This presentation describes the nine principles of a nationally recognized model teacher education program that successfully aligned assessments with a conceptual framework, national and professional organization standards. The goal of the presentation is to serve as a blueprint for other institutions that face the challenge of similar program development. Specifically, a history of the philosophy and development underlying the implementation of these standards is provided, as are implications for future revisions. The design was based on the following nine principles: a) there was a clear articulation of philosophical and psychological foundations; (b) domains and themes were identified that formed the conceptual framework for the program; (c) candidate proficiencies were aligned with national and professional organization standards; (d) technology was infused throughout the curriculum; (e) experiences and coursework reflected a commitment to diversity; (f) candidates were provided experiences that prepared them as teacher leaders; (g) the program was implemented with a number of professional development school partners; (h) an electronic database was utilized for collecting and reporting candidate and program data; and (i) systematic research is underway to identify and assess professional dispositions.

The program received national recognition as the recipient of the NCATE award for Promoting Excellence in Teacher Education (PETE) and was the “Showcase Institution” for 2006-2007. The School of Education was featured at the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education national convention in New York City in February 2007 (AACTE, 2007) for the design and implementation of an innovative database.