Resolution on Teacher Centers and Federal Policy

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AFT Executive Council Resolutiori
~acher center~and Federal Policy
WHEREAS, federally-funded teacher centers have helped teachers and·
other school personnel broaden and improve their instructional
skills and contributed to increased collaboration among higher
education and public school faculties and staff, and

WHEREAS, teacher centers appear. to be a contributing factor to
improvement in student achievement in schools served by the
centers, and

WHEREAS, despite the education community's support of the teacher center concept as.an effective inservice mechanism, the Reagan Administration favors consolidation of this federal initiative into. block grants and a budget rescission of 25 percent, a course of action likely to choke centers through competition with other educational priorities at the state level and with each other, and
WHEREAS, of the current 99 federally-funded teacher centers, 60 have completed their three-year funding cycle and will expire in FY 81,
~d .
WHEREAS, greatly reduced funding and new legal requirements that at
least one teacher center exist in each state threaten a large
number of these centers with extinction just prior to development

, of the capability to institutionalize, and
WHEREAS, these same centers threatened with extinction are flagship
centers, serving as models for the nation, and

WHEREAS, abandoning,these centers would ni~an abandoning a three-year
investment in a federal initiative proven wo~kabl~ and effective,

RESOLVED, that the federal government should support improvement of school personnel skills by expanding its commitment, financially and otherwise, to spreading the teach~r center>, concept, and
RESOLVED, that teacher centers should nint: be.' included in block grant
consolidation where they are likelytO, ..be, eclipsed at the state
level by under-funded programs of dfrecf~id, and services to

.students,. and .
",.RESOLVED, that funding procedures be adjusted to preserve centers whose , three-year cycle has now expired and Who are recompeting for limited funds, where quality and cost-effectiveness in serving large numbers of teachers have been demonstrated, and
RESOLVED, that in accordance with lessons of experienqe, teacher center prOjects being funded for the first time, those never having been grant recipients, should be modestly funded with planning/start-up monies, and

RESOLVED, that all existing centers, including the 60 whose federal funding cycle is expiring, be allowed under the circumstances of demonstrable commitment, progress and merit to continue their activities with federal support in order that they may be assured asslmilation in the institutional structure, and
RESOLVED, that in today's economy, a total of at least five years' federal funding is required to guarantee successful establishment of the teacher center concept through institutionalization. (1981)
3. JlESOLU'UOIi 011 ~EACHEBCE~BS
WHEREAS, teachers have long recogntzed that teacher preparation and inservice education need to be more closely related to classroom re•alities, and
WHEREAS, teaching is a profession that can be perfected.only through constant sharing, begin•ning, ideally, with an internship program for new teachers, and
WHEREAS, the framework for the sharing of new curricular approaches and of teaching strategies must be determined by teachers themselves if inservice programs are to be truly useful, and
WHEREAS, new federa.1legislation authorizing the creation of teacher centers prOvides for centers to be run by policy boards composed of a majOri•ty of teachers, and
WHEREAS, the voice of teachers on such boards is best reflected through democratica.lly elected teacher organiZations;
JlESOLVED, 'hat in all acUviUes related '0 'he I\ planning, es'abUshmen', and operation of feder-· \ ally-funded teacher centers, local school boards \ and institutions of higher educaUon must deal with the elected collective bargaining agent or, organiaat-'on repre!enting 'eachers, and J\ DSOLVIID, ,hat teacher representatives '0 'he I poUcy boards that run centers be named by theI elected collective bargaining agent or organisa-:I
tion representing 'eachers, and
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. USOLVIID, thaUeachersserving on poUcy boardsand participating in organiaed in-semce acUvi·ii ties sponsored by teacher centers be provided! with released time so that they may take full ad-I vangge of the services offered by 'he centers,I and : USOLVIID, that every effon be made '0 work co-I operatively with institutions of higher education ~ in developing centers and in administering 'heir ': progr8JDIJ, and BESOLVIID, that center programs be made avaU•able '0 all educati~nal personnel who wish \0 make use of 'him including paraprofessionals, guidance counselors, curriculum specialists, and teachers of every level and special'y, and BESOLVIID, 'hat 'he American J'edera,ion of ~eachersurge Congress '0 tully fund the teacher center legislation at its highest authorised level. (1977)

