advancing teacher and principal effectiveness

8/7/2019 Advancing Teacher and Principal Effectiveness

1/24www.americanprogress.o

Advancing Teacher andPrincipal Efectiveness

Four Recommendations for Reforming the Elementary andSecondary Education Act

Ulrich Boser and Robin Chait March 2011


2/24

Advancing Teacher andPrincipal EfectivenessFour Recommendations for Reforming the Elementary

and Secondary Education Act

Ulrich Boser and Robin Chait March 2011

The Center or American Progress thanks The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or generously providing support or this paper.


3/24

Contents 1 Introduction and summary

5 Recommendation No. 1: Congress should authorize a

new Teacher and Leader Innovation Fund

7 Recommendation No. 2: Create a Teacher and Leader

Pathways program

9 Recommendation No. 3: Develop teacher and

principal evaluation systems and ensure theequitable distribution o teachers

16 Recommendation No. 4: Improve eectiveness by

boosting capacity and consolidating programs

18 Conclusion

19 Endnotes

20 About the authors and acknowledgements


4/24

1 Cn Amican Pgss | Avancing tac an Pincipa ecivnss

Introduction and summary

I our naion is going o remain a global economic leader, we mus ensure all

sudensregardless o heir amily backgroundhave he srong eachers hey

need and deserve. Eecive eachers are criical o raising achievemen and closing

longsanding gaps beween suden subgroups. Te upcoming reauhorizaion

o he Elemenary and Secondary Educaion Ac, or ESEA, oers an imporan

opporuniy o improve eacher and principal eeciveness.

o make greaer use o ESEA as a lever or reorm, Congress should hold he lineon ormula undingbudge speak or noncompeiive moneary awards based

on a predeermined ormulawhile increasing compeiive unding or programs

ha suppor promising reorms. We also believe ederal unding should be used

more sraegically and ensure all sudens have access o srong eachers. Tis

repor will examine some o he issues wih he curren law and oer our recom-

mendaions or change. Specically we recommend ha Congress:

Auhorize a eacher and Leader Innovaion Fund ha suppors innovaive sra-

egies o recrui, reain, and reward eecive eachers and principals Creae a eacher and Leader Pahways program ha ocuses on preparing eec-

ive educaors or high-needs schools Require saes o develop nex-generaion eacher and principal evaluaion sys-

ems and ensure he equiable disribuion o srong eachers Improve eeciveness by boosing capaciy and consolidaing programs

In he pages ha ollow, we will deail he reasons why hese our reorms are

essenial o uure economic compeiiveness o our naion and he individual

prosperiy and well-being o our new generaions o Americans. Bu briey, here is

a quick summary o our our recommendaions.


5/24


Authorize a Teacher and Leader Innovation Fund

A new eacher and Leader Innovaion Fund, or LIF, would award grans o

saes and school disrics o suppor innovaive sraegies ha atrac and suppor

eecive eachers and principals in high-need schools. Saes or disrics could use

he unds o develop more aggressive recruimen sraegies, srenghen enureprocesses, and insiue career ladders or eachers, among oher reorms.

Te LIF is similar o a proposal rom he Cener or American Progress or

eacher eeciveness grans, which would award compeiive unds o saes and

disrics ha suppor reorms o eacher compensaion, enure, and evaluaion.1

Under LIF, saes or disrics should be required o demonsrae ha he acivi-

ies are increasing educaor eeciveness. Given he programs imporance, LIF

should be made he new Par A o ile II o ESEA. Sae eacher Qualiy Grans

would become Par B.

Create a Teacher and Leader Pathways program

A eacher and Leader Pahways program would consolidae a number o exising

recruimen and preparaion programs ino a larger program ocused on preparing

educaors or high-needs schools. Te program would ocus on eacher and princi-

pal preparaion and provide compeiive grans o disrics as well as nonpro and

universiy parners.

Programs would be designed o mee he specic needs o disrics. And he

programs mus eiher have a record o preparing eecive educaors or commi o

racking and measuring he eeciveness o graduaes in he classroom.

Develop teacher and principal evaluations and ensure the

equitable distribution o strong teachers

Congress should require ha saes creae new evaluaion rameworks or boh

eachers and principals. For eachers, he evaluaion sysem should be in use nolaer han ve years aer ESEA reauhorizaion. ogeher wih Te Educaion

rus, a Washingon, D.C.-based nonpro group, we a he Cener or American

Progress developed a specic se o acions or saes o implemen robus evalu-

aion sysems ha incorporae measures o eacher impac on suden growh.


6/24


Te new eacher evaluaion sysems mus include measures o eacher impac on

suden growh as a subsanial acor in he evaluaion.

