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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 405 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 405

Calling on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation to 
   modify its accreditation standards to prevent the standards from 
    negatively impacting Alaska Native and American Indian teacher 
                              candidates.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 2015

Mr. Young of Alaska (for himself and Mr. Takai) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
                               Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Calling on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation to 
   modify its accreditation standards to prevent the standards from 
    negatively impacting Alaska Native and American Indian teacher 
                              candidates.

Whereas Alaska Natives and American Indians are underrepresented in the 
        profession of teaching;
Whereas Alaska Native and American Indian students benefit academically from the 
        cultural perspectives of Alaska Native and American Indian teachers;
Whereas Alaska Native and American Indian teachers often serve as positive role 
        models for Alaska Native and American Indian students;
Whereas increasing the number of Alaska Native and American Indian teachers 
        working in native communities empowers tribes, benefits native youth, 
        and strengthens tribal self-sufficiency;
Whereas the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation is the sole 
        accrediting body for educator preparation programs at institutions in 
        the United States;
Whereas the Council approved new accreditation standards in 2013 and plans for 
        the standards to be fully implemented by 2016;
Whereas the Council's 2013 accreditation standards require that institutions, 
        when accepting candidates to their schools of education, ensure that the 
        group average performance on assessments such as the ACT and SAT is--

    (1) in the top 50 percent from 2016-2017;

    (2) in the top 40 percent of the distribution from 2018-2019; and

    (3) in the top 33 percent of the distribution by 2020;

Whereas because of social and economic barriers, the average ACT and SAT scores 
        of Alaska Natives and American Indians are disproportionately lower than 
        other categories of students;
Whereas Alaska Native and American Indian students have disproportionately 
        inadequate access to exam preparation opportunities and 21st century 
        technology and are less likely to take the ACT or SAT than other 
        categories of students;
Whereas no definitive research or data has shown that performance on the SAT or 
        ACT is an effective indicator of a prospective student's likelihood of 
        success in an educator preparation program or as a teacher;
Whereas the Council's 2013 accreditation standards will force institutions to 
        accept fewer Alaska Native and American Indian students in order to 
        retain their accreditation, resulting in continued low representation of 
        Alaska Natives and American Indians serving as teachers;
Whereas the Federal Government has a trust responsibility to support the 
        education of Alaska Natives and American Indians; and
Whereas the Council should recognize the negative impact of its standards on 
        Alaska Native and American Indian teacher candidates: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives calls on the Council 
for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation to--
            (1) consult with tribes and native organizations;
            (2) jointly develop changes to its accreditation standards 
        to ensure that Alaska Native and American Indian teacher 
        candidates will not be negatively impacted by such standards; 
        and
            (3) adopt changes to its accreditation standards 
        expeditiously.
                                 <all>
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