Clinical Practice: Innovative Partnership Preparing Highly Effective Teachers

Due to low achievement among minorities and English Language Learners, a blue-ribbon panel was convened by NCATE to address the issue. It was determined that a transformation of teacher preparation was imperative. Out of this idea arose the clinical model for teacher preparation, which was deemed to be the important factor in preparing college pre-service teachers. A clinical experience exceeding thirty weeks and quality cooperating teachers contribute to the quality of clinical experiences. In Kentucky, the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) recommended the clinical model. The Council on Postsecondary Education awarded Eastern Kentucky University a grant to design and implement the clinical model that became the Clinical Apprenticeship for the Preparation of Teachers (CAPT). Eastern Kentucky University partnered with a local school district, Corbin Independent School System, to provide a three-semester clinical program. The university integrated course work with clinical experiences in the public school that were embedded proved to be key ingredients to make the program a success.