This article addresses the design and application of cost adjustments in state school finance policies intended to compensate local public school districts for differences in the costs of recruiting and retaining teachers. Broadly speaking, the state policy objective for including cost adjustments to state aid for such things as teacher cost…

Although the theory of the market is well understood, little is known about how for-profit schools will operate in practice. This paper considers why for-profit schooling has developed during the current period and not before (e.g., entrepreneurs must compete against heavily subsidized public schools, which limits their ability to charge prices…

There is much discussion of the shortage of qualified teachers and the need for teacher recruitment, but punishment strategies legislated in many states to motivate teachers to do the extraordinary are also publicized. There are positive approaches that can be used to motivate teachers, including improving facilities and classroom conditions,…

School boards are responsible for assessing candidates for the superintendency and should approach this task the same way a business does. For all candidates: interview several times, examine their history, check their credentials, and arrange for a psychological assessment. (MLF)

Discusses issues involved in preparing teachers for an ethnically diverse pupil population. Recommendations for improving the preparation of an ethnically diverse teaching force are made for public school educators, university personnel, state legislators and educational agency personnel, educational organizations, and community and business…

In the flurry of activity surrounding the implementation of No Child Left Behind's (NCLB) student proficiency mandates, the federal requirement to have a "highly qualified" teacher in every classroom by 2005 seemed like an impossible goal. However, 2005 has come and gone and the highly qualified teacher crisis never happened. In this…

Summarizes main points of four recent critiques of American education, comments on each point, and concludes by suggesting weaknesses of the reports. (RH)

Discusses the problems of using alternative certification for public school teachers and explains why this departure from traditional teacher education is not a simple solution for bolstering the ranks of quality teachers. Issues surrounding recruitment, preparation, and teacher shortages in urban schools are also addressed. (GR)

This article documents the teacher shortage, explains its effects on urban schools, presents contributing factors, and offers potential interventions. Argues that urban schools, where many students are perennial underachievers, will be most adversely affected by the teacher shortage. (Contains 39 footnotes.) (AUTHOR)

Educational reform movements--changes in state policies about teacher quality and recruitment and the professionalization of teaching--and their impact on the teacher labor market of the coming century are discussed. Four studies of teachers, teacher persistence, recruitment, and school district hiring practices are discussed. (JL)

Examines how school financial policies affect economic incentives and working conditions for teachers and how these policies might serve to make the teaching profession more attractive to new and experienced teachers. Particular consideration is given to the California public school system. (DR)

Describes a Nebraska case where a signing bonus awarded to a new teacher was contested by the teachers' association. Provides a two-part legal reminder to school authorities. Does the state have a collective bargaining law that mandates bargaining in such situations? If so, negotiate the matter into a clearly provable agreement. (Author/MLF)

Examines the demographic forces fueling the teacher shortage in public elementary and secondary schools, the trend toward state adoption of teacher-performance standards, and federal-policy trends in teacher education and licensing. Argues that because of the decline in tenure-track positions in higher education, doctorate-holders might be an…

Parents of students with disabilities want the same access to educational opportunities as parents of students without disabilities. This "right" to particular services and learning environments is securely supported by federal regulations and policies in all schools, including charter schools. However, in the work of Fierros and…

Discusses the institutional and organizational environment of schools of choice in the public sector, focusing on the role of the principal. The principal's leadership role is that of middle manager, entrepreneur responsible for attracting and holding parents and students, and symbol manager, responsible for developing an organizational…