USJ Education Dean Kathleen A. Butler Appointed to Newly Established State Council
University of Saint Joseph School of Education Dean Kathleen A. Butler, Ph.D. has recently been appointed to serve on Connecticut’s Educator Preparation Advisory Council (EPAC) which was established in March 2012 by the State Board of Education to support the training and development of teachers and school leaders in educating Connecticut students.
According to the recent press release from the Connecticut State Department of Education, the Council will develop a system for the approval, quality, regulation, oversight, and accreditation of Connecticut educator preparation programs with the goals of:
- Improving the preparation of teachers and school leaders;
- Ensuring educator preparation programs are well-aligned with the needs of Connecticut’s schools and districts;
- Recommending reforms to the state’s educator certification regulations so that state policies align with an outcome-based system of accreditation and oversight;
- Establishing rigorous standards for acceptance into teacher and administrator preparation programs; and
- Meeting objectives articulated in the materials presented to the State Board of Education.
As a member of EPAC, Dr. Butler will join leaders from teacher and administrator preparation programs in public and independent colleges and universities and from alternate route programs along with representatives from the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, Connecticut Federation of School Administrators, Connecticut Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut.
USJ President Pamela Trotman Reid, Ph.D. said, “Congratulations to Dean Butler on her honor in being appointed to serve with this dedicated group of educational leaders. It is very significant for us to have her at the table for discussions of major priorities of the Governor and the State of Connecticut.”
According to State Department of Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor, “As we know, the single most important school-level factor impacting student achievement is the quality of teachers and school leaders. With this in mind, the State Board of Education authorized the establishment of EPAC. Through its authority to accredit education preparation programs in Connecticut, the State Board of Education will look to EPAC to provide recommendations to improve the preparation of teachers and leaders in our state.”