Anoher signican par o he eacher evaluaion process should be rigorous

observaions o heir pracices in classrooms. Evaluaions should diereniae

eachers ino a leas our groups o perormance, wih saes deermining henames o he caegories and heir precise cuo poins.

Once a sae has a new eacher evaluaion sysem in place, i should use he resuls

o inorm criical human resources decisions, including enure, compensaion,

and proessional developmen, as well as o hold eacher preparaion programs

accounable or he perormance o heir graduaes. Te daa should also be used

o ideniy inequiies wihin disrics based on acors o race and povery. And i

a disric has no signicanly narrowed gaps in eacher qualiy beween schools

over ime, hey should lose par, or evenually all, o heir ESEA ile II unds.

Unil sronger evaluaion sysems are online, Congress should require saes o

creae a eacher Qualiy Index ha would ideniy inequiy and guide acion o

x i, and we propose a series o seps deailed in he main pages o his repor ha

will help saes ideniy inequiies and ake he acions necessary o correc hem.

Similarly, principal evaluaion sysems need o be inroduced and should be in use

no laer han our years aer ESEA reauhorizaion. Disrics could creae heir

own evaluaion sysems as long as hey ollowed guidelines se by he sae. Sae

guidelines should include a measure o schoolwide academic growh as well as

research-based rubrics ha assess wheher principals are aking he acions hey

need o improve suden learning and eacher pracice.

Improve efectiveness by boosting capacity and consolidating programs

Federal educaion unding should advance equiy and excellence in educaion.

o make he greaes use o ESEA dollars, Congress should coninue o suppor

ormula-based programs while boosing compeiive unding or programs ha

encourage reorm. In order o boos capaciy, saes should reain an addiional 2.5percen o eacher Qualiy unds so hey can develop and implemen improved

evaluaion sysems.


7/24


A he same ime, here are a number o programs wihin ile II o ESEA ha

are oo small o have much o an impac. Tey should be consolidaed o beter

leverage he unds. Like he Obama adminisraion, we propose eliminaing or

consolidaing a number o hese programs o improve he eciency and eecive-

ness o our ederal educaion spending while ensuring hose unds are spen airly

o improve he educaions o all o our children.

The time to act is now

Improving he qualiy o eachers and leaders is hisorically a criical aspec o

he Elemenary and Secondary Educaion Ac o 2001. Te law boass a number

o vehicles or improving eacher qualiy. ile II o ESEA provides unding o

improve eaching and school leadership, and he highly qualied eacher provi-

sions in ile I ensure minimum qualicaions or eachers. Bu aer nine years

o implemenaion, i is clear ha while he various provisions have led o someprogress, hey have no had he impac he auhors o he law had hoped or.

Almos all eachers now mee he highly qualied deniion bu elemenary and

middle schoolers across he naion are sill no procien in mah and reading, and

large achievemen gaps beween low-income and higher-income sudens remain

in every sae. Saes have spen signican ile II dollars on proessional develop-

men and class-size reducion wih litle o show or i.2 Tis canand mus

change. Tis papers our recommendaions are he way o do so.


8/24


Recommendation No. 1: Congress

should authorize a new Teacher

and Leader Innovation Fund

Federal policy does litle o prioriize eacher eeciveness. Te excepion is one

program ha has never been auhorized: he eacher Incenive Fund, or IF,

which provides compeiive grans o suppor perormance-based eacher and

principal compensaion sysems in high-need schools, or hose wih high percen-

ages o sudens in povery. While he program was creaed in an appropriaions

bill in 2006, i has never been ocially auhorized wihin ESEA.3 Tis means he

program can be rolled back more easily han oher ederal reorm iniiaives ha

have been auhorized.

While IF hasn had a ederal evaluaion, i has suppored a number o programs

wih very promising evidence o success. Is also clear ha he program suppors

iniiaives ha are developing new ways no only o compensaing bu also evalu-

aing, developing, and reaining eachers. Te laes ieraion o he program also

has a greaer ocus on supporing comprehensive approaches o compensaion

reorm ha urher srenghen proessional developmen and evaluaion sysems.

