What happens when school leaders are allowed to abandon “step and lane” pay scales

Posted on September 27, 2022September 27, 2022 by coreeducation

Writing for the Fordham Institute, Amber Northern recently reviewed what happened after the British government abandoned step and lane pay scales for teachers. Excerpts from the piece appear below. In 2013, the British government ended the use of “annual progression” pay scales for teachers. These were similar to U.S.-style “step and lane” models but were Read more about What happens when school leaders are allowed to abandon “step and lane” pay scales[…]

The Certification Maze

Posted on March 9, 2017March 4, 2017 by coreeducation

Teachers often can’t easily get a teaching job in a new state – usually because of confusing bureaucracy, a battery of expensive exams, and complex rules about which university courses will be accepted. There is little research showing these rules lead to better teachers, but some evidence that they harm students and push teachers to Read more about The Certification Maze[…]

The New Normal in K-12 Education

Posted on February 29, 2016February 26, 2016 by coreeducation

A recent blog by Third Way examines several issues in education policy and reveals the outdated logic and arguments that are being used to debate modern issues. This stagnation in conversation not only threatens our ability to move forward with the best policies for our nation’s students, but it also has had the unintended consequence Read more about The New Normal in K-12 Education[…]

We Are #TEACH STRONG

Posted on January 11, 2016January 11, 2016 by coreeducation

To create the excellent and equitable education that America’s students deserve, teachers must work to prepare students for a competitive, globalized market. As a result, we are asking more from our teachers than ever before. Yet we continue to provide them with preparation, training, and pay that aren’t designed to meet these changing demands. TeachStrong Read more about We Are #TEACH STRONG[…]

NCTQ releases the 2015 State Teacher Policy Yearbook

Posted on January 5, 2016December 23, 2015 by coreeducation

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) recently released the 2015 report on State Teacher Policy. The report summarizes how the states are doing in developing policies that improve the teaching profession. The 2015 State Teacher Policy Yearbook provides a 360-degree analysis of every state law, rule, and regulation that shapes the teaching profession—from teacher Read more about NCTQ releases the 2015 State Teacher Policy Yearbook[…]

Teaching Experience Matters More Than We Used to Think

Posted on July 7, 2015September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

Two new research studies that evaluated vast amounts of data both concluded that teachers continue to improve over the course of their careers. The prevailing wisdom from previous research, which many teachers and teachers unions have disputed, said that teachers improved in their first several years of teaching, but then plateaued. The studies looked at Read more about Teaching Experience Matters More Than We Used to Think[…]

Vergara and the Complexities of Teacher Employment Policies — an ECS Policy Analysis

Posted on June 9, 2015June 4, 2015 by coreeducation

Teacher employment policies — tenure, dismissal and seniority — have been debated for years, but with recent cases playing out in the courts the disputes have been elevated to new levels. What is best for students and teachers is a complex topic with varying view. This Education Commission of the States policy analysis uses the Read more about Vergara and the Complexities of Teacher Employment Policies — an ECS Policy Analysis[…]

There Isn’t Really a Mass Exodus of Good Teachers

Posted on March 26, 2015September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

There is no systemic evidence that all the best teachers are leaving. In fact the opposite appears to be true. More research and more years of data, are needed, but early results seem promising that evaluation is playing a positive role in keeping the best educators. Numbers have already been crunched on teacher retention and Read more about There Isn’t Really a Mass Exodus of Good Teachers[…]

CALDER Conversations: Implications of Tenure Reform Lawsuits

Posted on December 2, 2014November 29, 2014 by coreeducation

Tenure and tenure reform are in the news of late given the Vergara decision in California and similar efforts challenging tenure laws in New York. Teachers unions argue that current statutes suffice for removing underperforming teachers. Some student advocates argue that these laws are not sufficient because students must endure underperforming teachers for too long. Read more about CALDER Conversations: Implications of Tenure Reform Lawsuits[…]

Rebalancing Teacher Tenure

Posted on October 30, 2014October 25, 2014 by coreeducation

Nearly everyone agrees that all students deserve a quality education, and that teachers deserve reasonable job protections. But Vergara v. California threw a spotlight on a hard truth: The balance has swung too far toward job protections for adults, at the expense of the rights of children. Tenure doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. TNTP believes Read more about Rebalancing Teacher Tenure[…]

Ending Teacher Tenure Would Have Little Impact on its Own

Posted on October 9, 2014October 4, 2014 by coreeducation

Matthew M. Chingos of The Brookings Institution has written a compelling new piece arguing that ending teacher tenure would have little impact on its own. Tenure for public school teachers is increasingly under attack, with the Vergara v. California judge ruling in June that “both students and teachers are unfairly, unnecessarily and for no legally Read more about Ending Teacher Tenure Would Have Little Impact on its Own[…]

Carnegie Report Examines Lack of Experience in the Teacher Workforce

Posted on April 21, 2014 by coreeducation

A new report from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching highlights the causes for and consequences of a relatively inexperienced teacher workforce, as well as promising practices in response to this reality. The high number of inexperienced teachers in public school classrooms is a largely unrecognized problem that undermines school stability, slows educational Read more about Carnegie Report Examines Lack of Experience in the Teacher Workforce[…]

Vergara vs. California: Teachers Unions on Trial

Posted on March 3, 2014 by coreeducation

An oft-cited question in education circles is how much poorly-performing teachers are able to continue to collect paychecks because of tenure systems and powerful teachers’ unions. This question becomes even more contentious when it is combined with the argument that more poorly performing teachers usually teach at underprivileged schools. In other words, the inability for Read more about Vergara vs. California: Teachers Unions on Trial[…]

Teacher Evaluation Policies Becoming Increasingly Rigorous

Posted on December 10, 2013December 10, 2013 by coreeducation

A new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality indicates that by and large, teacher evaluations are becoming more stringent. The “State of the State” report is entitled, “Connect the Dots: Using evaluations of teacher effectiveness to inform policy and practice.” The report suggests that 35 states and DC require student achievement (often measured Read more about Teacher Evaluation Policies Becoming Increasingly Rigorous[…]

At Charter Schools, Short Careers by Choice

Posted on September 26, 2013September 12, 2020 by coreeducation

In an age of Teach For America, value-added teacher evaluations, and new challenges for teachers such as teaching to Common Core, teacher tenure is as big of an issue as ever. Many studies show that experienced teachers are more proficient, although there is some evidence that teachers can stagnate over time. In addition, the baby Read more about At Charter Schools, Short Careers by Choice[…]

The Way We Talk: Professionalism

Posted on August 17, 2013 by coreeducation

Conor Williams of the Education Policy Program at the New America Foundation takes on those in the “teacher professionalism” camp of education reform. In an article sparked by Harvard Education Professor Jal Mehta’s new book and article, “Why American Education Fails: And How Lessons From Abroad Could Improve It”, Williams speculates that the concept of Read more about The Way We Talk: Professionalism[…]