
of students seeking to become teachers. Registration by two- and four-year
colleges of joint teacher education programs, where appropriate, will
assist students to enter the field without duplicating coursework,
contributing to the size and diversity of the pool of teachers needed to
alleviate shortages. At this time, eight community colleges and five
four-year colleges have registered such programs.
Community colleges, two-year independent and proprietary colleges, and
the SUNY Colleges of Technology are important resources for increasing the
number of teachers prepared to enter classrooms. The sectors
collaboratively addressed the obstacles students face when transferring to
baccalaureate teacher education programs. The collaboration resulted in a
generic template for development of teacher education programs providing a
seamless curriculum leading to certification. Two- and four-year colleges
may use the template to develop A.A. or A.S. teacher education transfer
programs with colleges and universities from the four higher education
sectors and with multiple institutions to give students maximum
flexibility.
A current research study (Wyckoff, et.al.) seeks to determine the
influences on teachers' career choices and paths. It hopes to learn (1)
how attributes of different preparation pathways affect teacher retention
and student recruitment; and (2) how pathways, such as traditional
preparation, alternative preparation, and transcript evaluation, can be
improved to meet New York City's teaching needs. The study runs through
2006; it may lead to recommendations for action by institutions or the
Department.
In the summer of 2005, the National Research Council will
begin a major study of the quality of teacher preparation in the nation.
In response to a request from Congress, the study will look at:
- Entrants to teacher preparation programs, their prior preparation,
and their educational backgrounds;
- The education received by teacher candidates and those who provide
it;
- The extent of consistency between candidates' preparation in reading
and mathematics instruction with the emerging scientific evidence about
such instruction; and
- The data collection systems needed to provide information about the
content knowledge, pedagogical confidence, and effectiveness of the
graduates of both traditional and alternative teacher preparation
programs.
The Department will follow the progress of this research and share its
findings with the higher education community.
The following describes planning elements that the four sectors, the Board of Regents and the Department will undertake to support the priority of An Adequate Supply of Qualified Teachers and School Leaders.
Sector Initiatives in Response to Priority for An Adequate Supply of Qualified Teachers and School Leaders
The City University of New York
Teacher education will continue to be a CUNY flagship program to meet
New York City's needs.
- Continue to allocate cluster lines to hire outstanding faculty in teacher education.
- Expand programs to prepare future educators. CUNY will focus on
expanding the number of educators prepared in shortage areas, including
special education, mathematics, science, Spanish and bilingual education.
New efforts include CUNY's $12.5 million NSF-funded Math/Science
partnership that will increase the supply of math and science teachers and
a Teachers Academy to attract outstanding undergraduates to teaching.
- Implement newly revised certificate programs for school leaders that will strengthen their preparation.
- Continue to collaborate with the New York City Department of Education
on two alternative teacher preparation programs, the New York City
Teaching Fellows and the Teaching Opportunity Program, that bring career
changers and recent college graduates into teaching in New York City,
especially in such shortage areas as mathematics, science, Spanish,
bilingual education, and special education.
- Streamline and strengthen recruitment and articulation into the senior
colleges for students who begin their teacher preparation at the community
college level. Develop new joint programs between community colleges and
senior colleges focused on the preparation of teachers for shortage areas.
- Support and participate in the Pathways to Teaching study, which is
examining the different routes into teaching in New York City. CUNY will
use results of the study to improve teacher education programs throughout
the university.
Independent Colleges and Universities
- The independent sector has 2,583 registered traditional teacher
education programs at 85 institutions across the State; 11 of them also
offer 101 Alternative Teacher Preparation programs, both downstate and
upstate.
- Independent colleges and universities have strong articulation
agreements with two- and four-year institutions, outlining academic
requirements necessary to assure programmatic transition in teacher
education.
- New York's emphasis on strengthened liberal arts integration in
teacher preparation programs has a strong effect on articulation
agreements in the independent sector.
- The independent sector will continue to develop and enhance its
working partnerships with local school districts to recruit teacher
candidates and to provide authentic and challenging field experiences for
prospective teachers.
- The independent sector offers professional development seminars and
workshops for New York's teacher and administrative corps, including
paraprofessionals.
- The independent sector will continue to develop innovative academic
programs to prepare school librarians and media specialists, particularly
in the schools operating in New York City.
- Independent sector institutions with teacher education programs will
continue to work with the State Education Department and the New York City
Department of Education to develop avenues to provide an adequate supply
of teachers to New York City schools and will continue efforts to address
teacher shortages in hard-to-staff disciplines around the State.
- The independent sector's goals reach beyond developing an adequate
supply of qualified teachers to contributing to build a new culture - one
that values educators - through the continued commitment of time and
resources to quality teacher education programs around the State.
Proprietary Colleges
- Only two proprietary institutions offer programs leading to teacher
certification; a third is considering a move in that direction within the
period of this Plan.