One case in poin: IF suppors Guilord Counys Mission Possible program

in Norh Carolina, which serves 28 high-need schools and provides ongoing

proessional developmen, collaboraive suppor, and smaller class sizes. eachers

are oered recruimen or reenion bonuses o work in Mission Possible schools

and become eligible or perormance bonuses. A recen evaluaion o he Mission

Possible program ound a number o posiive consequences o he program,

including reduced eacher urnover and increases in meeing Annual Yearly

Progress goals.4

Tis is why we recommend (as does heObama adminisraion) expanding he

IF program o creae a new eacher and Leader Innovaion Fund, or LIF, hawould award grans o saes and school disrics o suppor innovaive sraegies

o recrui, reain, and reward eecive eachers and principals.5 Te LIF is similar

o a proposal rom CAP ha was released las year.6


9/24


Saes or disrics ha receive unds should be required o demonsrae ha he

aciviies increase educaor eeciveness. We also recommend ha he eacher

and Leader Innovaion Fund should be made par A o a newly auhorized ile II

in order o emphasize is imporance wihin he law. Sae eacher Qualiy Grans

would become Par B.

Funds should also suppor aciviies ha improve he school culure as well as

help eachers and sudens be more successul. For insance, wihin he LIF, a

se-aside should be alloted or maching grans ha suppor wha is commonly

reerred o as sraegic sang. Specically, disrics ha use heir ile I dollars

o suppor sraegic sang would also be eligible or a maching gran o ile II

dollars up o a specied amoun.

Sraegic-sang iniiaives provide incenives o a highly eecive principal and

a small eam o eecive eachers o each in low-perorming schools and oen

suppor oher improvemens in working condiions. Modeled aer a programin Charlote-Mecklenburg Schools in Norh Carolina, hese eams o educaors

would be inended o lead a ransormaion o he school culure.7


10/24


Recommendation No. 2: Create a

Teacher and Leader Pathways program

Federal eors o recrui and prepare eachers and leaders or high-need schools

are inconsisen. Tere are several overlapping programs wih dieren unding

sreams and supervisory agencies, which impedes coordinaion and ecacy.8

Te programs also have dieren levels o eeciveness. Some programs, such as

each or America, a nonpro ha recruis eachers ino high-need schools, are

backed up by rigorous sudies ha have ound ha heir eachers perorm well in

he classroom.9 Ohers, such as he eacher Qualiy Parnership Gran Program,which seeks o improve he qualiy o new eachers by creaing parnerships

beween universiies and schools, have ar less research behind hem, and a recen

evaluaion ound ha he programs eeciveness is inconclusive.10

We propose (as does he Obama adminisraion) consolidaing several o

hese recruimen and preparaion programs ino a single eacher and Leader

Pahways program ha would cover boh alernaive and radiional eacher and

leader preparaion programs. Similar o he adminisraion, we also propose sig-

nicanly increasing unding or hese iniiaives. Te ollowing programs would

be consolidaed:

ransiion o eaching eacher Qualiy Parnerships eachers or a Compeiive omorrow each or America School Leadership programs

Once consolidaed ino he eacher Pahways and Leader Pahways programs,

hese wo new programs should each be a separae subpar o ile II wih is ownunding sream. So les describe each o hese programs goals in a bi more deail.


11/24


Teacher Pathways

Te eacher Pahways program would provide compeiive grans o improve

eacher recruimen and reenion. Te grans could go o disrics, nonpros,

universiies, or oher parners o prepare eachers or work in high-need dis-

rics, schools, and subjecs. Programs would be designed o mee he specicneeds o a disric or disrics, and mus eiher have a record o preparing eec-

ive eachers or commi o racking and measuring he eeciveness o heir

graduaes in he classroom.

Leader Pathways

Te Leader Pahways program should provide compeiive grans o high-need

disrics alone or in parnership wih nonpro organizaions or insiuions o

higher educaion or he recruimen, preparaion, and suppor o eecive prin-cipals and leadership eams. Te program should be argeed o programs wih

proven records o preparing eecive leaders or hose who commi o racking and

measuring he oucomes o heir graduaes.

In addiion, prioriy should be given o programs inending o prepare princi-

pals o urn around persisenly low-perorming schools. Te program should

receive a subsanial increase in unding given he criical imporance o prin-

cipals or atracing and reaining eecive eachers and urning around low-

perorming schools.


12/24


Recommendation No. 3: Develop teacher

and principal evaluation systems and ensure

the equitable distribution o teachers

Eecive eachers are criical o raising achievemen and closing longsanding gaps

beween sudens rom disadvanaged backgrounds and heir more privileged

peers. Sudens who have hree or our srong eachers in a row will soar academi-

cally, regardless o heir racial or economic background, while hose who have a

sequence o weak eachers will all urher and urher behind.11 Bu sudies also

demonsrae ha access o eecive eachers is no equiable. Alhough here are

srong eachers in many schools, research shows ha sudens in high-povery

schools are more likely han sudens in more afuen schools o have he leaseecive eachers.12

Despie he overwhelming need o mach our sruggling sudens wih our

sronges educaors, ew saes or disrics have good inormaion on eacher

perormance. Fewer sill use ha inormaion o ensure ha low-income sudens

and sudens o color gain access o he eachers hey need and deserve. I we are

going o ensure ha all sudens receive a rigorous kindergaren-hrough-12h

grade educaion, hen we mus ge serious abou accurae ways o evaluae each-

ers based on heir perormance in he classroom and heir individual impacs on

suden learning, and use ha inormaion o improve he pracice or all eachers.

