The Nebraska Council on Teacher Education (NCTE) was established in 1947 to improve and standardize the preparation of teachers in Nebraska.  It started as a voluntary organization with membership representing the Nebraska State Education Association, the Nebraska Congress of Parents and Teachers, the Nebraska Association of County Superintendents, the Nebraska Association of School Boards, and the Nebraska Association for Better Education.

In 1979, the composition of the Council was given formal structure by then Commissioner of Education, Anne Campbell.  Equal representation was given to practicing teachers, higher education, and school governance, each with 34 official representatives.  Total membership totaled 150 members.

In 1987, the State Board of Education legally constituted the body based on new statutory language.  The membership was reduced to one representative from each college/university teacher preparation institution, an equal number of practicing teachers, an equal number of governance representatives (administrators and local school board members), a representative from the Nebraska Council on American Private Education, and two representatives from the Nebraska Department of Education.

Some accomplishments of the Council are:

• Program approval standards for teacher education programs have been strengthened and placed in Rules 20 and 24.

• Certification processes have been revised and placed in Rule 21.

• A significant number of the NCTE members have been trained in the NCATE accreditation process so that more consistency is provided for the college program review process.

• High standards for the preparation of teachers and administrators are maintained through seven-year reviews and revisions of the endorsements.  Each year, approximately 200 people, including local administrators, school board members, teachers, content specialists, parents, college/university faculty, and representatives from the Nebraska Department of Education serve on ad hoc committees to review and update content area endorsements.

• Recommendations to strengthen the recruitment, retention and renewal of a quality teaching force have been made to the State Board of Education and the Nebraska Legislature.

• Communication and working relationships between college/university teacher preparation institutions and public and private K-12 schools are more collaborative.

The Nebraska State Education Association, college and university faculty, K-12 school administrators and board members, and the Nebraska Department of Education have worked as partners toward systemic change in improving the quality of education in Nebraska.  These collaborative relationships have been instrumental in the statewide systemic change that occurs for Nebraska students at all levels.