State University of New York
SUNY will continue to implement A New Vision in Teacher Education, its
action agenda for the enhancement of the University's teacher preparation
programs. A New Vision set the following goals:
- to improve the preparation of new teachers, in part by establishing
new, more rigorous content standards and requirements for clinical
preparation;
- to address New York State's needs for K-12 schools; and
- to assure continuing excellence and improvement of teacher
preparation.
New Vision has:
- fostered development of a universal transfer template in teacher
education that has been adopted by 33 associate degree campuses and 12
baccalaureate campuses;
- resulted in the establishment of SUNY's Urban Teacher Education Center
in New York City; and
- supported a number of campus developments, including the Alternative
Teacher Preparation program at Empire State College.
The initiatives
which began through New Vision will continue. In addition, many of the
initiatives proposed under Plans for Strengthening the Quality and
Reputation of Academic Programs apply to teacher education programs
equally with other programs of study. The master plan lists 46 new
programs leading to certification of classroom teachers, school leaders,
or pupil personnel service providers, including 19 programs leading to
certification of mathematics and science teachers, which SUNY plans to
introduce at 10 campuses between 2004 and 2008. The Department has already
registered 44 of the programs.
- SUNY will also be considering the recommendations of the Provost's
Mathematics Education Task Force for improving the preparation of teachers
and the teachers of mathematics in the K-12 schools.
Regents Initiatives in Response to Priority for An Adequate Supply of Qualified Teachers and School Leaders
Initiatives Addressing the Supply of Teachers and Leaders
Increasing the Supply of Teachers
in Subject Areas of Shortage
Increasing the Supply of Teachers in Subject Areas of Shortage. The
Regents urge all institutions that prepare teachers to give the highest
priority to expanding the number of well-prepared graduates of programs
leading to certification in bilingual education, mathematics, the sciences,
and special education.
Articulated Teacher Education Programs
between Two- and Four-Year Institutions
Articulated Teacher Education Programs between Two- and Four-Year
Institutions. The Regents encourage two- and four-year colleges and
universities to embrace cooperative teacher education programs to eliminate
duplication and ease student transfer, especially in the certification
fields in which there are shortages of qualified teachers. They anticipate
that these programs will provide earlier access to the teacher education
pipeline for two-year college students. With an increased number of such
programs, the higher education system will maximize its use of resources
and increase the pool of qualified teachers.
Alternative Teacher Preparation (ATP) Programs
During the period of this Plan, the Department will continue to support
and evaluate existing ATP programs and seek to encourage the development of
additional programs as sources of well-prepared teachers.
"Teacher" tied with "physician" as the top career choice of youths aged
13 to 17, nationwide, in the spring 2005 Gallup Youth Survey. To further
encourage an increase in the number of persons interested in teaching
careers, the Department will encourage establishment or revitalization of
Future Teachers of America chapters at high schools in the State, encourage
colleges to support their activities, and seek financial support for their
efforts to increase the number of potential teacher education candidates.
Future Teachers of America
To help increase the number of persons interested in teaching careers, the Department will encourage establishment or revitalization of Future Teachers of America chapters at high schools in the State, encourage colleges to support their activities, and seek financial support for their efforts to increase the number of potential teacher education candidates.
Teachers of Tomorrow
To increase teacher retention and effectiveness, the Department will
seek to expand the Teachers of Tomorrow program to fund hard-to-staff
school districts that develop partnerships with teacher preparation
institutions to:
- recruit, prepare, support, and retain teachers through alternative programs;
- allow participation by paraprofessionals and candidates with Transitional-B certificates; and
- encourage entry-level teacher support programs.
Teacher Opportunity Corps
The Teacher Opportunity Corps (TOC) enhances the preparation of teachers
to address at-risk pupils' learning needs. It also encourages persons from
historically underrepresented groups to enter teaching. Since its inception
in 1987, 1,972 TOC participants have graduated from the cooperating
institutions' teacher preparation programs. The Department plans to
increase the number of students served annually to 1,900 by 2008 in order
to increase the number of students from such groups earning baccalaureate
and master's degrees and becoming teachers. Last year, the program served
477 teacher candidates.
Special Education Shortage Areas in New York City
The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is experiencing an
ongoing shortage of licensed professionals and certified teachers to meet
the needs of pupils with disabilities, especially bilingual children. To
help address this problem, the Department is creating an ongoing information
network with the teacher preparation institutions, and the NYCDOE. The
objectives are:
- to share regularly the number of certified and/or licensed personnel produced quarterly for the purpose of:
- direct recruiting from NYCDOE to newly certified/licensed personnel; and
- assisting colleges and the State to gauge the supply and demand for personnel in these shortage areas.
- to create timely information on the number of candidates enrolled in each of these programs. This pipeline data will be provided to NYCDOE so it can target campuses for recruitment where needed personnel are being prepared. These data will be critical to the recruiting efforts of the NYCDOE. This information will also allow the City and the State to better target financial resources to support the preparation of personnel in areas that are lagging.
Bilingual Higher Education Support Center
The Center, at the State University College at Buffalo, assists colleges
and universities to establish and improve training programs in the bilingual
special education shortage areas. It provides technical assistance to
institutions seeking to establish or update programs leading to
certification in bilingual special education, bilingual school psychology,
bilingual speech services, and English as a Second Language. It surveys
institutions annually to establish program enrollment and capacity figures
to inform the Department on future training needs.
