May 18, 2008
TEXT SIZE

Teacher Quality


Strengthening Teacher Quality

Research indicates that no other school-related factor has a greater impact on student achievement than the ability of the student’s teacher, which has led to an increased focus on this issue by Congress.

Why Is This Important To Your School District?

Teacher quality is inextricably linked to improving student achievement, and school districts nationwide face challenges involving teacher recruitment and retention, particularly in high-need subjects and hard-to-staff schools. Although hiring decisions are the responsibility of local school districts, Congress can assist districts and states in recruiting, supporting and retaining qualified and effective teachers.

NSBA's Position: Congress should support efforts to help districts strengthen teacher quality.

  • Assist districts and states in recruiting and retaining qualified and effective teachers through federal incentives and grants, with a specific focus on hard-to-staff schools and high-need subjects.
  • Improve the Highly Qualified Teacher requirements in NCLB by streamlining existing requirements and incorporating practical flexibility, especially for teachers of multiple core subjects, special education and in rural schools.
  • Assist districts and states in strengthening professional development by redirecting a portion of NCLB's sanctions toward professional development programs.
  • Support alternative certification programs to broaden the pool of new and effective teacher candidates.
  • Strengthen teacher preparation programs and ensure alignment with NCLB requirements.
  • Facilitate and disseminate quality research and best practices on effective teaching.

What's Happening Now in Congress?

There are several legislative vehicles we are following that address teacher quality:

  • Both the House and Senate have passed their versions of the Higher Education Act, with improvements to the Title II Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants, including strengthening teacher preparation program accountability and establishing a teacher residency program. The House version also requires a National Academy of Sciences study on best practices in teacher preparation and instruction, which NSBA supports and we will push for inclusion in the final bill.
  • Among areas of discussion within the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act are changes to the Highly Qualified Teacher requirements, as well as issues such as professional development, mentoring, differential and incentive pay, and differences in teacher equity between high-poverty and low-poverty schools. Please see our NCLB web page for more information.
  • In 2007, Congress passed and President Bush signed into law H.R. 2669, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which includes TEACH Grants that provide up to $16,000 over 4 years in tuition aid for undergraduates and up to $8,000 over 4 years for graduate students who commit to teach a high-need subject in a high-need school for at least 4 years after earning their degree. NSBA urged the inclusion of the TEACH Grants in the conference committee report. View NSBA's letter to the conference committee.
  • In 2007, President Bush recently signed H.R. 2272, the America COMPETES Act, which includes scholarships of up to $10,000 a year for 3 years for prospective teachers to earn a bachelor’s degree in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) with a concurrent teaching credential. The legislation also boosts professional development, mentoring and induction programs for teachers of these subjects, and includes salary bonuses for STEM teachers in high-need schools. NSBA was pleased with the teacher quality components in H.R. 2272.

Contact Us

If you are a school board member or state school board association staff, please contact Kathleen Branch, NSBA’s Manager of Federal Advocacy Programs, at 703-838-6735 or by e-mail at kbranch@nsba.org.

If you are a Congressional staff member or member of the media, please contact Marcus Egan, NSBA’s Director of Federal Affairs, at 703-838-6707 or by e-mail at megan@nsba.org.

Was This Page Helpful?

We want to hear from you. Send an e-mail to Kathleen Branch, NSBA’s Manager of Federal Advocacy Programs at kbranch@nsba.org.


Resources