With the goal of improving student learning, TPI-US reviews teacher preparation programs to determine how the programs can expand their promising practices and address areas of improvement.

This is What We Do.

Program Inspections

Driving Continuous Improvement in Teacher Preparation

Teacher quality is the single most important school-based factor in student success. While schools may offer professional development for their teachers, the quality of a teacher’s initial preparation has lasting impacts on their effectiveness in the classroom. That’s why we focus on the quality of preparation that pre-service teachers receive. Since 2013, our inspection process has supported over 28,000 new teachers across 26 states, ultimately impacting more than 1,000,000 K-12 students.


Our inspections provide teacher preparation programs with independent, evidence-backed feedback that highlights strengths, identifies areas for growth, and sets the stage for lasting improvement. Before programs can truly improve, they need clear, evidence-based insights into what’s working and what needs to improve.

What We Do

  • Every inspection is conducted by a team of trained reviewers who take a comprehensive 360-degree view of the program. This includes observing coursework, examining program data, and meeting with a wide range of stakeholders—faculty, graduates, candidates, school leaders, district officials, and mentor teachers. Teams also spend time in classrooms observing candidates teach, paying particular attention to the impact of instruction on student learning.


  • At the close of each day, the inspection team conducts a verbal debrief of the day’s activities, observations, and collected evidence. In doing so, the team offers a transparent window into emerging trends and eventual findings. This openness encourages faculty and staff to participate in the process by clarifying details or providing context to emerging findings. 


  • At the close of the visit, the team’s lead inspector shares a summary of strengths and areas for growth, walking through the evidence that supports each judgment. Programs also receive a written report that mirrors this conversation and offers a clear roadmap for improvement.

Benefits of Program Inspections

  • Accelerating Improvement
    The TPI-US inspection process moves beyond compliance to shared responsibility in preparing future teachers. Rooted in quality improvement and guided by evidence-based practices, our inspections animate the belief that strong systems drive strong results. TPI-US provides clear, actionable recommendations to support program growth and enhance student learning.

  • Supporting Program Leadership
    Objective, external feedback provides program leaders with a strong platform for decision-making. Inspection reports engage teams in the continuous improvement process, clarify priorities, and guide actionable steps to enhance program quality.

  • Informing States and Funders
    Aggregated inspection data reveals patterns across multiple providers, helping states and philanthropies identify promising practices and guide policy decisions.         No organization knows more about the quality of teacher preparation in the U.S. than TPI-US.

Our Commitment

We are proud to serve as a trusted partner in strengthening teacher preparation across the nation. With every inspection, our goal is simple: better-prepared teachers, stronger programs, and improved outcomes for K-12 students.


Learn more about our work → info@tpius.org