President Christian to serve on steering committee for SUNY TeachNY

SUNY New Paltz President Donald P. Christian has been invited to serve on a steering committee that will recommend new SUNY policy for teacher preparation, as part of a broader statewide effort called TeachNY, that aims to address the shortage of teachers in New York State.

“The College has a long and proud history educating well-trained teachers for our state,” said President Christian. “As the dynamics of the profession and student demographics and learning change, it’s critical that we prepare teachers with the latest tools and best practices to enhance their development and success in the classroom. I look forward to serving on the steering committee, and helping to align K-12 and public higher education in this important effort.”

The steering committee’s policy recommendations will build on a report produced by the TeachNY Advisory Council, a distinguished group of state and national thought leaders convened by SUNY, whose findings were released on May 18 by SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher and State Education Department Commissioner MaryEllen Elia.

“We know that excellently trained teachers are the number one in-school factor for student success, and so we must create a system through which every student, without exception, has access to great teaching,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher, who began her career as a teacher and is a national expert in the field of teacher preparation. “As New York and the nation face a massive teacher shortage, there is no time to waste. By lifting up the teaching profession and transforming the way we not only prepare, but continually support, our teachers, TeachNY will ensure that New York has the cadre of high quality teachers that our state and our students deserve going forward.”

New York State is projected to see a 5.8 percent growth in its need for teachers by 2022, and New Paltz, like many of its SUNY peers, plays a vital role in the preparation of high-quality educators working across the state. TeachNY represents an opportunity to promote the teaching profession and improve teacher training programs by expanding clinical practice, recruiting a diverse pool of excellent teachers, incentivizing public schools to host teachers-in-training and investing in impactful professional development.

More information about TeachNY can be accessed online.