Teacher Warranties- Are They Worthwhile ?

Did your teaching degree come with a warranty? You may not know if it did but some universities particularly in Louisiana and Tennessee have been working on such programs with local school districts.  The central concern that led to this idea centers on the issue of teacher preparation. Since student performance in schools around the United States is lower than that of peer groups in other countries, colleges of education have been challenged to assess their teacher preparation programs to see if there are flaws in the way college students are prepared to become teachers. One of the central themes is the importance in content knowledge vs. the importance of pedagogical theory.

The Essential Components of a Teacher Warranty.

The primary focus of a teacher warranty program is an assurance on the part of a university that a graduate has met the requirement to become a certified teacher, completed a rigorous teacher preparation program and is a competent teacher- a finished product if you were- ready to assume duties as a successful classroom educator.  The college further “certifies” that the graduate meets the requirements for state licensure, has a satisfactory mastery of the subject matter, is competent in the use of current technology, and provides ongoing support of some kind after graduation. If there is some “defect” in the performance of the teacher, then intervention is provided at no cost to the school district. This intervention can include mentoring or requiring the teacher to take additional course work.

It should be noted that all of the responsibility does not fall solely on the shoulders of the college. The school district must also agree to meet certain specific criteria. These criteria include using an approved rubric for teacher evaluation, assigning the teacher to only teach classes that he or she is certified in and to make assurances that the teacher will not be exposed to excessive class sizes, or be assigned extensive or unusual duties not assigned to the rest of the staff.

The length of the warranty varies from place to place. In most instances the term includes the year directly following graduation plus an additional one to two years. In some places where such program are being implemented, teachers unions have also been asked to be involved and the participating universities are encouraged to visit the schools and be involved in the planning process.

Due to the lack of statistical information, the jury is still out on these projects and it is too early to ascertain if this is the wave of the future. However the concept of a university providing adequate training for a teacher to be successful and competent in the classroom is a valid and critical piece in the ultimate strategy to have a positive impact on student success in in the classroom and in life.