A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Next Steps for Communities

What can be done at the local level to address these complex teacher quality issues? The following questions are designed to challenge communities to think about how they might begin. These questions are intended to be thought-provoking and do not have easy answers. They may, however, encourage people to extend themselves beyond their traditional roles and to take action.

• What is our community doing to ensure that high-quality teachers are recruited into the profession? What are we doing to screen for quality up front?
• Are new teachers in our community well prepared? Do they possess the knowledge and skills they need to teach all students to high standards? How do we know? How much clinical experience and involvement in K-12 schools do teacher candidates receive?
• Does our state have rigorous, performance-based assessments for teacher licensing? Do the standards ensure that teachers have the knowledge and skills to teach all students to high standards? How can we find out?
• Are the teachers in our schools certified to teach in their subject areas? Whom should we ask?
• Are teachers in our schools assigned to teach in their subject areas of expertise?
• What are our schools doing to support beginning teachers in order to enhance their performance and ensure their survival?
• Have our schools established rigorous standards for granting tenure and a process that seeks multiple perspectives on a teacher's performance?
• What are we doing to encourage and reward good teaching?
• Do we provide teacher salaries that are competitive with surrounding school districts and with other professions?
• What do our schools do to support teachers' professional growth throughout their careers?
• What are we doing about teachers who are performing poorly?

[Efforts to Address Our Teacher Quality Challenges]

[Next Steps for Teachers]