Dive Brief:
- Citing a continuing pattern of executive overreach, Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) is seeking to repeal guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on teacher training at colleges and universities through the Congressional Review Act.
- Conservative lawmakers say the rule broadly forces colleges and universities to adopt standards of teacher training which may not fit all districts and regions, and places too much evaluation emphasis on student performance.
- Critics call the maneuver a partisan effort to block reform in teacher preparation and accountability for colleges.
Dive Insight:
While college leaders will have to engage lawmakers on regulations that will swiftly change the course of their operations and metrics of success, they should always be prepared to make the public aware of what these changes will mean for their students and partners. Changes to teacher training can reshape an entire framework on student mentoring, the resources necessary for evaluation of first-year teachers and school-wide performance, and public investment in schools.
College leaders should be eager to present the details on immediate and long-range impact of federal rules, not to cultivate public opinion on what should or should not happen, but to inform key publics on issues which impact workforce and educational attainment.