AU Education Garners “A” Score by Teacher Prep Review

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Anderson, Ind. — The undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program at Anderson University has been named among the best in the nation when it comes to ensuring future elementary teachers have the essential content and skills they need to teach mathematics. 

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a national research and policy organization that regularly evaluates the core requirements and practices of over 1,100 programs that prepare future elementary teachers, recently released a new report in which the undergraduate program at AU earned an A for its requirements in elementary mathematics.

“The institution is grateful for the NCTQ’s recognition of Anderson University’s excellence in mathematics preparation for elementary school teachers,” said Provost Dr. Joel Shrock. “Anderson University’s Department of Teacher Education provides excellent programs for training teachers and is one of the university’s core programs.”

NCTQ evaluated programs for their coverage of both the key mathematics content that elementary teachers need: numbers and operations, algebraic thinking, geometry and measurement, and data analysis and probability, as well as how to teach those concepts (math pedagogy). The recommended minimum instruction time that future elementary teachers need in these essential math topics was set based on guidance NCTQ received from teacher preparation programs, mathematicians, and math educators as part of an expert panel. AU stands apart by meeting 90 percent or more of the instructional goals across each of the elementary mathematics topic areas.

“Anderson University is known for excellence in teacher preparation and our graduates are in high demand,” said Dr. Elizabeth Imafuji, dean of the School of Humanities, Education, and Behavioral Science. The faculty in the departments of teacher education and mathematics do exceptional work and should be proud of this national commendation.”

Research studies have found that elementary math skills are a strong predictor of whether or not a student will graduate from high school. Recent data has found that students in many states have lost more learning in math than in reading over the past two years and pre-existing gaps in math achievement have worsened since 2020 between low-poverty and high-poverty schools and between majority-White and majority-Black schools, therefore the need for elementary teachers to be well-prepared to teach mathematics has never been more urgent.

“We know how much math matters in setting a foundation for students,” said Dr. Heather Peske, NCTQ President. “The biggest in-school difference we can make for students’ math learning is to make sure their elementary teachers understand key math content and know how to teach math effectively. Anderson University should be proud to be among the top teacher preparation programs in the country working towards this goal.”

See the full NCTQ report to learn more about how AU earned this top score, all scores for elementary teacher preparation programs in Indiana, and the full national findings.

Anderson University is on a mission to educate students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 60 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult and graduate programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized among top colleges for its business, computer science, cybersecurity, dance, engineering, nursing, and teacher education programs. Anderson University was established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God.