The Challenge of Teacher Quality

Author: Hurwitz, N., Hurwitz, S.
Publisher: National School Boards Association
Publication Date: 2005, April
Journal: American School Board Journal (ASBJ)
Full text available online at: http://www.asbj.com/achievement/0405asbjhurwitz.pdf

Abstract (written by WestEd)

The authors present several issues surrounding teacher shortages including:

  • defining what a highly qualified teacher is
  • determining what a preservice/teacher education program needs to have to prepare highly qualified teachers
  • identifying what new teachers need and how to provide it
  • linking pay to performance
  • the role of seniority in labor agreements
They provide nine suggestions for recruiting, retaining, and motivating new teachers, and they advocate that school boards and unions need to work closely together, rather than adversarily, to improve teacher effectiveness. They describe two school districts — Elk Grove (CA) Unified School District and Denver — that implemented this model succesfully to attract and retain qualified teachers.



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