For is par, ESEA required in he las reauhorizaion ha all eachers be highly

qualied. Specically, eachers had o have sae cericaion, a bachelors degree,

and demonsrae knowledge o heir subjec area. Bu or he mos par, saes

papered over he requiremens, and he U.S. Deparmen o Educaion repors

ha an exceedingly unlikely 96 percen o core academic classes in public schools

were saed by highly qualied eachers during he 2009 school year.13

Tis no-credible saisic is one o he reasons why we, ogeher wih Te Educaionrus, a Washingon, D.C.-based nonpro group, recommend a specic se o

acions or saes o implemen robus evaluaion sysems ha incorporae mea-

sures o eacher impac on suden growh.14 Building hese sysems is a criical sep

oward ensuring a air disribuion o eachers. Specically, we recommend saes o:


13/24


Creae a eacher Qualiy Index Develop new eacher evaluaion sysems Ensure all children are educaed equiably Inroduce principal evaluaion sysems

Les examine each o hese recommendaions in urn.

Create a Teacher Quality Index

We canno aord o wai unil every sae has a new evaluaion sysem beore ak-

ing seps o ensure highly qualied eachers are presen in all classrooms. Tus we

recommend ha saes collec, repor, and ac upon measures o eacher disribu-

ion even while hey build sronger evaluaion sysems. Specically, we recom-

mend ha saes collec and repor on he indicaors included in curren law or

equiy purposes:

Percenage o eachers no in heir rs year o eaching Percenage o course secions augh by ineld secondary eachers Percenage o ceried eachers

o make his inormaion more readily acionable, saes should be asked o

creae a eacher Qualiy Index ha combines his colleced daa. By creaing a

composie index, saes can more easily measure progress on inequiies wihin

and among disrics.

o keep daa collecion burdens o a minimum, saes should be allowed o use

an index composed only o he hree measures oulined aboveha is, he ones

hey are required o collec and repor on under curren law. I saes have daa on

he percenage o eachers in he op quarile o eacher impac on suden growh,

however, hey should include ha daa wihin he index as well.

In addiion, saes ha have addiional measures o eacher qualiy should be allowed

o include any o hose addiional measures.15 In he index, saes mus weigh each

indicaor equally. Saes mus also annually repor daa or each elemen in he indexor each school and disric wihin he sae. And in order o monior progress, he

seleced indicaors wihin each saes index should remain consisen unil he saes

new evaluaion sysem has been in place or a leas wo ull years.


14/24


Develop new teacher evaluation systems

Tere is widespread need or beter inormaion on eacher perormance. School

leaders need good inormaion o make imporan decisions abou sang,

compensaion, and enure. eachers need good inormaion so hey can improve

heir pracice. And parens need good inormaion abou eacher perormance oinorm heir decisions abou heir childs educaion. Our recommendaions aim o

address hese needs by requiring saes o develop new eacher evaluaion sysems

ha ideniy eecive eachers based on suden achievemen and oher rigorous

measures o pracice.

o ensure air and accurae inormaion abou eacher perormance is available,

Congress should require ha saes do he ollowing as a condiion o receip o

heir ile II unds:

Develop a saewide mehod or measuring eacher impac on suden growh inesed subjecs and grades as well as creae guidelines or disricwide measures

o suden growh or eachers in nonesed subjecs and grades. Growh in

nonesed subjecs and grades could be measured in a variey o ways, including

exernally graded assessmens or exernal reviews o suden work.

Develop saewide minimum parameers or he evaluaions ha disrics will

use o inorm criical human resources decisions, including hose abou enure,

compensaion, proessional developmen, equiable access o eecive each-

ers in all classrooms, and dismissal. Disrics should adhere o hese saewide

parameers in designing heir individual local evaluaion sysems bu should also

have he exibiliy o go above and beyond hese pracices.

A a minimum, evaluaion sysems should include measures o eacher impac on

suden growh as a subsanialbu no he onlyacor in a eachers evalua-

ion. Anoher signican par o a eachers evaluaion mus be based upon rigor-

ous observaions o pracice wih muliple observaions per year, some announced

and some unannounced. And o ensure success, he evaluaions mus diereni-

ae eachers ino a leas our groups o perormance wih saes deermining he

names o he caegories and heir precise cuo poins. Te crieria o mach hesecaegories mus be dened by he evaluaion sysem and each caegory does no

have o conain equal proporions o eachers.


