Disability Groups React to Obama's NCLB Waiver Plan
While many wanted a departure from NCLB, some unknowns remain about what states will do with their new-found flexibility when it comes to students with disabilities. Read Full Post >
All Blog Posts With teachers Tag or Category
September 23, 2011
September 16, 2011
Tacoma, Wash. Teachers Defy Judge, Continue Strike
The district and the Tacoma Education Association have been negotiating without success since May 31. Read Full Post >
September 13, 2011
Tacoma, Wash., Teachers' Strike Continues for Second Day
Striking teachers say they're looking for a fair teacher reassignment policy and smaller class sizes. Read Full Post >
September 12, 2011
Technology Has Changed the Teaching of Deaf Students
Wider use of cochlear implants has reshaped the teaching of students who are deaf and hard of hearing, but the training of teachers hasn't necessarily evolved along with the technology. Read Full Post >
August 26, 2011
Entering a Special Reality
While the school year hasn't quite started for thousands of students, many are in the throes of the school year. Some of the teachers and staff that work with students with disabilities will be learning along with their students, or already are. Read Full Post >
August 24, 2011
How to Grow a Great Early Childhood Workforce: Charter Colleges of Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education has gotten a lot of attention in recent years, and is frequently promoted as a strategy for narrowing achievement gaps and improving children's educational and life outcomes. But achieving these outcomes is going to require improvements in the education and skills of the ad... Read Full Post >
August 10, 2011
Improving on State Teacher Legislation: Idea #4: Don't Forget About Teachers Who Need Improvement
Under recently passed legislation, states are moving to adopt evaluation regimes that, in most cases, assign teachers one of four effectiveness ratings: Highly effective (or something like that) Effective (or something like that) Needs improvement (or something like that) Ineffective (or somethin... Read Full Post >
August 10, 2011
Improving on State Teacher Legislation: Idea #3: Look Beyond LIFO
The perverse consequences of "Last in-first out" teacher layoffs have gotten a ton of attention over the last few months--and several states have recently passed legislation designed to end this practice. But it's important to understand that a focus on ending seniority based layoffs actually gets... Read Full Post >
August 10, 2011
Improving on State Teacher Legislation: Idea #2: Ensure that no child has two consecutive ineffective teachers
Recently passed teacher effectiveness legislation--in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, and a number of other states--takes steps to link personnel decisions to teacher effectiveness, rather than seniority or other characteristics. That's often a positive step to put kids' interests f... Read Full Post >
August 10, 2011
Teacher Legislation Scorecard: How Can States Make Teacher Effectiveness Laws Better?
As I mentioned yesterday, one of the purposes of Bellwether's recent analysis of recent teacher effectiveness legislation in 5 states is to highlight ways these states--all of which have made significant progress to improve their policies related to teacher effectiveness--could make their laws even ... Read Full Post >
