With the goal of improving student learning, TPI-US reviews teacher preparation programs to determine how the programs can expand their promising practices and address areas of improvement.

HOW WE DO IT

Each inspection includes a team trained by TPI-US. Teams observe program coursework, review data, and interview a broad cross-section of stakeholders including faculty, recent graduates, teacher candidates, school principals and district officials, and classroom mentor teachers. Inspection teams also observe candidates teaching to understand how well they are able to apply what they’ve learned in the program. A key feature of all observations is the impact of teaching on student learning during the observed lesson.

Transparency is a hallmark of the inspection process: program faculty and staff sit in on every inspection team discussion of evidence, with the chance to clarify or add to initial findings. On the final day onsite, the team lead summarizes findings about program strengths and areas for improvement, and discusses evidence behind each judgment. A written report to the program mirrors this discussion.

Leaders report benefitting from TPI-US’s objective feedback and actionable recommendations, leveraging the feedback as a catalyst for change that ushers in the next stage of continuous improvement and ongoing program self-assessment.