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14. MADlSlBEAMllllG
WHEREAS, the American Federation of Teachers supports the mainstreaming process as a part of the general Lifelong Learning program for all children, and
WHEREAS, legislation in various states has made it mandatory that handicapped children shall have the same educational rights as all other children, and
WHEREAS, these state laws and court decisions have resulted in massive mainstream1ng without due consideration for the individual needs of students, parents, teachers, and the school com•munities involved, and
WHEREAS; this trend aided by federal funds will increase on all levels, regional, state and local;
. BESOLVED, that the American J'ederation of !eachers reaffirms its advocacy view of the prin•ciple of mainstreaming and takes the following position:
l.!hat regular and special education teachers are the backbone of any facet of the mainstreaming program and must share equally in its planning and implementation through its representative teacher organization, and
2.!hat every area of mainstreaming shall provide a favorable learning seUing for the handi•capped student as well as all other students when such students are educationally involved, . and
3.!hat there be adequate preparation for regular and special education teachers, pedagogical and nonpedagogical personnel in these mainstream•ing :t:0les which must be on a voluntary basis with protection of their Ucense and job reten•tion rights in the area of special education, and
4.!hat appropriate instructional supplies and materials with adequate special facUities in conJunction with resource, supportive pupU personnel services be provided for the teachers and the students, and
S.!hat adequate additional funding for a full pro•gram be "earmarked" for mainstreamiDg and that such funds be used exclusively for that purpose with public trimester reporting and the accountabillty for funds so used, and
6.!hat educational, sound reductions be made in class size, with up to but no more than two handicapped students in a regular class when such type of class situation is involved, sched•uUng and planning of alternative variations of the mainstreaming design to accommodate the shifting demands that mainstreaming creates within the collective bargaining agreement, and
\...
7.!hat teacher and non-teacher preparation, in•service or otherwise, be under the aegis of working teachers in the area via teacher cen•ters, teacher corp., pUbUc training institutions, etc., and
3 EDUCATIONAL ISSUES

8.!hat state and local education agencies be ac•countable for deUvering needed .ervices, and
9.!hat residential programs, diagnostic and re•search programs, home and ho.pital instruc•tional programs, and the self-contained cla.s are all vital pans of the Kainstreaming proce •• and must be incorporated and given the proper foci de.erved, and
10.lhat early identification and a sound preven•tion program coupled with modern technologi•cal device. are reductive factors in the need for the number. of .tudents who will require spe•cial education service •. (1976)
15. ElIJDOBSElIDIn 01' '!fV PBOGllUIS

WHEREAS,the American Federation of Teachers has long been concerned with the quality of edu•cation, and
WHEREAS, this concern should include the area of .public media that most affects education, name-. ly televiSion;
:RESOLVED, that the Aft Executive CouncU en•
dorse those programs (specials or otherwise)
that are in concurrence with our concern for
quaUty education on television, and

BESOLVED, that this endorsement shall appear on
the endorsement or credit section of the program
endorsed. (1976)

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16. COMPE!ElIlCY BASED !EACHED EDUCA!IOlll
WHEREAS, there has been insuffiCient quantityl quality of Competency Based Teacher Education (CBTE) research and field testing, and conSidera•tion of the potentially pervasive effect CBTE may have on the total education system (elementary, secondary, and higher education) in the U.S.A., and the individual states, and
WHEREAS, we wholeheartedly believe that further extensive/intensive research and field testing of CBTE and other alternate approaches to teacher education should be effected prior to implemen•ting CBTE programs as mandated by the State Education Departments to determine the rela•tionship of performance to long-term effects on pupils, to adequately consider the implications for staff. development and to provide suffiCient lead time for professional discussion;
DSOLVED, that Aft demand that CBIE activity be suspended untU such time as sufficient fund•ing is provided by the various state departments to compensate properly the required participa•tion in the mandated consortia. (1976)
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63. ftlACHJ1B ~G

