PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) Speeches/Meeting Papers (150)

This paper examines the efforts of a university teacher preparation program working in collaboration with the faculty of a rural high school to provide a professional development model of preparing future teachers. The key elements of the partnership model are based on Goodlad's four functions of partner schools: preparing educators, providing professional development, conducting inquiry, and providing an exemplary education to all students. Valley High School (Colorado) is one of five partner high schools that have affiliated with the University of Northern Colorado's Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP). This paper describes the following aspects of STEP: (1) formation and development of the university-school partnership, including planning and state support; (2) program design in four phases, ranging from exploration of teaching and foundational issues to full-time student teaching; (3) expectations for competence in special education in each of the four phases; (4) incentive