Linking teacher education to redesigned systems of accountability: A call for multiple measures in pre-service teacher effectiveness

Abstract

In this written commentary for the special issue of Education Policy Analysis Archives focused on “Redesigning Assessment and Accountability,” we call for teacher preparation to embrace a multiple measures philosophy by providing teacher candidates with rich opportunities to engage with data from a variety of sources, beyond teacher test scores and principal evaluations. We apply and extend Bae’s (2018) argument to teacher preparation policies, urging teacher educators to develop programs that promote continuous improvement. We argue that teacher education can and should prepare candidates to engage in multiple measure systems, critically evaluate data and sense make to construct meaning, reflect on and improve their practice to meet the needs of all students, and ultimately advocate for next-generation accountability systems that authentically foreground and prioritize continuous improvement.