WHEREAS, the preparation of teachers 1s funda•menta.lin order to provide quality education for all children, and
WHEREAS, eduoation in urban areas needs teaohers With speo1al ab1l1ties and tra.1n1ng, a.nd
WHEREAS, the selection and training of such teaohers has been left exclusively in the 1:lands of the colleges and universities, _a.nd
WHEREAS, the teacher union movement must assume its share of this responsib1l1ty;
KESOLVED, that the American J'ederation of ~eachers urge 'ts locals to initiate dialogue on the subject of teacher education and teacher training with' the colleges and universities that provide student teaching in their own school districts, and
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KESOLVED, that contract negotiations at the local level include safeguards and direction 80 that universities and colleges will provide proper training for student teachers,/and
BESOLVED, that sponsoring teachers assigned by the district to give such training be chosen for their ability to relate well and work effectively with children and teachers in training, and
BESOLVED, that contract negotiations include a reasonable remuneration and time for the spon•soring teacher to work with the student teacher. (Executive Council, 1969)
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WHEREAS, writte~ examinations for .the purpo~·.·· of qua.lifying beg1nntng teaoharsare useful J test l1teracy and a fundamental knowledge d subject matter and educational pr1nc.iPles, a.nd.
WHEREAS, these examinations must-be., f1el~1 tested to assure that they reflect both the conte areas and pedagogioal knowledge neoessary fo '-l2. FUNDUlG FOB !fEACHEB!fBAINING
WHEREAS, the Congress has provided funds for teaoher centers, and
WHEREAS, the combination of decreasing birth rates and budget cuts has resulted in staff reduotions in sohool districts throughout the nation, and
WHEREAS, bilingual and special eduoation are among the few areas where there are expandingjob opportunities, and
WHEREAS, experienoed and highly trained teach•ers have been laid off, while inexperienced recent college graduates have been hired;
RESOLVED, that the American Federation of ~eachers and its affiliated locals stirongly support the inclusion of teacher training com•ponents in the areas of bilingual and special education in teacher centier proposals, and
RESOLVED, that we urge the American Federation of !feachers tio support legislation which would estabUsh opportunities for the retraining of in•service teachers. (1977) .
21. !fIlACDB DIUIBl1S ."

WHEREAS, the Government of the United States has seen fit to establish a National Teaoher Corps; and
WHEREAS, the Nat10nal Teacher Corps Will employ teaohing interns; and' WHEREAS, TeachingInterns Will be subject to dis•missal with one week's not1ce; and
WHEREAS, the Amerioa.n Federation of Teachers seeks to maintain protection of a.llmembers of the teaChing profession;' and
WHEREAS, Teaching InterI},s, beoause of their
effective teaching; . temporary status,. are most in need of union pro•teot1on;and
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WHEREAS, the iriterests of the American Federa•
USOLVED. that teacher,... through their uniO~ have significant involvement in te.* 1'lview an tion of Teachers can best be maintained where
selection. and . union experienoe Is obtained at the beginnUig of DSOLVED, tha' Aft will oppose the use of e '. the teaching career; aminatiOJl8 for decilions related to retientio . salary. O;~ .tenure. and .
BESOLVED, that the American Federation of "SOLVEr,. that the American Federation 0:
~eache:rs shall actively seek to reoruit wei teacbJrag interns;
~••ch.I" "'apport. the lde of aD examination t quauty l1ew teachera a. part of .procesl whic '. BESOLVJlD, tllatUse American reder.do. of
!feaohers alter tu goveming law.' to allow
mclUdes ,II full teacher eduOaticD degree progra
teaching interns to take an active pan ill th.
and whtt'lhHllu thel,evelotll."l'acy. krlowled4
democratic functions of the American reder.·
of lubjeoi matter, and pedagogy. (1979)
tion of !feachers.(1966)

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WHEREAS, private and proprietary child develop•ment and day care enterprises are engaged in a crucial battle with the loca.l public school districts over who should control the education of preschool children, and
WHEREAS, alternatives, options and vouchers have become code words in the battle to withhold early childhood education, preschool and child development programs from the local public school districts;
BBSOLVED, Ulere should be free public school universal education for preschool children which would include child care and development senices for all children, and it should be con•trolled by the public schools, and
BlISOLVED, that the following "phase-in" mea•sures be taken to achieve these ends:
I.Alternatives, options and vouchers for preschool will be opposed as an infringement upon the citi•zen's right to a free public education.
a.All funds for Bead Start program will be chan•neled through and. administered by the local public school districts.
3.lf a new education department is established by the federal government, all preschool and child development and child care programs will be included.
4.AI'~ will lobby Congress, the legislature, the . Department ofBealth, Education, and Welfare to achieve these goals. (1978)

