Providing teachers with data-driven feedback, aligned professional development and opportunities for advancement may help limit attrition, contribute to more effective teaching, and improve student learning. However, research shows that much of the professional development teachers currently receive does not improve either teacher or student…

This study examines the impact of a federal Teacher Incentive Fund grant award that expanded a partnership between Cross County School District and the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) to create systems that support ongoing, continuous improvement for teachers. Through the implementation of the TAP System for Teacher and…

This report offers state leaders key areas for action to continue progress in implementing evaluation systems, even as federal policies on teacher evaluation relax state requirements. The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) offers its current best thinking for how state agencies can make the smartest use of funds, time and partners to refine…

The use of performance-based pay, or merit pay, has become a topic of increased focus in education circles in recent years. Questions about the effectiveness of these types of programs, coupled with a variety of criticisms about the benefits of merit pay, have resulted in teachers viewing this type of incentive structure with much skepticism. In…

The Arkansas Department of Education Co-teaching Project was designed to assist Arkansas schools in the implementation of more inclusive service delivery models for students with disabilities. The project began due to a need to increase the number of students being served in less restrictive environments, but evolved into a systematic statewide…

The 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" provided a comprehensive review of states' policies that impact the teaching profession. As a companion to last year's comprehensive state-by-state analysis, the 2010 edition provides each state with an individualized "Blueprint for Change," building off last year's "Yearbook"…

The Vocational-Technical Division of the Arkansas Department of Education has developed a personnel development program for nondegreed instructors employed in postsecondary vocational-technical schools in Arkansas. A professional development committee made up of the instructor, a supervisor of instruction, and a university teacher educator helps…

For five years running, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has tracked states' teacher policies, preparing a detailed and thorough compendium of teacher policy in the United States on topics related to teacher preparation, licensure, evaluation, career advancement, tenure, compensation, pensions and dismissal. The "2011 State…

This publication presents information from an April 1999 meeting of the National Partnership for Excellence and Accountability in Teaching and Learning and the Learning First Alliance, which brought together representatives of schools and districts where outstanding faculty development was underway. This guide presents the story that these…

Describes a project conducted in a reading methods course for preservice elementary education students to model how technology can be incorporated into the curriculum to facilitate learning as well as provide hands-on experiences with computer applications. The project involved corresponding with third-graders by means of electronic mail. (SD)

During the 1979-80 school year, the Arkansas Department of Education, in cooperation with institutions of higher education and local education agencies, initiated a comprehensive staff development and instructional supervision program in school districts throughout the state. The purpose of the program, called Program for Effective Teaching (PET),…

This document explores whether state certification of adult educators can contribute to a more professional work force. The document begins by listing perceived advantages and disadvantages of certification and defining certification. The following reasons for supporting certification are presented: assuring professional competence; promoting…