The Albany State University College of Education members attended the “Transforming Educator Preparation” conference in Atlanta on Sept. 2 - 4 to discuss the state’s newly adopted Common Core standards for K-12 education and its effect on stakeholders.  

The new standards call for revisions in how K-12 students, teachers, teacher candidates and educator preparation programs are evaluated. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission organized the conference about the new policies. 

ASU representatives and their P-12 partners in the Dougherty, Terrell, and Sumter county school systems identified critical knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to produce future educators who are ready to teach after college. Funding from the GaPSC will assist the ASU Educator Preparation Program Stakeholder Advisory Collaborative to implement its action plan to further prepare students. 

“While ASU’s EPP and its P-12 partners currently collaborate to prepare teachers and other school professionals, the depth and focus of the activities and procedures proposed by the ASU EPP Stakeholder Advisory Collaborative will significantly impact the development of pre-service educators,” said Dr. Kimberly Suress Gaiters-Fields, ASU College of Education dean. “This development will ultimately enhance the educational achievement of P-12 students.”

The conference presented a broad array of opportunities to learn how the new policies will affect teacher preparation programs. 

A common theme discussed in several workshops was leveraging the skills of all stakeholders and the significance of developing partnerships with local school systems.  One primary ASU partner is the Dougherty County School system where Dr. Ufot Inyang serves as associate superintendent for academic services.

“Given the fact that many of the teacher candidates from Albany State University end up as teachers in the Dougherty County School System, and given the singular, defining role of the teacher toward student achievement and success,” said Inyang. “This collaboration allows both entities to work cooperatively to elevate and strengthen the educator preparation program at ASU, not only for our mutual benefit, but for the benefit of the children we serve.”

For more information, contact the ASU Office of University Communications at (229) 430-4671.