UH College of Education Teacher Preparation Programs Nationally Ranked

National Council on Teacher Quality Recognizes Three UH Programs

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), an organization that strives to increase the number of effective teachers through advocacy of teacher policy reforms, has ranked three University of Houston College of Education programs in the top 25 of the nation’s best teacher preparation programs. 

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The NCTQ Teacher Prep Review 2014 evaluated the quality of 2,400 teacher preparation programs in the nation in such categories as evidence of effectiveness, selection criteria and outcomes. 

The UH College of Education standings are:

  • No. 7-Undergraduate Elementary Teacher Prep Program: UH Bachelor of Science in Teaching and Learning
  • No. 22-Graduate Elementary Teacher Prep Program: UH Master of Education with Elementary Education Certification
  • No. 23-Undergraduate Secondary Teacher Prep Program: UH Bachelor of Arts in History with Secondary Education Certification

“This national recognition is a tribute to our teacher-education faculty and their efforts to prepare the highest caliber teachers for Houston’s public schools,” said Dean Robert McPherson. “Effective teaching is demanding and complex work, requiring not only content knowledge, but skills in assessing and differentiating instruction for an ever-increasing diverse classroom of, often times, academically challenged learners. We are proud that our graduating teachers are in high demand.”

This is the second edition of the NCTQ report on teacher prep programs. 

Currently, there are more than 1,500 UH College of Education students preparing to become teachers. The college’s four-semester field experience plan includes approximately 1,200 field hours and a full year of student teaching. In order to successfully complete the program, teacher candidates must demonstrate through evidence that the children they instruct are learning. The college has a 95 percent graduate certification pass rate.  

“We are located in the most diverse region in the nation. More than a million children are served in the Gulf Coast region alone. They will be expected to achieve higher standards to meet the high-tech demands of the future,” McPherson said. “Our graduates make the crucial difference in their communities. We’re proud to help them achieve this mission. Together, we’re changing the world.”

The NCTQ rankings also listed the college’s undergraduate elementary and secondary programs No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, on their list of top ranked “Bargain Teacher Preparation Programs.”

These rankings complement other national honors, including recognition from U.S. News & World Report, which ranked the college third for graduate online programs.

 For more information on the UH College of Education, visit http://www.coe.uh.edu/.