Georgia will be involved in shaping how the next generation of educators are trained.

The Georgia Department of Education announced that the state has been chosen among seven others to take part in a two year pilot focused on transforming educator preparation. The aim of the program is to make sure teachers and principals are ready on day one to prepare students for college, work and life.

Using criteria created by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) from their comprehensive report Our Responsibility, Our Promise –Transforming Educator Preparation and Entry into the Profession, the program will focus on improving the following areas: licensure, program approval, data collection, analysis and reporting.

The program is a collaboration between several Georgia state agencies, including the Department of Education (K-12 schools), the University System of Georgia (teacher preparation programs) and the Professional Standards Commission (teaching licensing agency). The other participating states are Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Washington.

You can read the full media release on it here and contact the Georgia Department of Education if you have any questions.