15/24


As par o a reauhorized ESEA, Congress should recognize ha he bar or being

highly qualied is currenly se way oo low and rename he requiremen simply

qualied eacher. And while saes are developing new deniions o eacher

eeciveness, hey should coninue o use he qualicaion requiremens or

all new eachers in order o ensure eachers mee minimum sandards. Once a

sae has a nex-generaion evaluaion sysem in place, he requiremens wouldconinue o apply o new eachers. We would also keep a version o he curren

requiremens so eachers would have o successully complee a radiional or

alernaive eacher preparaion program, have a bachelors degree, and demon-

srae knowledge o heir subjec area o quali y.

We believe nex-generaion evaluaion sysems have he poenial o creae a sea

change in educaion. Once a sae has a new eacher evaluaion sysem in place, i

should use he resuls o inorm criical human resources decisions as well as o hold

eacher preparaion programs accounable or he perormance o heir graduaes.

In paricular, he resuls o he evaluaion sysems should inorm proessional

developmen. And while ile II already requires disrics o conduc a needs

assessmen, he new evaluaion sysems will provide ar more robus inorma-

ion on eacher perormance, which should help disrics arge heir proessional

developmen dollars where hey are needed mos. Disrics, or example, should

be encouraged o use ile II unds o provide recruimen incenives o eecive

eachers o each in high-povery schools, improve working condiions, or develop

career ladder programs ha pay eachers or aking on addiional responsibiliies.

Ensure all students have access to an eective teacher

Congress mus hold saes and disrics accounable or ensuring sudens o color

and low-income sudens have equal access o successul educaors. We propose

a series o six seps ha will help saes ideniy inequiies and ake he acions nec-

essary o correc hem.

Firs, using he eacher Qualiy Index, saes mus monior and publicly repor

wihin-disric and beween-disric inequiies by paterns o access. Specically,saes mus examine disribuion wihin each disric by race and povery and

among disrics by race and povery. Saes should also look a elemenary and

secondary schools separaely as well as examine he gap in average values beween

schools in he highes and lowes quariles by concenraions o povery and race.


16/24


Second, once a sae has a new evaluaion sysem in place, i mus use he resuls

o ideniy inequiies wihin disrics and among disrics by looking a paterns o

access wihin each disric by race and povery and among disrics by race and pov-

ery. Saes should also coninue o monior and publicly repor inequiies wihin

disrics and among disrics by paterns o access using he eacher Qualiy Index

or wo years ollowing he implemenaion o he evaluaion sysem.

Tird, i a schools achievemen on sandardized ess is above he saewide aver-

age or sudens overall as well as or each o is suden subgroupseven i here

are issues o inequiable eacher disribuionhen he disric does no have o

address any eacher inequiy problems ha may exis a ha school.

Fourh, i a disric has no signicanly narrowed gaps in eacher qualiy beween

schools wihin wo years, hen he disric shall use ile II unds or he sole pur-

pose o eliminaing hose inequiies.

Fih, i a disric has no signicanly narrowed gaps in eacher qualiy beween

schools wihin our years, hen he disric shall receive only 50 percen o he

ile II unds received in he prior year and shall be required o provide an equal

mach o sae or local unds.

Sixh, i a disric has no signicanly narrowed gaps in eacher qualiy beween

schools wihin ve years, hen he disric shall no receive any ile II unds.

In his way, we can ensure reorms o eacher and principal evaluaion sysems

resul in beter educaion or all children across disric, couny, and sae lines.

Introduce principal evaluation systems

Saes should also develop saewide guidelines or principal evaluaion sysems.

Saes may choose o develop a model sysem ha disrics could modiy or allow

disrics o develop heir own principal evaluaion sysems, bu saes mus have

minimum qualiy sandards.

Saes should also require ha disrics and schools use inormaion rom he

evaluaion sysem o inorm human capial decisions abou principals, such as

cericaion, compensaion, promoion, and dismissal. A deailed proposal is

included in Appendix C, bu ollowing are he primary elemens ha we recom-

mend Congress require o saes.


17/24


Firs, achievemen measures should accoun or a subsanial percenage o a

principals evaluaion. Tese evaluaions should include a measure o schoolwide

academic growh as well as atainmen measures o achievemen such as he per-

cen o sudens reaching prociency. In addiion, suden achievemen measures

or secondary schools should include oher suden oucomes besides ess such as

cohor graduaion raes.

