The highly anticipated, just released Greatness by Design: California's Task Force of Educator Excellence Report, commissioned by State Superintendent of Education Tom Torlikson, names UC Santa Barbara's Teacher Education Program as one of "California's assets." (The full 96-page report is available here [pdf].)
"A number of California's traditional and alternative teacher education programs – ranging from Cal State campuses at Long Beach and Chico to internships in Elk Grove and New Haven to UC programs at Berkeley, Santa Barbara and UCLA to private colleges like Mills and Stanford – have been documented in national research as highly successful models for preparing teachers," the report states. "These and other California programs have led the nation in developing strategies for preparing teachers for English learners, preparing teachers to succeed in urban schools, and creating clinical training in professional development schools that others have emulated."
Tine Sloan, Director of UCSB's Teacher Education Program (TEP), claimed the report "will guide preparation and state policies for some time to come," insisting, "Imagine where else TEP can soar if people in this state take this report seriously, and we see more financial support for candidates, and our populace understands that quality preparation is essential and that the state should accept nothing less."
Both UCSB's Teacher Education Program and its School Psychology program received full re-accreditation with notable accolades included in the official report after their 2011 California Commission on Teacher Credentialing review. TEP offers a rigorous, 13-month, post-graduate M.Ed.+Credential program (an academic year with 2 summers). It is one of the highest quality programs in the nation, with state-of-the art practice grounded in partner schools, a focus on teaching to reach ALL learners, and teacher educators with established records of success. TEP works with one cohort of teacher candidates per year and keeps the program small to ensure individualized attention for each teacher candidate (approximately 100 candidates). Course- and field-work is concurrent, which means candidates spend the entire academic year in schools, developing their practice with daily guidance, then extending their learning in afternoon/evening courses. This allows for a more streamlined, purposeful integration of university and fieldwork, which drives our faculty to collaborate across all aspects of teacher preparation. TEP strives for a community of learners where everyone – teacher candidates, teacher educators, and K-12 teachers – are working together to meet the needs of our new, our diverse, and our very different generation of learners.
TEP offers a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential for elementary school teachers; a Single Subject Teaching Credential for junior high or high school teachers in: English, Math, Social Science, World Language (French, German, Latin, and Spanish), and Science (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Physics); and, an Education Specialist Moderate/Severe Teaching Credential for special education teachers.