Teaching quality is a crucial factor in student success, contributing to students' short- and long-term learning opportunities. High-quality teaching not only contributes to the improvement of student test scores and graduation rates but also gives students a "strong foundation from which to advance and achieve" in the future. Long term, students may have better chances of college and career success and to earn higher incomes, giving them greater ability to save for retirement and reside in higher income neighborhoods, according to evidence in a recent lawsuit. As states continue to grapple with choosing the best policies for ensuring high teaching quality, the use of tenure, dismissal and seniority policies remains a contentious topic. Understanding the debates playing out in "Vergara v. California" and similar lawsuits can help prepare state policymakers and education leaders for similar discussions in their states. This Education Commission of the States policy analysis uses the "Vergara" case as a means to examine the complexities of teacher employment policies and how they may impact student and teacher rights. The report closes with recommendations for policies that offer meaningful alternatives to the all-or-nothing approaches of retaining or eliminating teacher employment protection policies entirely.