Second, one o he primary ways a principal drives increases in suden achieve-

men is by recruiing, developing, and reaining eecive eachers and oher sa,

which means principals should also be held accounable or eecively implemen-

ing eacher evaluaions ha diereniae among eachers and provide eedback o

eachers o improve heir pracice. Tereore, principal evaluaions should assess a

principals abiliy o improve eacher eeciveness as well as reain eecive each-

ers a higher raes. Tis assessmen could be based on qualiaive inormaion,

such as principals acions o develop and reain eecive eachers, quaniaive

inormaion abou eachers eeciveness, or boh ypes o inormaion.

Tird, saes should design research-based rubrics ha assess wheher principals

are aking he acions hey need o improve suden learning and eacher prac-

ice. Disrics could choose o adop hese rubrics, modiy hem, or develop heir

own, so long as hey mee sae guidelines. Tese rubrics should assess principal

pracice agains a se o perormance sandards. Measures o school culure and

climae, such as eacher and suden atendance, indicaors o school discipline,

and paren, suden, and sa percepions, should also be considered by principal

evaluaors as par o he evaluaion process.

Fourh, o ensure evaluaion raings are meaningul, saes should require ha

evaluaion sysems diereniae principals ino a leas our groups o peror-

mance, wih saes deermining he names o he caegories and heir precise cu-

o poins. Saes should require ha evaluaion sysems are diereniaed based

on a schools perormance and grade conguraion. And since high-qualiy imple-

menaion o hese sysems is essenial o heir success, saes should encourage

disrics o rain and provide ongoing suppor o evaluaors on he new evaluaion

sysem. For insance, saes could creae echnical assisance eams ha provide

real-ime suppor o superinendens or oher designaed evaluaors and can rainhe rainers wihin disrics.

Finally, he evaluaion sysems would provide imporan inormaion or ensuring

every suden has access o an eecive principal. Saes should repor ou a he


18/24


disric level he percenages o principals in each raing caegory each year. Te

daa should be made available in a way ha makes i easy o compare principal

eeciveness beween high- and low-povery schools.

As wih new eacher evaluaion sysems, hese iniiaives aimed a principals

have he poenial o dramaically change he naions educaion sysem. Once asae has a new school leader evaluaion sysem in place, i should use he resuls

o inorm criical human resources decisions, inorm proessional developmen

or principals, and hold principal preparaion programs accounable. And while

ile II already requires disrics o conduc a needs assessmen, we recommend

ha he proessional developmen be ied o inormaion generaed by principal

evaluaion sysems.


19/24


Recommendation No. 4: Improve

eectiveness by boosting capacity

and consolidating programs

Federal educaion unds could be spen ar more wisely. For insance, disrics cur-

renly use he bulk o heir ile II unds o suppor proessional developmen and

class size reducion.16 Alhough some o he proessional developmen suppored

hrough ile II is spen eecively, here is litle evidence ha he way mos

disrics use he proessional developmen dollars produces a posiive impac on

suden achievemen.17 Class size reducion is popular wih eachers and parens

bu i is very cosly. Moreover, here are a number o programs wihin he law ha

are oo small o have much o an impac or could be consolidaed o beter lever-age he unds and allow saes and disrics greaer exibiliy in how hey are used.

Tis is why we recommend ha Congress hold he line on ormula unding

while increasing compeiive unding or programs in order o make he grea-

es use o ESEA dollars. Te reauhorized law should also eliminae or consoli-

dae he programs wihin ile II o ESEA ha are oo small o have much o

an impac.18 Te Obama adminisraion has wisely proposed consolidaing a

number o programs in is scal year 2011 budge and blueprin or reauhoriz-

ing o ESEA, including he Academies or American Hisory and Civics and he

Cooperaive Educaion Exchange.

O all o he ile II programs in ESEA, curren Par A provides he larges po o

money o saes and disrics. In 2010, or insance, i provided abou $2.9 billion

in ormula unding o be used or a wide array o aciviies o improve eacher and

principal qualiy.19 Mos o he unding (95 percen) suppors disric-level acivi-

ies ha are unded by subgrans rom saes o disrics.20 O he remaining unds,

Sae Educaion Agencies keep 2.5 percen or program adminisraion and Sae

Higher Educaion Execuive Ocers keep 2.5 percen.

We believe ha saes should receive an addiional 2.5 percen share o hese

unds so hey can develop and implemen improved evaluaion sysems.

