TeachNY

Who We Are?

The State University of New York is the nation’s largest comprehensive public higher education system and a recognized leader in educator preparation, preparing nearly a quarter of New York State’s teachers, and thousands of teachers, school and district leaders, and educational researchers and experts who serve communities across the country and around the world.

What Do We Believe?

Teachers, school/district leaders, and higher education faculty across disciplines are part of one profession of educators—a community of practitioners and scholars who take pride in and responsibility for their learning and practice, who benefit from learning from one another, and who hold themselves accountable for the principles and standards of the profession.

Teaching is a practice profession requiring study that is academically rigorous, clinically based, content-rich, and informed by research, preparing candidates to apply the science and art of teaching and learning.

Teacher quality is the number one in-school factor contributing to student academic success; therefore, the preparation of, support for, and access to excellent teachers who inspire all students to learn, prepare them for college and career, and empower them to positively contribute to a democratic society as engaged citizens must be shared priorities and responsibilities.

Educator preparation and the full continuum of professional advancement—from novice through expert—are embedded in collaborative endeavors supported by the entire academic community and occurring through intentional, integrated, and mutually beneficial clinical partnerships that need to be well-resourced.

The best educator preparation programs are dynamic, evolving in response to knowledge gained through both professional practice and academic research, across varied teaching and learning contexts, and within regulatory and policy environments that enable experimentation and innovation.

What is the SUNY TeachNY Policy?

The SUNY TeachNY Policy—developed from recommendations of the TeachNY Steering Committee—was adopted by the Board of Trustees in June 2017 as a means to update the previous educator preparation policy that had been in place since 2001. Through its core principles, the policy affirms SUNY’s tradition of, and ongoing commitment to, excellence in the preparation and support of P-12 teachers and school leaders. The policy framework, which establishes expectations for campuses and System Administration to work collaboratively to implement a new standard of excellence, is organized around four key areas: recruitment and selection of excellent candidates for the profession; preparation of excellent educators through rigorous academic study and clinical practice; provision of excellent professional support throughout the continuum of practice; and, demonstration of program excellence and impact on professional practice.

While attracting and retaining excellent teachers and leaders is a challenge for all New York State, indeed, the entire nation, SUNY is uniquely positioned to address the challenge at an unmatchable scale. SUNY has the capacity to reach into communities to expand the relationships and further develop the partnerships that are necessary for change.

Any questions about TeachNY can be directed to TeachNY@suny.edu.