III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 301 

Calling on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation to 

modify the accreditation standards of the Council to prevent the standards from negatively impacting Alaska Native and Native American 

teacher candidates. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 30, 2015 

Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Mr. SULLIVAN, and Mr. SCHATZ) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, 

Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator 

Preparation to modify the accreditation standards of the 

Council to prevent the standards from negatively impacting Alaska Native and Native American teacher candidates. 

Whereas Alaska Natives and Native Americans are underrepresented in the profession of teaching; 

Whereas Alaska Native and Native American students benefit 

academically from the cultural perspectives of Alaska Native and Native American teachers; 

Whereas Alaska Native and Native American teachers often 

serve as positive role models for Alaska Native and Native American students; 


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•SRES 301 IS 

Whereas increasing the number of Alaska Native and Native 

American teachers working in native communities empowers tribes, benefits native youth, and strengthens tribal self-sufficiency; 

Whereas the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘Council’’) is 

the sole accrediting body for educator preparation programs at institutions of higher education in the United 

States; 

Whereas the Council approved new accreditation standards in 

2013 and plans for the standards to be fully implemented 

by 2020; 

Whereas the 2013 accreditation standards of the Council require that institutions of higher education, 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, academic, and economic barriers, 

the average ACT and SAT scores of Alaska Natives and 

Native Americans are disproportionately lower than other 

categories of students; 

Whereas Alaska Native and Native American 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; 


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•SRES 301 IS 

Whereas no definitive research or data has shown that performance on the ACT or SAT is an effective indicator of 

the likelihood of success of a prospective student in an 

educator preparation program or as a teacher; 

Whereas the 2013 accreditation standards of the Council— 

(1) will force institutions of higher education to accept fewer Alaska Native and Native American students 

into teacher preparation programs in order to retain accreditation; 

(2) will result in fewer Alaska Natives and Native 

Americans gaining acceptance into those programs; and 

(3) will exacerbate the already low representation of 

Alaska Natives and Native Americans in the teaching 

community; 

Whereas the Federal Government has a trust responsibility to 

support the education of Alaska Natives and Native 

Americans; and 

Whereas the Council should recognize the negative impact of 

the standards of the Council on Alaska Native and Native American teacher candidates: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate calls on the Council for the 

2 Accreditation of Educator Preparation— 

3 (1) to consult with tribes and native organiza4 tions; 

5 (2) to jointly develop changes to the accredita6 tion standards of the Council to ensure that Alaska 

7 Native and Native American teacher candidates will 

8 not be negatively impacted by the standards; and 


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•SRES 301 IS 

1 (3) to adopt changes to the accreditation stand2 ards of the Council expeditiously. 

Æ 


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