**U.S. Department of Education**

**Teacher Preparation Issues Negotiating Committee**

**Meeting Summary**

**January 18 - 20, 2012**

**Welcome**

Dr. Eduardo Ochoa, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, welcomed the members of the Teacher Preparation Issues Negotiating Committee and thanked them for agreeing to assist the Department in developing proposed regulations on teacher preparation. 

**Introductions**

All members who were present introduced themselves. 

**Overview of the Negotiated Rulemaking Process**

The facilitators provided an overview of the negotiated rulemaking process. They explained that the committee’s discussions would focus on developing consensus regulatory text for the Department’s proposed rule on teacher preparation. 

**Review and Adopt Minutes**

This was the initial meeting of this negotiating committee, so there were no minutes from a previous meeting. 

# Organizational Protocols and Membership 

The members discussed the draft Organizational Protocols, suggested some revisions for clarity, and approved the revised protocols.  The membership of the committee was presented.  The following Primary and Alternate negotiators were proposed and accepted.

**Constituency PrimaryAlternate**

Alternates for the principals in the following three areas were nominated and approved by the committee:

HBCU’s –  VerJanis Peoples, Dean of Education, Southern University of LA

Two year public institutions –   Ray Ostos, Director, National Center for Teaching Education

Maricopa Community College

Elementary and Secondary Students and Parents -   Charmaine Mercer, Director of Policy and Research, Communities for Teaching Excellence

**Review Negotiating Agenda of Issues**

The committee reviewed and discussed the list of agenda items.  The Agenda of Issues was accepted (see below). 

**Workshop-Style Review of Issues**

Negotiators participated in discussions on each item of the Agenda of Issues listed below.  The negotiators approved these issues as the agenda for the negotiated rulemaking.

Issue 1 – Recommendations regarding current institution of higher education, teacher preparation program, and State reporting requirements on teacher education program quality

Issue 2 - Recommendations for supplemental State reporting on teacher education program quality that would either replace or augment current reporting requirements

Issue 3 - Criteria used by States to assess the performance of teacher preparation programs

Issue 4 - Standards for State identification of low-performing or at-risk teacher preparation programs

Issue 5 - Termination of eligibility of teacher preparation programs to enroll students receiving Title IV student assistance in cases where the State has withdrawn its approval or terminated its financial support based on the program’s poor performance

Issue 6 - Definition of “high quality teacher preparation program”

Issue 7 - Service and repayment obligations for the TEACH Grant Program: Teaching service performed for an Educational Service Agency

Issue 8 - Teaching in a high-need field to fulfill the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve

Issue 9 - Eligibility for a new TEACH Grant after receiving a discharge of the TEACH Grant agreement to serve based on total and permanent disability

Issue 10 - Discharge of the TEACH Grant agreement to serve based on the total and permanent disability of a TEACH Grant recipient

# Public Comment

# Several opportunities were provided for the public to provide comment.  One public comment was received  at the end of the first day of the meeting and one at the end of the third day.

# Logistics

# The second session of the Teacher Preparation Negotiating Committee is scheduled for Monday through Wednesday, February 27-29, 2012, with the following schedule:

# Monday, February 27, 2012, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

# Tuesday, February 28, 2012, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

# Wednesday, February 29, 2012, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

# The session will be held at the U.S. Department of Education in the 8th Floor Conference Center located at 1990 K Street, N.W. in Washington, D.C.

**Next Steps**

The non-federal negotiators agreed to provide the Department with suggestions on Issues 1, 2, and 6 before the next meeting.  Jim Cibulka, primary representative for Accrediting Agencies, agreed to coordinate the collection of comments.  Prior to the next meeting, the Department will provide the agenda for the second meeting and draft regulatory text to the committee that reflects the workshop discussions of the first session.  The facilitators will distribute the approved Contact List and Draft Meeting Summary of the first meeting.

**Draft – 2/17/2012**

5