Allowable uses o unds include supporing recruimen and reenion aciviies,

providing nancial incenives o recrui eachers or subjec shorage areas or


20/24


high-need schools, providing eacher preparaion and alernaive cericaion

programs, providing proessional developmen, and hiring highly qualied each-

ers o reduce class size.21

Congress should also srenghen he requiremens around he use o unds or class

size reducion. In paricular, Congress should require ha class size reducion undsgo o classrooms ha mee one o he ollowing our research-based prioriy areas:

Have high concenraions o English language learners Have high concenraions o sudens rom low-income backgrounds Are in grades kindergaren hrough hird grade Have a eacher wih less han hree years o experience

I a disric chooses o spend class size reducion unds in classrooms ha do no

mee hese our research-based prioriy areas above, hen he disric should sub-

mi a reques o he sae agency explaining why.

Finally, he ederal governmen mus do a ar beter job collecing daa on he

naions eachers in order o allow researchers and educaors o keep beter abs

on reorms in he eaching orce. Specically, Congress should direc he commis-

sioner o educaion saisics o cra a plan or adminisering he U.S. Schools and

Sang Survey biennially raher han every our years, and o release he resuls

wihin one year o nal daa collecion. Te ederal Schools and Sang Survey

is an invaluable source o comparable, objecive inormaion on eacher qualiy

across he saes and can become even more valuable as an independen check on

inormaion saes mus repor under ESEA.


21/24


Conclusion

Te upcoming reauhorizaion o ESEA oers an imporan opporuniy o

improve eacher and principal eeciveness. Te ederal governmen spends

billions o dollars each year on educaion and is imporan ha hose unds

are spen sraegically so all sudens have access o srong eachers. Is ime or

Congress o ac and reauhorize ESEA, making greaer use o he law as a lever or

imporan and much-needed reorms.


22/24


Endnotes

1 rin Cai, Fm Quaicains rsus: Pming tacecivnss tug Fa Picy (Wasingn: Cn Ami-can Pgss, 2009), avaia a p://www.amicanpgss.g/issus/2009/01/quaicains__sus.m

2 rin Cai an ragn Mi, Inciv Uss emnay anScnay eucain Ac ti II Funs, (Wasingn: Cn Amican Pgss, 2009).

3 t a, tIF as awa 62 cmpiiv, v-ya gans. tpgam was un a $400 miin in 2010. S : Awas tacIncniv Fun, avaia a p://www2..gv/pgams/ac-incniv/awas.m; Funing Saus tac Incniv Fun,avaia a p://www2..gv/pgams/acincniv/uning.m.

4 hi Gsca baynas, Gui Cuny Scs Missin PssiPgam, Ya 3 (2008-09) exna evauain rp, avaia ap://www.gui.k12.nc.us/ps/missin_pssi/p/dis-ic%20MP%20Ya%203%20rp.p.

5 A Blueprint or Reorm: The Reauthorization o the Elementary andSecondary Education Act(dpamn eucain, 2010).

6 Cai, Fm Quaicains rsus.

7 Jnaan tavs an baaa Cisiansn, Sagic Safng Succssu Scs: baking Cyc Faiu in Ca-Mck-nug Scs, (bsn: eucain rsuc Sagis, Api 2010).

8 Gna l. Pa, eucain tansmain: ding Wa Wks ineucain rm (Wasingn: Cn Amican Pgss, 2010).

9 Pau t. dck, dani P. May, an Svn Gazman, t ecs

tac F Amica n Suns: Finings m a Naina evauain(Pincn: Mamaica Picy rsac, 2004); Zyu Xu, Jan han-naway, an Cin tay, Making a dinc? t ecs tac Amica in hig Sc (Wasingn: CAlder, 2009); Gay t. hnyan s, tac Ppaain an Sun ts Scs in NCaina (Cap hi: Univsiy N Caina, 2010)

10 Gna Accuning ofc, Aciviis Unway Impv tactaining, u rping n ts Aciviis Cu b enanc, GAo-03-6, rp Cngssina Cmmis, dcm 2002, avaiaa p://www.ga.gv/nw.ims/036.p.

11 r Gn, tmas J. Kan, an dugas o. Saig, Iniy-ing eciv tacs Using Pmanc n J (Wasingn:bkings Insiuin, 2005).

12 Jan hannaway an s, Vau A tacs in hig-PvyScs an lw-Pvy Scs: Impicains rsac, Picy,an Managmn. Wking Pap 41 (CAlder, cming).

13 A Summary o Highly Qualifed Teacher Data or School Year 2008-09(dpamn eucain, 2010), avaia a p://www2..gv/pgams/acqua/i0809.c.

14 Cn Amican Pgss an t eucain tus, essniaemns tac Picy in eSeA: ecivnss, Fainss, anevauain (2011), avaia a p://www.amicanpgss.g/issus/2011/02/sa_ac_picy.m.

