TQ Topics
The National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality provides a wealth of information on several different teacher quality issues. Our resources include research syntheses, webcasts, online resources, and other content-rich documents designed to enlighten educators on the following topics:
Teacher Preparation
Teacher preparation is the first stage of the formal teacher development process. The purpose of the teacher preparation section is to help policymakers, teacher educators, and others answer important questions and tap in to useful information about programs, data, policies, and the realities of teacher preparation across the country.
Teacher Recruitment and Retention
The purpose of the teacher recruitment and retention section is to help policymakers, teacher educators, and others answer important questions related to recruitment and retention and to find out about programs, data, and policies related to teacher recruitment and retention across the country.
Certification and Licensure
The purpose of the teacher certification and licensure section is to help policymakers, teacher educators, and others find information about programs, data, policies, and the realities of general and special education teacher certification and licensure across the country.
Evaluation and Compensation
The purpose of the evaluation and compensation section is to help policymakers, teacher educators, and others find information about teacher evaluation and related issues pertaining to compensation, advancement, and leadership opportunities.
Equitable Distribution
Underqualified teachers are typically located in hard-to-staff schools where turnover is frequent and openings are often filled with inexperienced and uncredentialed teachers. States, districts, and schools have an obligation to work toward ensuring that all students—regardless of race, poverty, or geography—have access to highly qualified teachers. The purpose of the section on equitable distribution is to offer policymakers and other education decision makers resources and strategies about issues related to equitable distribution.
TQ in At-Risk Schools
In far too many high-poverty, low-performing schools—"at-risk" schools—a large number of teachers are inexperienced, poorly prepared, and generally less qualified than the teachers in other, more successful schools. The purpose of the section on teacher quality in at-risk schools is to offer policymakers and other education decision makers resources and strategies about issues related to this important topic.
No Child Left Behind
Congress passed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act as a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Signed into law by President Bush in January 2002, the NCLB Act has brought many significant changes to schools nationwide. This section offers a variety of resources and information related to NCLB.
Special Education
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) confirm that teachers need to be prepared and supported to meet the needs of all learners—both general education learners and learners with disabilities. The purpose of the section on special education is to offer policymakers and teacher educators information and resources related to special education. In an effort to provide information to those who prepare and support teachers, the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality offers the TQ Connection. This new resource, targeted to teacher preparation programs, provides the most up-to-date strategies and research-based practice and policy on how this goal might be achieved.
State Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) Plans
In July 2006, states were required to submit plans to the U.S. Department of Education that outlined how they plan to meet a variety of teacher quality goals. These plans were to focus on a variety of areas, including technical assistance for local education agencies (LEAs) and teacher equitable distribution. Many states consider these plans "living documents" and use them as tools to guide ongoing efforts for meeting HQT requirements of NCLB as well as long-term educator quality goals in the state. The section on HQT Plans offers a variety of resources and technical assistance options related to this important topic.
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