The CEEDAR Center works with states, universities, and education agencies. We like to say that we provide “Opportunities to Learn for Teachers and Leaders.” We are a national technical assistance center dedicated to supporting states in their efforts to develop teachers and leaders who can successfully prepare students with disabilities to achieve college and career-ready standards.
Resource Overview
With research suggesting that effective teachers are the most important influence on student educational attainment in schools, public policy discourse has increasingly emphasized how to improve educator effectiveness (Aaronson, Barrow, & Sander, 2003; Clotfelter, Ladd, & Vigdor, 2007; Council of Chief State School Officers [CCSSO], 2012; Rivkin, Hanushek, & Kain, 1998; U.S. Department of Education, 2012). Policy work and debate have primarily focused on content standards, professional development (PD), teacher evaluation, standards for licensure, and teacher preparation. Although these elements of the educational context and labor market can be leverage points for increasing teacher effectiveness, teacher preparation as a proactive intervention that is the source of many new educators each year has a unique appeal. About 150,000 new teachers are hired annually, representing about 4.6% of the teacher workforce (Feistritzer, 2011).