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90. CBBDBlftIALIl'IG I'OB CHILDUlI'S CEftEB "A!fD BABLY CHILDBOOD ftlACHBBS
WHEREAS, the importance of educating young children has been well established (see Bloom, Hess, Pa.1get, et al), and
WHEREAS,lt is likewise well known"that a 4-year college education plus Ii fifth year of postgrad•uate work in early ohildhood education makes a person a better teacher than someone with less education and training than this (see Seefeldt, Prescott, et al);
HESOLVED, that the .Aft oppose any aUeDlpts to reduce the minimUDl qualifications for a chil•dren's center and early childhood teacher to a Child DevelopDlent Associate "credential or some similar on-the-job training," and
HESOLVED, that .Aft support and introduce legislation to require the same credentialing standards for children's center and early child•hood teachers as for elementary and secondary teachers. (1978)

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84. EABLYCHILDHOOD EDUCA~IONPBOGBAMS

WHEREAS, there is a nationwide need for univer•sally available child development services, and
WHEREAS,centers for the education of pre-school through 2nd grade children in the 50 states are administered under various auspices, have widely disparate standards, and are frequently merely custodial where they exist at all, and
WHEREAS, the American Federation of Teachers has always supported high quaJity standards in the education of children and working condi•tions of teachers, and
WHEREAS, such centers should in all 50 states be administered by the State Departments of Edu•cation and/or locally by public school districts, similar to the Children's Centers in California and the Early Childhood Pre-School Centers in New York City;
BESOLVED, that the American Federation of ~eachers support the concept of education of children under public school auspices with the. fOllowing quality components:
l.uniformly high standards and coordination with existing public school education, a.fully licensed, trained paraprofessionals, and adequate ancillary personnel, 3.educationally desirable ratio of children to . teachers, 4.safe and healthful building and environment with adequate play space, a.family education programs and a high degree of parent involvement, 6.availabie to children of all parents, whether working, non-working, or student, 7.access to a tull range of health nutritionai, guid•ance and social services;
oEducated cit1zens make a greater contribution to . our ·quaJity· of life and to our country's well-being. Yet, instead of spending on education, instead of
making a sound investment in the future, govern•ments at every level are cutting back school bud•gets. The inab1l1ty of the schools to maintain quaJi•ty programs results in immeasurable harm to our young people-and, in turn, weakens the fibre of our society.
Truancy is increasing.
Dropouts are increasing.
School violence and delinquency are increasing.

In addition, the general economic recession and the schools' unmet needs create further problems:
Increasing numbers of young men and women enter the job market without required skills, and join the ranks of the unemployed.
Growing unemployment increases the numbers of children who come from disadvantaged homes.
The special needs of disadvantaged youngsters cannot be met by schools whose programs are in•creasingly cut back...
Thus the vicious cycle works itself out. Further, fiscal "austerity" actually saves no money. In fact, it costs more, for if government does not invest in jobs and education, it must spend much more-on welfare, unemployment insurance, prisons. For everyone m1llion people out of work the federal government loses $16 billion in revenue. There are further revenue losses to state and loc~l governments.
The nation must change-now-its course to•ward the neglect of human needs, toward Increas•ing unemployment ap.d poverty. AFT proposes, as one essential step tciwardbringing our economy back to health-a major investment in education from infancy through adulthood-Lifelong
furthermore, that the American Federation of . Learning.
~eachers urge all state federations and locals to Right now: .
support legislation.to mandate these centers for .D~ix miiuon children are in need of early child•children under public school auspices, and to

negotiate such centers in their con~racts. (1971)

