The U.S. Department of Education and teacher colleges are moving closer to agreement on a package of rules that would hold teacher-preparation programs accountable for their graduates’ employment outcomes and performance as teachers in the classroom. Under the proposed rules, states would be required to evaluate programs based on their graduates’ job-placement and retention rates, the academic “growth” of their future students (per test scores), and customer-satisfaction surveys. Only programs deemed “effective” or “exceptional” by the states would be eligible to award federal Teach Grants, which provide up to $4,000 a year to students who plan to work in high-need areas.