Benchmarks 2000

Getting Beyond Talk: State Leadership Needed to Improve Teacher Quality

By Lynn M. Cornett

Better preparation for first-time teachers and high-quality, continuing professional development for veteran teachers are among the biggest challenges for SREB states as they strive to raise student achievement. This report highlights selected policy recommendations by the SREB since the 1980s, outlines key policy areas that need attention and provides examples of actions in the 16 SREB states to make needed changes. Efforts by governors and state legislators in the 1990s "to fix problems" show that more work needs to be done. As leaders in one state noted, "we have many programs but no system."

Keywords: teacher education, teacher quality, teacher accountability, school/college partnership, teacher licensure, state policy

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