We report on the 2008 study by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on teacher retention and attrition in South African public schools, with a focus on North-West Province. Data from the study show that some teachers prefer to leave the teaching profession for promotion posts in non-teaching areas within the education sector, while others…

State and national initiatives attempt to increase the quantity and quality of secondary mathematics and science teachers. Research suggests that if one could appeal to something inside of people or about the process of teaching and learning itself, then one might draw current mathematics and science graduate students into secondary teaching. This…

Teachers are never free from metaphor. Whether or not they consciously design and choose their own comparisons, teachers' work is continually constructed in metaphorical terms, perhaps more so than any other profession. Like Kristy, whose course of study was determined by a television ad lasting less than a minute, teachers and potential teachers…

Building a stronger teacher workforce requires the thoughtful orchestration of multiple processes working together in a human capital system. This white paper presents a framework that can be used to take stock of current efforts to enhance the teacher workforce in school districts or educational organizations, as well as their underlying theories…

California's education system--the largest in the United States--is an essential resource for ensuring strong economic growth in the state. The Career Technical Education Pathways Initiative (referred to as the Initiative in this report), which became law in 2005, brings together community colleges, K-12 school districts, employers, organized…

One of the competitive priorities of the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top applications addressed science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). States that applied were required to submit plans that addressed rigorous courses of study, cooperative partnerships to prepare and assist teachers in STEM content, and prepare…

As a consequence of the federal "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) law, there is tremendous pressure on school principals, teachers, school superintendents, district staff, state departments of education and governors to maximize the increase in student achievement that is obtained with every dollar of expenditure. Currently, teachers are…

There is growing evidence that, of all school resources, teachers have the largest impact on student achievement. Principals arguably play the most important role in ensuring that excellent teaching occurs in their school. How principals hire teachers, assign them to specific positions, evaluate them, and provide growth opportunities for them…

This article discusses the development and implementation of the Commonwealth Teacher Recruitment Protocol, which was adopted in September 2004. Following a review of the contextual issues of international teacher migration, the challenges of teacher recruitment are discussed. Key features of the Protocol are highlighted and discussed with regard…

Teach For America (TFA) aims to address teacher shortages by sending graduates from elite colleges, most of whom do not have a background in education, to teach in low-income rural and urban schools for a two-year commitment. The impact of these graduates is hotly debated by those who, on the one hand, see this as a way to improve the supply of…

Teacher quality research and the study of teacher effects received renewed attention and emphasis with Sanders and Rivers' (1996) startling finding that teacher effects are both additive and cumulative, persisting up to an estimated two years after the student has left the teacher's classroom. Sanders and Rivers estimated that a student receiving…

This study inquires into whether prospective English language teachers consider the central exam, KPSS (The Selection Examination for Professional Posts in Public Organizations) valid to select and recruit English language teachers, and what suggestions they have concerning the improvement of the exam. The findings indicate that the majority of…

Preparing all students to succeed in today's increasingly global economy and complex world requires a shift from a teacher-centric culture to learner-centered instruction, according to a new report from the Alliance for Excellent Education. This report examines the characteristics of learner-centered instruction and the support that educators and…

Staffing each classroom with an effective teacher is the most important function of a school district. Doing so requires strategic personnel policies and smart practices. This analysis reviews the Seattle Public Schools' teacher policies linked most directly to teacher effectiveness. Ten policy goals frame the analysis. Each of these goals is…

The research literature suggests that the existence of trust and strong working relationships between staff are precursors for school improvement (Bryk & Schneider, 2003). Without strong social relations or feelings of trust between school leaders and faculty, school improvement efforts can fail. Within high schools, principals have a critical…