Teacher preparation has always been a hot topic. Consider the National Council for Teacher Quality report in 2013 that labeled U.S. college and university teacher education “an industry of mediocrity” and the fallout that followed. Media criticized teacher training and education experts criticized the study and its methods, while looking forward to suggest solutions that would better prepare educators for the classroom.

These topics and more will be discussed in a unique two-hour event to be held on July 18 from 3–5 pm at the International Literacy Association 2015 Conference. Titled “Cultivating Literacy Achievement Through Quality Teacher Preparation, ” the session will convene voices from all perspectives of teacher prep, including educators, researchers, and representatives of national professional organizations, to collectively examine how we can better prepare our teachers to drive student literacy achievement.

The event will kick off with three brief keynotes by representatives from teacher prep task forces convened by ILA. The keynotes will address quality indicators for successful programs, considerations for developing standards, and the landscape of current state-level standards for teacher preparation for literacy instruction. Speakers include William H. Teale, professor at University of Illinois at Chicago and director of the UIC Center for Literacy; Rita M. Bean, Professor Emerita from the University of Pittsburgh; and Deanna Birdyshaw, lecturer from the University of Michigan, all of whom are teacher educators.

Following the keynotes, Jennifer Bock, Education Reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, will moderate a forward-thinking panel featuring Linda McKee, senior director of Performance Measurement and Assessment Policy, The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; Christopher Koch, interim president, The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation; Bryan M. Joffe, director, Education and Youth Development, The School Superintendents Association; Laurie Calvert, Teacher Liaison, U.S. Department of Education; and Louann Reid, professor and department chair, Department of English, Colorado State University .

“There is no question that quality teacher preparation is central to student literacy achievement,” says Dan Mangan, ILA’s Director of Public Affairs. “As an organization, we have an important role to play in creating a platform where research and dialogue can come together to objectively move forward the teacher preparation discussion.”

The session aims to address the following questions:

• Are consistent professional standards necessary? What should those standards be?
• What is missing (or needs to be strengthened) in the curriculum of teacher preparation programs for literacy instruction?
• What policy changes are needed?
• Should certification and preparation be more closely linked? 
• How can we create consistent quality across all programs?
• How can we scale successful approaches?

The ILA 2015 Conference will be held July 18–20 in St. Louis, MO, with more than 6,000 educators ready to transform their practice. Key topics affecting literacy featured at the conference include content literacy, children’s literature, classroom engagement, and professional development. In addition to conference favorites, including a revamped Teaching Edge series and these Putting Books to Work panels, more than 120 exhibitors will be on hand with new tools and technologies for all manners of literacy education.

Learn more about the conference programs at ilaconference.org. Register today for the ILA 2015 Conference to take advantage of special Early Bird pricing, now extended to July 7.