The College of Education has spent this summer preparing for new changes in teacher evaluation set by the SC Department of Education earlier this year. 

Over the course of seven training dates this summer, the College of Education has trained over 440 Coaching Teachers and 120 University Supervisors on the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching rubric. The new rubric for evaluating teachers, titled SC Teaching Standards 4.0, will go into effect in public schools across the state in 2017-2018.  

 According to Dr. Cindy Van Buren, Assistant Dean for Accreditation and Professional Practices, "This rubric will allow our student interns to be evaluated using the same method their future employers will use." The USC training team, comprised of 6 faculty and 3 staff, has received positive feedback from the coaching teachers in the field who will share their classrooms with our student interns.  

"We are thankful for each and every coaching teacher who has opened his or her classroom to our teacher candidates; the positive response has been amazing and is indicative of the dedication of Midlands teachers in helping prepare new teachers," Dr. Van Buren said.  "Without the support of Dean Jon Pedersen and our faculty and staff, this effort would not have been the huge success we have experienced."