Teacher quality is at the forefront of current education reform. President George W. Bush's comprehensive education plan, No Child Left Behind, challenges public schools to reach for excellence and improve student achievement. His plan would give states and localities flexibility in the use of federal funds to help them improve teacher quality. It would also set high standards for professional development.
But merely setting quality standards does not necessarily translate into higher student achievement, particularly without commensurate changes in the classroom as well. A recent study, How Teaching Matters (2000), affirms that teachers' classroom practices greatly influence student achievement and that more attention should be paid to improving those practices. These findings support the need for content-specific pedagogy—the "how to teach" aspect of teacher development—and dispel the idea that only subject-matter knowledge is necessary to teach effectively.
In the past, education reform has influenced changes in participation and governance, but in most cases it has not affected the core of teaching and learning or the professional culture. Surely, we need high standards for the profession, both in licensure and in professional development, but we also need an ethos of professionalism around teaching. ASCD believes responsibility for both preservice and continuing professional development should be shared among school systems, institutions of higher education, and professionals themselves.
Taking a Systemic Approach
ASCD applauds President Bush's focus on teacher quality and flexibility in the use of federal resources to enhance teachers' skills. ASCD also supports policies and practices that hold educators responsible for providing a quality education to all students and for continually improving the education profession and all public schools. But these responsibilities require a systemic approach in which the entire education community works together to promote the highest quality classroom teaching and learning possible.
With increasing national and state attention on teacher quality tied to student success, the Business Coalition for Excellence in Education has also made a clarion call to the public, educators, policymakers, and business leaders for increased investments and accountability measures for teaching. The group's recommendations for reform mirror much of President Bush's education plan.
ASCD has also embraced professional accountability in a variety of ways, including a position that declares that educators are accountable to parents, students, and the public for the quality of their work. The president's plan holds schools accountable for improving student achievement, using testing as the measure. But ASCD advocates that assessment—particularly assessment that creates ahigh-stakes environment—should be multidimensional, using both criterion-referenced assessments and performance tasks, as well as norm-referenced tests, to determine student progress.
The coalition has also launched a campaign to improve teacher quality through improved preparation and training, new incentives and work arrangements, and a climate of professional freedom. While giving a reaffirming nod to high standards for students, the coalition expects teachers to be the key to school reform.
But to make a difference, these innovative reform ideas aimed at improving the quality of teaching must be connected and nurtured as a comprehensive package. ASCD looks forward to working with the Bush administration, the Business Coalition, and others to contribute to the dialogue so that policymakers and educators make informed decisions.
If today's teachers are to be adequately prepared to meet these new challenges, they need more time to critically examine the standards and to revisit curricula. They need opportunities to develop, master, and reflect on new approaches to working with children from diverse backgrounds. Quality teaching, coupled with respect for teachers as learners, will create a positive climate that supports teaching and learning in the nation's classrooms.
As we struggle to meet the demands that teachers face in today's changing world, educators and policymakers alike must continue to explore new ways to improve the quality of teachers. The new paradigm for education reform must successfully synthesize the forces of teacher quality and student achievement.