Changes in Iowa State’s College of Education may be helping to increase quality of education ratings for Iowa K-12 schools.

Thomas Andre, chairman of the curriculum and instruction in the department of education, said the education department at Iowa State “is in the process of changing.”

These changes come after Iowa was ranked last among states in the standards and accountability category of the Education Week, Quality Counts 2003 report. The report examined what states were doing to attract, support and retain teachers.

The report gave ratings to states in four areas including academic standards and accountability, school safety, financial aid and the fairness of money distribution across districts.

According to the Education Week report, the standards and accountability category is a measure of state tests and report cards. The report said Iowa does not have statewide academic standards, which led to the low rating.

Iowa’s position rose significantly from last year’s report, however, in its rating of improving teacher quality. There have been several statewide changes in teacher evaluation helping to cause this increase.

These changes could be important for Iowa public schools. Andres said nearly 70 percent of ISU College of Education graduates remain in Iowa to begin their teaching careers. This retention rate is one of the highest across colleges at Iowa State, Andre said.

Passing grades in subjects will not be enough for students to earn their teaching licenses. Students must also show they have successfully mastered 11 standards, Andre said.

Under the standards, students will receive diversity training, learn how to create an environment suitable for learning and learn to improve communication between those in the educational field.

Andre said these standards “are not changing substantially what we were already having students accomplish.” Rather, he said, the standards are helping students to know what is expected of them.

Sara Seehusen, junior in elementary education, said “It’s impossible to graduate without knowing these standards because our classes are now based around them.”

Seehusen said the courses she has taken so far have been helpful in preparing her for a teaching career. “All the courses are set up so that you know what is expected of you,” she said.

Susan Kenien, senior in elementary education and education senator for the GSB, said, “I feel that students in the College of Education are prepared very well for their future professions.”

Some of the other requirements for future teachers to become licensed are student teaching, classroom observation, a background check and completion of an exam.

The minimum passing score for the test was recently changed, Andre said. There is also the possibility of adding another test which would cover material from a teacher’s focus area, he said.