Accountability, Autonomy, and Academic Freedom in Educator Preparation Programs

As external pressures on teacher education programs mount, including recent federal critiques and requirements, institutions and their faculty must consider how they will respond to calls for increased accountability. This article discusses the legal and policy issues associated with the academic freedom claims that might arise in the current atmosphere of increased accountability and diminished autonomy for teacher education programs. It assesses the institutional academic freedom interests of both public and private institutions. It also addresses the potential outcome of academic freedom claims by individual faculty.