Reclaiming Accountability in Teacher Education

Teacher accountability has been a major strategy for “fixing” education for the last 2 decades. In this book, Cochran-Smith and her research team argue that it is time for teacher educators to reclaim accountability by adopting a new approach that features intelligent professional responsibility, challenges the structures and processes that reproduce inequity, and sustains multi-layered collaboration with diverse communities. The authors analyze and critique major accountability initiatives, including Department of Education regulations, CAEP accreditation procedures, NCTQ teacher preparation reviews, and edTPA, and expose the lack of evidence behind these policies, as well as the negative impact they are having on teacher education. However, the book does not conclude that accountability is the wrong direction for the next generation of teacher education. Instead, the authors offer a clear and achievable vision of accountability for teacher education based on a commitment to equity and democracy.

“This book should be at the center of teacher education conversations everywhere.”
—Gloria Ladson-Billings, professor emerita, University of Wisconsin-Madison

“This is one of the most brilliant books in education, period.”
—Kevin Kumashiro, education consultant

“In these frightening days of uncertainty, chaos, and conflict, this timely volume dares to call for hope and collective action.”
—A. Lin Goodwin, Teachers College, Columbia University

“This very important book exposes the lack of evidence supporting dominant accountability policies in teacher education. It is a must-read for teacher educators and policymakers.”
—Ken Zeichner, University of Washington