Teacher Preparation, Then and Now

Lau v. Nichols and Teacher Education

The use of political power to influence educational policy has been well documented. Unfortunately, interest groups do not necessarily lobby for educational changes that benefit all young people or promote democratic principles, social justice, or ensure equal access to learning. Changes in teacher education requirements reflect this reality in many ways. Until the 1974 Supreme Court decision in Lau v. Nichols, the assumption within the educational system was that children and their families bore most of the responsibility to learn English. Their failure to do so, it was assumed, meant that they would not be able to participate fruitfully in the experience of formal schooling. The Lau decision turned that assumption on its head. The Court was clear that if the schools were to require English for graduation, as is the case in California, then the schools had a responsibility to teach that language to its students. Only in this way could it be ensured that English language learners (ELLs) would have a chance at learning the content of instruction, not merely the language of the dominant group.

Lau did little to affect the preparation of teachers around the nation. Although it was eventually realized that the intent of the Court could not be met without changing the ways teachers are trained, it has taken time to change the highly regulated undergraduate programs that future teachers must undergo before they enter the classroom as credentialed teachers. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and its requirements calling for “highly qualified teachers” has also contributed to this realization, if not directly to the structure of teacher education. Still, there remains some [Page 814]distance to go before the “sink or swim” imperative is eliminated from schools that serve ELLs.

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