This report examines the ongoing effort to revamp teacher evaluations. After collecting and synthesizing data from 17 states and the District of Columbia, it provides five major lessons for policymakers. New evaluation systems are just one part of sweeping changes in American schools. Because the number and extent of these changes are daunting,…

In the spring of 2008, The New Teacher Project (TNTP) partnered with the Thompson School District (TSD) in Loveland, Colorado, to analyze current teacher staffing practices in the district and make recommendations to further build the concentration of highly effective teachers in TSD schools. TNTP's analysis of policy and practice in TSD…

Building a stronger teacher workforce requires the thoughtful orchestration of multiple processes working together in a human capital system. This white paper presents a framework that can be used to take stock of current efforts to enhance the teacher workforce in school districts or educational organizations, as well as their underlying theories…

Having a quality teacher in the classroom is the most powerful influence on student success. With excellent educators, adequate resources and effective support, Colorado will meet Governor Ritter's goals of decreasing drop-outs, closing the achievement gaps and increasing achievement for all students. Recruiting, hiring, retaining and supporting…

Since the announcement in 1999 of a plan to tie teachers' salary increases to student achievement by Denver Public Schools, there has been a flood of nationwide policy activity around teacher compensation. This paper examines pay plans in Denver, Toledo, Minneapolis, and New York City, offering a snapshot of the changing landscape of teacher…

The Colorado edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the third annual look at state policies impacting the teaching profession. It is hoped that this report will help focus attention on areas where state policymakers can make changes that will have a positive impact on teacher…

The 2+2 Project in Colorado focused on nine areas. In each of the areas, the emphasis was to identify and to pilot the most promising alternative or alternatives to recommend to local school boards, the State Board of Education, and, when appropriate, the state legislature. Topics addressed were: (1) student assessment options; (2) assessment…

The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This Colorado edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state policies…