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2018 Top Teacher-Preparation Programs in the United States

By Matthew Lynch — January 31, 2018 2 min read
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Nearly two thousand universities and colleges in the United States offer teacher preparation programs.

It’s a good thing there are plenty of options for teacher training because there likely will be a continued teacher shortage - enrollment in teacher preparation programs has dropped 35%.

The areas of math and special education especially need top talent in the classroom, but highly skilled teachers are always welcome in every subject.

With so many choices, where does a future teacher go for the best teacher prep in America? To get you started, I created a list of some of the “Top Teacher Preparation Programs in the U.S.”

1. Vanderbilt University

You can also head to Nashville, Tennessee, to enroll at Vanderbilt University. Here, the Peabody College of Education and Humanities requires faculty and teaching assistants to research and practice their instructional skills, and undergraduates students benefit from the heightened focus on everything instruction.

Vanderbilt has been instrumental in identifying the skills of highly successful teachers and aligning them with national learning standards; teachers graduating from this program will likely be some of the best educators in our schools.

2. Brown University

One of the top private Ivy League, teacher preparation programs, exists at Brown University in Rhode Island. Faculty members focus on teaching, and as a result, students report being highly satisfied with their degrees. Brown offers multiple pathways in their teacher training program; the flexibility assures that candidates are on the right track for training and certification.

Exceptional teacher candidates may be invited to apply for the Rhode Island Teaching Fellows Program. This fast-track program accelerates instruction to get teacher candidates into the classrooms where they are needed the most.

Also, the value of a degree from Brown University may be hard to pass up. The tuition is considered highly affordable for the quality of instruction and the likely return on investment.

3. University of West Alabama

Achieve your career goals with an online education degree designed for your budget and your schedule at the University of West Alabama. You’ll develop the skills and knowledge needed for advancement inside or outside the classroom, in a convenient online format from one of Alabama’s oldest and most prestigious universities.

4. Texas A& M University

This university in College Station, Texas, offers outstanding teacher training in fields like bilingual education and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). All teacher candidates learn impressive leadership skills at this school. The elementary education teacher preparation program has consistently been one of the top teacher training programs in the U.S.

5. Fort Hays State University

Consistently in the top three of secondary education teacher programs, Fort Hays State gives students the hands-on experience they need to be immediately successful their classrooms. Without practical application, theory is useless, so these professors make sure students get plenty of both at Fort Hays State.

The school is making an educational impact. It’s also one of the fastest growing universities in Kansas.

Top teacher preparation programs in the U.S. are paving the way for improved teaching and learning. You can be a part of it by choosing one of these schools.

Who did I miss?

The opinions expressed in Education Futures: Emerging Trends in K-12 are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.