Bilingual Special Education -- Intensive Teacher Institute (BSE-ITI)
BSE-ITI is funded at Eastern Suffolk BOCES to coordinate VESID's tuition
assistance to candidates in bilingual special education categories. The
program provides tuition assistance to colleges and universities for
candidates employed under modified temporary licenses and limited
certificate categories working in bilingual special education and related
service areas. Candidates nominated by school districts to join the BSE-ITI
pursue a registered program leading to certification in the bilingual
special education and related service categories.
Speech-Language Pathology Upstate Consortium
The Consortium is designed to address the critical need for
speech-language pathologists through a series of training and recruitment
activities. In its first phase, the project includes all institutions
outside the NYC/Long Island/Westchester areas with programs leading to
licensure in speech-language pathology and certification as a teacher of
speech language disabilities. The project, which is expected to be funded
later this year, will be managed by the State University College at Buffalo;
its second phase will be expanded to institutions with similar programs
downstate.
Intensive Teacher Institute (ITI) for Teachers of the Blind/Visually
Impaired
ITI provides tuition assistance to eligible students at designated higher
education institutions, culminating in the issuance of either an initial or
a professional certificate as a teacher of the blind/visually impaired
within three semesters or the equivalent. An Orientation and Mobility
Specialist program, which qualifies participants for national certification,
was included under the ITI program in 2002.
Other Initiatives to Improve the Supply of Teachers and Leaders
Accreditation of Teacher Preparation Programs
During the period of this Plan, the Department will:
- conclude the initial round of accreditation peer review site visits through the Regents Accreditation of Teacher Education (RATE) and begin the second cycle of visits;
- continue to participate in accreditation visits made by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC); and
- develop RATE standards for accreditation of school leadership programs and begin the accreditation review of such programs at RATE institutions.
Cooperation between
Teacher Education Institutions and Public Schools
Over the past four years, cooperation between colleges that prepare
teachers and the districts that hire them has undergone a major improvement
with the development of collaborative projects and professional development
schools as a result of more rigorous Regents standards for teacher preparation
programs. The Regents urge the colleges and districts to continue to increase
this collaboration in order to improve the preparation of teachers even
further.
Promoting the Infusion of Technology
into Teacher Preparation Programs
The Department will promote teacher education programs' awareness and
implementation of the tools and information developed through New York State's
"Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology" (PT3) Catalyst Grant, funded
by the U.S. Department of Education. Best practices and technical assistance
developed through this catalyst grant, including standards, promising
practices, literature reviews, related links and resources, and tools to
analyze and promote an institution's incorporation of technology into teaching
and learning, are available on the Web at
www.pt3ny.org.
Video on Demand
gives students and teachers access to over 20,000 video
clips through the Internet. Video clips are aligned to the State Learning
Standards and accompanied by print materials, including teacher guides and
student worksheets. Video on Demand is a valuable tool for teacher candidates
as they learn to create lesson plans aligned to the Learning Standards.
Meeting Teachers' Professional Development Needs
The Regents urge colleges and universities that prepare school personnel to
reach out to address the needs of teachers for professional development and
renewal.
Higher Education Support Center for Systems Change
The Center was established at Syracuse University to develop and sustain
high quality inclusive teacher preparation programs and engage in and support
professional development efforts of selected schools throughout the State.
Initiatives promote inclusive education in high need schools and prepare
future teachers as inclusive educators. The Center has:
- created a statewide network of teacher preparation programs committed to Inclusive Education
- garnered written commitments from education deans and chairs at nearly 70
higher education institutional members of the Task Force on Quality Inclusive
Schooling to plan and implement quality inclusive teacher preparation
programs, or to enhance the quality of those already implemented, and to
engage in and support the professional development efforts of selected high
need schools;
- created and maintained opportunities for Task Force members to enhance and advance their own professional development.
- served as an avenue for communicating issues between the Department and higher education institutions.
Indicators of Progress: An Adequate Supply of Qualified Teachers and School Leaders
- Numbers of teachers and school leaders certified, by certification area, gender, race/ethnicity, and geographic location, compared to the demand.
- Retention in the schools of graduates of current teacher and school leader preparation programs.
- Evidence of the classroom effectiveness of graduates of current teacher preparation programs as found in RATE, NCATE, and TEAC accreditation site visit final reports.
- Other pertinent findings of final reports of accreditation visits to programs preparing teachers and school leaders.
- Changes over time in pass rates on teacher certification exams, statewide.
- Changes over time in the number, statewide, of joint programs between two- and four-year institutions leading to certification.
- Changes over time in the number, statewide, of two- and four-year programs articulated under the teacher education articulation template.
- Certification rates of graduates of articulated two- and four-year teacher education template programs, statewide.
- Change over time in the graduation rates of alternative teacher preparation program students, statewide.
- Provision of information about careers in school service to elementary and secondary pupils and their families.