The name Educare has been replaced by Lifelong Learning -.
85. LIFELONG·LEABNING: AN OVEBVIEW·
In this period of economic criSiS Americans oan and must look to the public school, as they have always done, for a way out of poverty and jobless•ness. Investment in education bears a fruitful return: . OEducated citizens make a greater financial con•
tribution to the public economy. They earn more; they pay more taxes.
OEducated Citizens consume fewer public services such as welfare, medicaid, unemployment insurance.
hood education;:·' ..
OThere are approximately 16 m1llion working mothers, many of whom would need early child•hood education and/or day care services for their children; ........
OEight million unemployed adults need skills, r~•. training, and countless more need and want education for a better, more rewarding life;
OThousands of school age children'are falling bEl•cause classes are too large and teachers can't provide individualized instruction-yet there are twice as many candidates for teaching tha~ there are open positions; .
OThousands of high school graduates are depriv:ed of higher education because they can't afford it, and because there aren't enough seats to go around.
We propose to meet these needs by a program of:· OUniversal early childhood education and child care, Within the public schools-to meet the

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from providing day care under Head Start. They should continue to be excluded in any new early childhood and day care programs.
To meet America's need for a high quality early childhood education and child care program, the AFT calls upon the Congress to enact legislation that includes the following elements: l.Achievement as rapidly as possible of the goal of
free high-quality comprehensive early child care services for all children who need them. Since the program will necese'U'ily require a period of time to get fully underway, gradually increased funds should be provided toward earliest achievement of this goal.
2;CoorcUnationby the public sChools as prime sponsor of a range of programs, including health, nutrition, counseling and other necessa•ry support services and child care in a variety of settings including family and group day care homes.
3.Insistence that all services must meet federal re•quirements and standards as well as all local school and fac1l1ty codes and laws, and that all construction, renovation and repair undertaken under the program must conform to the prevail•
. ing wage standards of the Davis-Bacon Act. 4.Deny1ng profit-making operators eligib1l1ty to receive federal funds.
5.Provision for effective parent involvement in. these programs, Since they are programs parents voluntarily choose.
6.Provision for proper certification and licensing of personnel and fOr tra.ining, retraining and in•service training o( professional and paraprofes•sional staff.
7.Provision for full protection of the job rights and employment conditions of workers in child care programs.
We believe that high quality early childhood ed•ucation and day care can help us begin to solve a number of our pressing social problems: it can re•duceunder-achievement; it can provide health and institutional care for those who ·otherwise might not have it; it can bring parents closer to the schools; it can stimulate school integration by provic1ing quality programs at earlier ages. S~ch a program of education for the very young will bene•fit all of our citizens at every age. (1975)
87. LIFELONG LEARNING II:
A SECOND CHANCE FOR ADUL!r CI!rIZENS

Our nation's adult citizens are in great need of educational opportunities. DMlliions of unemployed need training and
retraining.
DMlliions whO' dropped out of high school or col•lege in their youths are now ready for a second chance.
DMillions of workers seek the opportunity to change fields, or to advance themselves in their present jobs.
DThere is a growing requirement for affirmative action programs in many of our industries, in•cluding education. Career ladder-type programs for women and minority group workers present•ly segregated inlow paying, "dead end" jobs can meet that need.
DEarlier retirement and increased leisure tim~ have created a need and a demand for education•al experiences that improve the quality of life.
DSenior citizens want and need programs to en•rich their lives, to enable them to use their minds and talents instead of wasting away their older years.
oPrisoners, long-term hospitalized persons, as well as other institutionalized individuals, could make a whole different life for themselves if edu•cation were made available to them.
DAnd thousands upon thousands of young adults seeking post-secondary education are deprived of it by rising tuition costs. For every $100 in•crease in tuition, there is a corresponding de•crease in enrollments of between 2 and 3 percent.
DThe public school system and our accredited higher education institutions are uniquely suited to meet these needs. They meet high qual•ity standards. They have the space, the qualified personnel, the know-how, the ability and expe•rience to work with industry and With the public sector in coordinating programs.
AJ"f propofl!es, therefore, a comprehensive pro•gr~m,of adult: education which would include the foilowUig' elements: ... . l.!ruilion costs at higher education institutions
must be reduced.
I.Publicly supported grants, worker sabbaticals, and no-interest loans should be made available to every citizen who wants to resume or continue an education. We support a GI-biU type of pro•gram for all those who have not had the opportu•nity to pursue their education. Such a program would reduce unemployment, increase availabi•lity of post-secondary education, and reduce welfare payments. l'urthermore, it is non-infla•tionary. It pays for itself. Dere is no reason to believe that society would not e~oy the same long-range payoff for a universal GI bill as it did for its predecessor 30 years ago.
3.0pen Admissions programs, with sufficient func1ing and personnel to provide needed reme•diation and inc1ividual aUention, should be made possible at all our public higher education institutions.

