Beyond “best practices”: Centering equity in teacher preparation evaluation

Over the last decade, there have been multiple recommendations for evaluating, assessing, or holding teacher preparation accountable. This article analyzes recent policy proposals regarding “best practices evaluating programs” by critiquing 19 major reports explicitly focused on evaluation. The analysis revealed that reports’ primary goal was identifying preferred evaluation metrics using rigorous criteria accuracy and utility. majority of did not position equity as a central actually said little about explicitly, although some assumed by-product systems. Building previous efforts to focus in education, advocates an equity-centered approach acknowledges long-standing inequities educational opportunity attainment United States. Rejecting idea practices,” which are definition decontextualized inattentive local contexts, offers 11 guiding principles researchers, policymakers, practitioners, make strong center These include: making explicit during entire process working at systems/structural level; utilizing assessment models tools equity; including all stakeholders, especially those from minoritized communities served programs, decisions criteria; and, supporting internal professional accountability.