15 Pcnag acs ppa y a ig-pming acppaain pgam pcnag acs wi w an 10asncs; pcnag acs i s ay sc;pcnag acs wi a passing sc n sas asic skispssina icnsu xam a is signicany av minimumpassing sc; an pcnag acs in p quai

ac impac n sun gw.

16 Findings rom the 2008-09 Survey on the Use o Funds Under Title II,Part A, July 2009 (dpamn eucain, 2009), avaia a p://www2..gv/pgams/acqua/2010nings.c.

17 eucain rsuc Sagis, Sagic Pssina dvpmnrviw Sc disic Piapia (Wawn, MA: euca-in rsuc Sagis, 2008), avaia a p://sagis.g/cumns/p/SdPSagicPdrviw8.28_.08_.FINAl_.p; euca-in rsuc Sagis an Annng In siu Scrm a bwn Univsiy, bcming a Capa an AccunaSysm: A rviw Pssina dvpmn an Cuicuum in baim Ciy Puic Sc Sysm (2004).

18 Pa, eucain tansmain.

19 Awa uss uns incu wing: vping animpmning mcanisms assis scs in civy cuiing

an aining igy quai acs; iing igy quai ac-s; pviing pssina vpmn aciviis; vping animpmning iniiaivs pm nin igy quaiacs an pincipas; an caying u pgams an aciviisa a sign impv quaiy ac c, suc asinnvaiv pssina vpmn pgams, mi pay pgams,an nu m.

20 Findings rom the 2008-09 Survey on the Use o Funds Under Title II, PartA, July 2009.

21 No Child Let Behind Act o 2001 , Puic law 107-110, 107 Cng.(Januay 8, 2002), Sc. 2123.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/01/qualifications_to_results.htmlhttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/01/qualifications_to_results.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/awards.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/awards.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/funding.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/funding.htmlhttp://www.guilford.k12.nc.us/depts/mission_possible/pdf/District%20MP%20Year%203%20Report.pdfhttp://www.guilford.k12.nc.us/depts/mission_possible/pdf/District%20MP%20Year%203%20Report.pdfhttp://www.gao.gov/new.items/d036.pdfhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/brief0809.dochttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/brief0809.dochttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/02/esea_teacher_policy.htmlhttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/02/esea_teacher_policy.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/2010findings.dochttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/2010findings.dochttp://erstrategies.org/documents/pdf/SDPStrategicPDReview8.28_.08_.FINAL_.pdfhttp://erstrategies.org/documents/pdf/SDPStrategicPDReview8.28_.08_.FINAL_.pdfhttp://erstrategies.org/documents/pdf/SDPStrategicPDReview8.28_.08_.FINAL_.pdfhttp://erstrategies.org/documents/pdf/SDPStrategicPDReview8.28_.08_.FINAL_.pdfhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/2010findings.dochttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/2010findings.dochttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/02/esea_teacher_policy.htmlhttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/02/esea_teacher_policy.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/brief0809.dochttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/brief0809.dochttp://www.gao.gov/new.items/d036.pdfhttp://www.guilford.k12.nc.us/depts/mission_possible/pdf/District%20MP%20Year%203%20Report.pdfhttp://www.guilford.k12.nc.us/depts/mission_possible/pdf/District%20MP%20Year%203%20Report.pdfhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/funding.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/funding.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/awards.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/awards.htmlhttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/01/qualifications_to_results.htmlhttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/01/qualifications_to_results.html


23/24


About the authors

Ulrich Boser is a Senior Fellow a American Progress, where he analyzes educa-

ion, criminal jusice, and oher social policy issues. Prior o joining he Cener,

Boser was a conribuing edior or U.S. News & World Report, special projecs

direcor or Te Washington Posts Express, and research direcor or EducationWeek. Boser graduaed wih honors rom Darmouh College and lives in

Washingon, D.C.

Robin Chait is he eeciveness manager or he Race o he op eam a he

Oce o he Sae Superinenden o Educaion in Washingon, D.C. She is he

ormer Associae Direcor or eacher Qualiy a American Progress, where she

ocused her work on eacher and principal qualiy and eeciveness, paricularly as

hey aec disadvanaged sudens.

Acknowledgements

Te auhors wish o acknowledge he generous eedback and suppor rom he

Cener sa, including Cynhia Brown, Raegen Miller, and Jeremy Ayers. We

would also like o hank Judy Wurzel, Sandi Jacobs, and Sarah Almy or heir

helpul eedback.


24/24

The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute

dedicated to promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity

for all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to

these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies reflect these values.

We work to find progressive and pragmatic solutions to significant domestic and

international problems and develop policy proposals that foster a government that

is of the people, by the people, and for the people.

advancing teacher and principal effectiveness

Documents