National Association for Alternative Certification

In A Place Called School: Prospects for the Future, John Goodlad (1984) states that to survive, a school requires the clients (parents and their school-age children) to have substantial faith in its usefulness and a measure of satisfaction with the performance. I believe the same is true for the NAAC. As your new president, I am committed to working with you, the membership, to provide conversations, resources, and reflective practices that are useful and met with satisfaction. Our primary tool for implementation has been our annual conference. Feedback from the 2011 conference in Chicago was exemplary. Participants shared they felt rejuvenated and appreciated the reflective time together. The 2012 conference will be equally engaging and will allow ample time for conversation and inquiry. As I begin my two year journey as your President, my personal goal is to move the organization to a place where these conversations can occur in different venues and over time (not just at a once a year conference). I am committed to working with Ohio State University to finalize the Quality Indicators to provide the membership with a tool for program self reflection. I plan to collaborate with journal editor, Bill Neal, and research chair, Carolyn Bishop, to enhance the quality and submission level of our journal and give a new look to the newsletter. Together with our Policy chair, Cyndy Stephens, I plan to continue our collaborations with other national organizations (NASDTEC, ATE, AERA, etc).

I am fortunate to serve alongside a very talented and dedicated NAAC board. We will be meeting in Philadelphia later this month to discuss some of the issues listed in this message. The board has been participating in conversations with the new Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation, discussing the complexities of the merger and the importance of the evaluation and assessment of ALL teacher preparation programs. Jo Anderson, senior advisor to Secretary Arne Duncan is interested in the NAAC board's feedback on the U.S. Department of Education proposals for 2012. With President Obama's commitment to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) the board will discuss ways to highlight the many alternative route programs that recruit and retain STEM teachers. NAAC President Elect, Michelle Haj-Broussard, recently attended an AERA "think-tank" meeting and will be reporting to the board on NAAC's continued collaborations at the national level. Our executive director, Judy Corcillo, attends to the weekly demands of running the organization and coordinates our membership outreach. The work of the association is fluid and consistent and continues year-round, long after the closing speaker of the conference.

I encourage you to join one of the many committees or volunteer to serve as your state representative (or help the existing representative); talk to your regional director about what you would like to see accomplished this year and/or contact me at bkarge@fullerton.edu. It is my pleasure to serve you and I pledge to do my best to support NAAC in a way that will provide what Dr. Goodlad purports is useful and satisfactory to all involved. Thank you for this opportunity!