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4.Adequate flmding for compnh.nsive, well•
plaDDed and well-developed adult e4ucationpro•
grams in our. pubUc schools and by our pubUc
schools for those cit....ns. who require non•
school based or oth.r diverse programs. S.Career ladder affirmative action programs Uke
the paraprofessional program in ••• York City,
to enable those of our cit"'ens who have been de•
Died opportunity in the past to advance them•


selves through education. (1976)

+ 88. LIJ'ELONG LEABNIl\IG m:
~EACHEBIl\I~EBNSBIP
Teachers, unlike other professionals in our soci•ety, go immediately from a purely theoretical. aca•demic background in a college or university to their initial teaching positions without any signifi•cant on-the-job training.
There are now no true intern programs, only "pseudo-progra.ms," few of which require previ•ous preparation in teaching. Those which do re•quire prior preparation include only conventional courses plus student teaChing.

The result of the traditional approach to pre-ser•vice education is that the problems of the begin•ning teacher are overwhelming. The early years of teaching are frequently the most turbulent, frus•trating, and painful ones. New teachers entering the classroom are confronted with staggering dif•ficulties in immediately taking over full responsi•bilities, without proper preparation, and usually without support. In an elementary school, the teacher is responsible for 30 or more children all day for the entire year. In the secondary school, the teacher may face as many as 160 students in . five different classes each day all year long. These are the same aSSignments expected of an experi•enced teacher. Coupled with the pressures of extra-curricular aSSignments, young teachers be•gin their careers drastically undertrained and ter•riblyoverburdened.
The result is that the teaching profession has an inordinately high dropout rate. An estimated 10 percent of the nation's trained personnel leave teaching each year, feeling that they have failed. Now that the teacher shortage is over, we have a unique opportunity to utilize available teachers and teacher candidates to develop a much-needed new plan for entrance into the profession and for the improvement of teacher training. The Ameri•can Federation of Teachers calls for the deyelop•ment of a genuine internship, one that would occur in reall1fe teaching Situations, similar to those in other professions.
No teacher should become permanently certified
or be given full charge of a classroom unless and
until a program of internship has been completed.
Specifically, beginning teachers should go through a period of up.to three years where they do not have full responsibility for a classroom. OVer that period of time they should have the opportunity to work with experienced teachers who would dem•onstrate various teaching styles and methodolo•gies, exposing the interns to different curricular approaches and providing them. with continuous feedback. Other activities in which interns should be engaged are observations at all levels, atten•dance at school board meetings, working with other school personnel such as guidance counsel•ors and social workers, and participation in cur•riculum development. The internship program, in•volving cooperation with colleges and universities, would also enable experienced teachers to work along with researchers and other colleagues in higher education in important needed research in teacher effectiveness.
Further, we support the posit10ns that:
DThe internship per10d should be preceded by a well-defined, systemat1c program of undergrad•uate training in the knowledge and skills of teaching.
oThe regular teacher with whom the intern works must be given suffiCient time and support to work with those under his or her supervis10n.
DColiege and un1versity programs also should be )

concerned with the preparation of supervisory
personnel and experienced classroom teachers
who work with interns.

DTeacher centers should be established which would serve research needs as well as the needs of teachers on the development of their teaching skills and of experienced teachers in their con•tinuous in-service growth.
DUnder no circumstances would interns replace regular teachers. DThe salaries of interns would be negotiated by the local teacher union.
DAn initial preparatory' certificate would be
granted to admit the intern for a probationary
period of two years. At the conclusion of this
period, permanent certification would be grant•
ed to qualified teachers.

!fhis kind of meaningful teacher internship pro•gram is vitally needed to improve teacher training, and uUimately to improve instruction in our na•tion's classrooms. (1976)
89. I'llEE UlIIIVERSAL EDUCA!fIOJT JlOB
PBBSCBOOLCBXLDBBB

WHEREAS, "Preschool" education has been prov•en to be cost effective: it has lowered inCidences of grade failures, it lowers the incidence of referrals to special education classes, and it increases one's earning potential after high school (see Lazar, We1khart), and

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