The UCM Education Task Force is addressing issues with the Illinois Test of Academic Proficiency. Teachers are one of our country's most valuable assets. The education field needs individuals who have the capacity to, not only master the class materials, but to relate to students. The teaching profession is missing out on some incredible individuals because they are not passing the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) that is required to enter teacher preparation programs.
The successful completion of the TAP does not allow you to enter the teacher program, it just allows you to enter the teacher preparation programs. We think that the minimum score requirements are unnecessarily high.
UCM supports the quote by Dr. James Rosburg: "We must not forget that there is an art in effective teaching. Sometimes our most impactful teachers have not been good test takes but understand the art of teaching."
UCM supports:
changing the minimum TAP score to 20 on the ACT instead of 22
requiring students to complete Teacher Education degree requirements before taking the Illinois Teacher Licensure Exam upon completion of their coursework
