The State Colleges have already commenced campus reviews of the respective education curriculum. Each president is committed to this review and appropriate modifications will be made in order to better prepare our graduates to be competent, well educated contributors to the teaching profession.

The Massachusetts Council of Presidents consists of the Chief Executive Officers of the nine State Colleges in the system. Each college has a Board of Trustees appointed by the Governor and works within the policies established by the Board of Higher Education of Massachusetts.

The Council maintains an Executive Office at Worcester State College. The Office can be reached by calling (508) 929-8070.

COUNCIL OF STATE COLLEGE PRESIDENTS
POINTS OF AGREEMENT ON TEACHER EDUCATION

1. The grade point average of all students admitted into the teacher education programs should be 3.0(B) or better. Colleges establish other criteria for admissions that assess the literacy competence and motivational aspects of teacher candidates.
   

2. Before student teaching, students should pass the communication and literacy portion of the Massachusetts Teachers Examination. Post-baccalaureate certificate students must pass both literacy and subject matter tests before student teaching.
   

3. All students should have a liberal arts major as well as adequate preparation in pedagogy appropriate to the level in which they wish to teach.
   

4. There should be a generous financial incentive program for those who commit themselves to a minimum of five years of service as a teacher in the Commonwealth.
   

5. The Board and each college will work cooperatively to develop programs of support to promote and nurture minority teacher candidates.
   

6. The Board of Higher Education works closely with the Board of Education to secure an independent opinion from a national panel of experts on the current testing instrument.
   

7. The colleges wish to participate in any formal system-wide oversight review the Board of Higher Education might develop.
   

8. Standards established by the Board of Education regarding teacher education programs should apply to all institutions in the State.
   

9. Any teacher graduate wishing to take the certification test must first be recommended by the college. Any student taking the test, but not recommended college shall not be counted as one affiliated with the college.
   

10. The Board of Higher Education and each college will work in concert to determine conditional admissions criteria for students with unique accomplishments that give evidence that they could become outstanding classroom teachers.

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