Describes disparity in teacher supply (shortages versus surpluses) among states, school districts, and teaching fields. Discusses reasons for these disparities and describes some successful and unsuccessful strategies and policy reforms to recruit more qualified teachers. (Contains 21 references.) (PKP)

In this monograph, the authors describe Connecticut's long-term efforts to implement a comprehensive set of teaching quality policies to support improved student learning. The authors begin by describing the 15-year evolution of policies designed to recruit, prepare, and support teachers, while also creating greater accountability for the…

Discusses research related to the cost, causes, and consequences of teacher attrition especially in high-poverty schools. Includes four major factors influencing teacher attrition: Salaries, working conditions, teacher preparation, and mentor support. Draws implications for educational policy and practice. (Contains 28 references.) (PKP)

Discussion of educational reform at the K-12 level focuses on current pressures for high standards, the needs of the diverse student body, and testing as the measure of achievement. Suggests higher education's role is, first, to educate powerful teachers and, second, to collaborate in efforts to redesign educational forms and develop standards of…

Describes five case studies of high-performing public schools that have organized professional resources in innovative ways. Outlines principles of successful resource allocation. Presents a framework and methodology for examining a school's current use of resources. (MAK)

Data about teachers and about the content and methods of teaching are most critical to understanding the conditions of education. Spotty evidence about two recent trends have produced a waft of legislation concerning teacher education, certification, and compensation across the United States. The first consists of data suggesting that the academic…

Competing notions of education are reviewed. The progressivist notion is individualistic and aims at self-actualization, whereas the more conservative perspective emphasizes a mechanistic approach in which some students' full potential may not be realized. To accommodate student differences, curricula must be treated as useful guidelines to…

This paper focuses on the need for, and the conditions necessary to maintain, a racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse teaching force, stressing the importance of culturally responsive teaching. It begins by describing what can be accomplished through diverse learning communities. Next, it offers a comprehensive look at the demographics…

The new teacher education programs envision professional teachers as continuous learners rather than "finished" products. Teachers must understand subject matter deeply and flexibly so they can help students create useful cognitive maps, relate ideas, and address misconceptions. Teachers need opportunities for year-long apprenticeships,…

Examines the use of educational indicators to serve educational policy ends, the potential benefits and dangers of various uses, and how to forge guidelines for appropriate relationships between indicators and policy. Indicators should not be used as administrative controls or policy levers, but to illuminate educational activities and processes…

The goals of education for the next century require a new conception of accountability, one that seeks to create responsible and responsive schools. This volume tries to outline such a conception of learner-centered accountability, and show how it looks in action in real schools. The first chapter provides a conceptual overview of a…

If the findings of recent research are any guide, the dollars that are now spent on security devices and personnel, and the educational time now lost by involving teachers and administrators in expanding security programs, would be better spent on strategies for making schools more humane places in which learning can take place. We should look for…

Research focused on the number and kind of assaults and criminal incidents; the extent and costs of vandalism; the number and type of security personnel and equipment; the incidence and causes of suspensions and expulsions; alternatives to suspensions and expulsions employed; and local perceptions of remedies for these problems. (Author/EB)

The rewards and sanctions accompanying performance-based pay and promotion programs will not be valued or given credibility as long as teacher evaluations are not approached professionally. The effect of treating teachers as bureaucrats or professionals, the limits of bureaucratic evaluation, and the demands of professional evaluation are…

Responds to an article that claims the National Commission on Teaching and America's future has misinterpreted research data and findings regarding reform of teacher preparation and licensing. The article responds to each charge, examines how the critique misinterprets research findings, and argues for professional teaching standards as a key…