Over the last decade, policy and business leaders have come to know what parents have always known: teachers are the largest school-based factor in student achievement. Yet not all schools have equal access to the most effective teachers. High-needs schools that serve large proportions of economically disadvantaged and minority students are more…

Studies continue to surface a disheartening fact: while research shows that teachers are key to closing achievement gaps, poor and minority students as well as those in low-performing schools are far less likely to have access to the most experienced and qualified teachers. For instance, although National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) are…

Describes policies and programs that can successfully recruit, prepare, retain, and support a diverse, well-qualified teaching force for all communities, discussing the importance of emphasizing: teacher salaries and supports, improved teacher recruitment and training, quality preservice preparation, streamlined selection and proactive…