Nations around the world are experimenting with ways to use salary incentives to recruit and retain teachers, fill vacancies in hard-to-staff areas, and improve student learning. These experiments come at a time when qualified teachers are in short supply and when teaching appears to be a less popular professional choice for young people. Programs…

A Hudson Institute study claims school administration is top-heavy. Actually, U.S. teachers constitute 78% of the instructional staff, which includes principals, assistant principals, librarians, and counselors. A 1998 OECD report shows that some nations have surpassed the U.S. graduation rate. The U.S. spends the most on higher education. (MLH)

Michael Kirst's article "Strengths and Weaknesses of American Education" in the April 1993 "Kappan" applauds U.S. efforts to become globally competitive. However, assembling cars in Mexico or exporting jobs to Korea blurs the distinction between national/corporate "teams." The issue is not talent but cheap talent.…

Describes United States literacy characteristics, based on April 2000 reports from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement. Discusses Angoff methods for evaluating validity of high-stakes testing programs in Massachusetts and Virginia. (MLH)