A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Achieving the Goals: Goal 4 Teacher Professional Development - August 1996

Foreword

In 1989, the nation's governors and President Bush met in Charlottesville, Virginia, to determine how best to prepare all Americans to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The result of this historic conference was the adoption of six National Education Goals. With the enactment of the GOALS 2000: Educate America Act in March 1994, Congress added two additional goals. GOALS 2000 is premised on the deeply-held belief that ALL students are capable of higher levels of learning and development. In order for all students to achieve their full potential, however, teachers must have access to high-quality preservice and continuing professional development opportunities.

Achieving the Goals: Goal 4 is the second in a series of eight books being produced by the U.S. Department of Education to help inform people involved in education improvement of the myriad programs and resources that are available from the federal government to support each of the National Education Goals. At least 28 Departments and agencies are now funding programs that support one or more of the goals. We have prepared this Goal 4 guide with a particular focus on pre-K-12 education. The guide is intended to inform practitioners in the nation's schools and school districts and policymakers about the resources available at the federal level to support efforts to improve initial teacher preparation and ongoing professional development.

At the same time, the guide identifies those federal programs and activities that support teacher preparation and professional development across the entire education spectrum. Inside you will find what federal agencies are doing to enhance teacher preparation and career-long development, along with program descriptions, contact names, and an appendix listing additional sources of assistance. Ideally, the Department's efforts to bring coherence to federal professional development programs will encourage similar collaboration and coordination at the state and local levels.

The U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies are committed to helping communities across America to achieve the National Education Goals. I am confident you will be impressed by the range of federal resources available and hope you will find this Goal 4 guide an important tool as you work to improve teaching and learning in your community.

Richard W. Riley
Secretary of Education

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[Table of Contents] [National Education Goals]