National Standards for Teachers of
Family and Consumer Sciences

An overarching model of excellence for what a beginning
family and consumer sciences teacher
should know and be able to do

A project of the National Association of Teacher Educators for Family and Consumer Sciences (NATEFACS),
an affiliate of the Family and Consumer Sciences Division of the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE)

 

NATEFACS
National Association of Teacher Educators for Family and Consumer Sciences

 

Beginning in 2002, the officers of the National Association of Teacher Educators for Family and Consumer Sciences (NATEFACS) coordinated an effort to develop National Standards for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences. The process involved a series of meetings and communications including FACS professionals in various roles from across the United States. This process is outlined below.

The Standards were approved by the NATEFACS members in December 2004. An initial Standards document is available at the NATEFACS website, at http://www.natefacs.org/nationalstandards.htm

A more formal publication with additional information on the standards will be available early in 2006.

Project Leadership Team:

Scroll down for further information.


2005 Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Educator Conference
Implementing the National Standards for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences
organized by the
National Association of Teacher Educators for Family and Consumer Sciences (NATEFACS)
An affiliate of the Family and Consumer Sciences Division, Association for Career and Technical Education

Friday, September 30, 4:00 p.m. through Sunday October 2, 2:00 p.m.
Indianapolis Adam's Mark Airport Hotel

Registration Deadline: September 9, 2005
$100 registration fee includes meeting space and all meals except Saturday dinner
Hotel conference rates ($89 single or double) guaranteed only until August 30, 2005

Registration Form (.pdf file)
Form includes hotel information and other details

Draft Agenda (.pdf file)

If you have questions about conference registration, contact Wanda Fox at wfox@purdue.edu or 765-494-7291


Project Documents

National Standards for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences
This link takes you to the NATEFACS website, where a link is provided to a 2-page .pdf document with background information and the complete text of the approved Standards.

Project Goals and Background Information (.pdf document)
A 1-page overview of the proposed outcomes and parameters for the project.

Purposes and Benefits (.pdf document)
A brief, 2-page paper that explains purposes and benefits of developing National Standards for Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences. Includes references.

 

Summary of Development Process

  • A "Development Panel" meeting was held September 19-21, 2003 in Indianapolis. A group of 39 family and consumer sciences educators from 25 states gathered to discuss the purpose, structure, and content of the standards. This group built on information shared and discussed during conference sessions at the December 2002 ACTE meeting in Las Vegas and at the June 2003 AAFCS meeting in Washington, D.C.

  • The leadership team developed a draft version of the Standards, based on input from a Development Panel subcommittee. This version was provided to the Development Panel for review and input.

  • Project updates were shared and information gathered from more than 50 people who attended a conference session at the ACTE meeting in Orlando on Saturday afternoon December 13.

  • The leadership team developed a revised version of the Standards, distributed this to the Development Panel, obtained input and continued revision.

  • Leadership team members provided an update on the project at the National Association of State Admininstrators for Family and Consumer Sciences (NASAFACS) meeting April 30-May 1, 2004. Participants reviewed and provided input on the current draft.

  • Over 100 people attended a 3-hour workshop, "Examining Teacher Standards Leading to Best Practices," held in conjunction with the 2004 American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Annual Convention in San Diego. The session included an overview of the Standards-development process, opportunity for individual review and written feedback on the June 2004 version, small group discussion, and group reports.

  • Input obtained during spring and summer 2004 was used by a work group that met in September 2004 to develop the next version of the Standards.

  • In October 2004, the revised version was distributed via an online survey to nearly 300 people who had attended previous conference sessions or had otherwise indicated interest in the Standards.

  • A second "Development Panel" meeting was held in Indianapolis October 29-31, 2004. The participants (36 individuals from 20 states) examined the input from the online survey and the spring and summer conferences. They carefully deliberated and reached consensus on a revised version of the Standards. Subsequently, outside persons knowledgeable of accreditation processes, Development Panel members, and the Leadership Team further reviewed and refined the document, resulting in a "final draft" version.

  • Early in December, 2004, the "final draft" version of the Standards was approved by members of the primary sponsoring organization, the National Association of Teacher Educators for Family and Consumer Sciences (NATEFACS) through an email ballot. This approval was announced at the association's annual meeting on December 10, 2004.

  • The Standards document was distributed and discussed at an educational session held on December 11, 2004 at the 2004 Association of Career and Techical Education (ACTE) convention in Las Vegas and on June 25, 2005 at the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences convention in Minneapolis, as part of the Family and Consumer Sciences Education Association luncheon. (A handout with the slides used in this presentation will be available at this site soon.)

  • The Standards have been endorsed by the Family and Consumer Sciences Division of the Association for Career and Technical Education. They are now being distibuted to other family and consumer sciences professional organizations for their anticipated endorsement.

  • A publication will be developed during 2005 that provides the Standards, along with background information and rationale for the Standards, description of the development process, and implementation examples for various types of teacher education programs.

  • The next phase will be mplementing the Standards in various state and institutional settings and fostering their use for program accreditation. Interested individuals are invited to participate in national collaborations related to Standards implementation.

   

Created and maintained by Wanda Fox. Last update: August 22, 2005 .