ED477730 2002-12-00 The National

Council on Teacher Quality: Expanding

the Teacher Quality Discussion. ERIC

Digest.

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The National Council on Teacher Quality: Expanding the Teacher Quality

Discussion. ERIC Digest.................................................... 2

CERTIFIED TEACHERS V. QUALIFIED TEACHERS................... 2

MISSION AND ACTIVITIES...................................................4

PUBLISHING.................................................................... 4

ONLINE INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE............................. 4

CONSULTING................................................................... 5

AMERICAN BOARD CERTIFICATION..................................... 5

CONCLUSION.................................................................. 5

ERIC Identifier: ED477730

Publication Date: 2002-12-00

Author: Suh, Thomas - Fore, Raechelle

Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education Washington DC.

The National Council on Teacher Quality:

Expanding the Teacher Quality Discussion.

ED477730 2002-12-00 The National Council on Teacher Quality: Expanding the Teacher

Quality Discussion. ERIC Digest.

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THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE

What does the future bode for America's schoolchildren? Recent results of the National

Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)--the Nation's Report Card--indicate

improved student performance in both math and reading. These statistical gains,

however, are modest, and when viewed in the context of actual learning, are not so

promising. The average eighth-grader cannot calculate the amount of change from a

purchase (Braswell, Lutkus, Grigg, Santapau, Tay-Lim, & Johnson, 2000), and

indications are that s/he will not be able to do so for another six years. In reading, nearly

40 percent of fourth-graders remain unable to read at even a basic level--a level defined

as "prerequisite" for reading proficiently (Donahue, Finnegan, Lutkus, Allen, &

Campbell, 2001).

Results in the international arena are even more discouraging. In the 1995 Third

International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) involving twenty-six nations

including the United States, American fourth-graders placed twelfth in mathematics, and

a respectable third in science (Calsyn, Gonzales, & Frase, 1999). When TIMSS was

re-administered four years later to eighth-graders in thirty-eight countries, American

students had lost ground, slipping to nineteenth in mathematics and eighteenth in

science (Gonzales, Calsyn, Jocelyn, Mak, Kastberg, Arafeh, Williams, & Tsen, 2001).

Why such poor performances? One explanation is the predominance of teachers not

qualified to teach. Research tells us that the influence of teachers is the single-most

important factor in determining student achievement, even more so than socioeconomic

status (Sanders & Rivers, 1996; Collias, Pajak, & Rigden, 2000), which for years was

deemed as having the highest correlation to academic success (Coleman, 1966).

Studies also indicate that the impact of a teacher (for good or for bad) is cumulative,

having a lasting, measurable effect on academic performance (Sanders & Rivers,

1996), and accounting for the discrepancy between "gifted" and "remedial" (Haycock,

1998). Students with less exposure to qualified teachers, therefore, seem far less likely

of achieving academic success than those with more. Given the recurrence of

disappointing results on student learning assessments at the national and international

levels, too many of America's students do not appear to be receiving enough exposure

to qualified teachers.

CERTIFIED TEACHERS V. QUALIFIED

TEACHERS

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Page 2 of 8 ED477730 2002-12-00 The National Council on Teacher Quality: Expanding the Teacher

Quality Discussion. ERIC Digest.
Poor student performance on NAEP, TIMSS, and other standardized measures of

student learning raises questions about teacher quality and the effectiveness of teacher

certification. For years, states relied on certification to ensure teacher preparation

quality, despite the lack of any compelling evidence justifying the selection of the

certification requirements. With the push to assess student learning, especially since the

1983 release of A Nation at Risk, we now have data suggesting that state certification

has not fulfilled its gatekeeping role. Research tells us that teachers who major in the

subject-area taught have a more positive impact on student achievement than teachers

majoring in an out-of-field discipline, including those who major in education (Goldhaber

& Brewer, 1999). Yet, teacher certification in many states does not require subject-area

expertise. According to data published in 2001 by the National Association of State

Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC), less than a third of all

states require an academic major in the subject to be taught, and only two-thirds require

teacher candidates to pass a subject-matter exam for initial licensure. Given the failure

of states to ensure subject-area competence, it is questionable whether state

certification is able to guarantee whether a certified teacher is necessarily a qualified

teacher.

While teacher educators are largely unconvinced of the correlation between teacher

subject-area preparation and student academic achievement (Collias, Pajak, & Rigden,

2000), it is more widely accepted in other circles. Leading education groups such as the

Education Trust, the Education Leaders Council, and the National Commission on

Teaching and America's Future, characterized by their diversity as much as by their

commitment, have repeatedly acknowledged the importance of the link between teacher

subject-area preparation and student learning. The federal government has also

expressed its desire to strengthen teacher preparation. Amidst a great deal of

controversy, the President of the United States signed into law the No Child Left Behind

Act of 2001 (NCLB), which stipulates, among other things, that Title I schools hire only

highly-qualified teachers beginning in the fall of 2002, and that there be a

highly-qualified teacher in every classroom by the end of the 2005-06 school year. To

be deemed "highly-qualified," a new teacher must be able to demonstrate "rigorous

subject-matter preparation . . . either through adequate performance on a test or

through successful completion of a major, graduate degree, or advanced credentialing"

(Paige, 2002). Veteran teachers are required to hold at least a bachelor's degree and

demonstrate subject-matter competence through less formal, but no less demanding,

requirements (see NCLB, Title IX, Part A, Section 9101 (23)(C)).

Though opinions may differ in coming years over the benefits of NCLB, one indisputable

accomplishment stands: the framing of the teacher preparation issue in terms of teacher

quality--not teacher certification. Based on studies that examine individual student

learning, we know that the quality of a student's teacher is the single-most important

factor in a student's education. Improving teacher preparation may, therefore, require

going beyond the realm of current state certification, and focusing on actual student

understanding and achievement needs. Some states and universities have seriously

begun dealing with this issue, exploring initiatives to align student academic content

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ED477730 2002-12-00 The National Council on Teacher Quality: Expanding the Teacher

Quality Discussion. ERIC Digest.

Page 3 of 8
standards with teacher licensure, for example, and involving liberal arts faculty in the

development of the teacher training curriculum. While a number of education schools

"do not consider content knowledge their responsibility" (Cross & Rigden, 2002), this

attitude is changing, albeit slowly.

MISSION AND ACTIVITIES

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) is committed to improving teacher

quality by promoting public awareness of scientifically-based teacher quality strategies

and market-based initiatives, and encouraging reforms that lead to measurable gains in

student achievement. NCTQ is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan organization

dedicated to the belief that America's public education can be improved through better

teaching. NCTQ originated as the Teacher Quality Initiative, a joint project of the

Education Leaders Council and the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, but has since

emerged as an independent voice in the public conversation concerning teacher quality.

NCTQ's efforts to fulfill its mission can be categorized as three distinct activities:

publishing materials that address teacher quality issues, maintaining an online teacher

quality information clearinghouse, and assisting states, school districts, and colleges to

improve teacher quality. In addition to these core activities, NCTQ is involved in a

project to develop a national teacher certification--American Board for Certification of

Teacher Excellence--that will recognize strong subject-area knowledge, and encourage

the use of documentable student learning gains to measure teacher effectiveness.

PUBLISHING

The Teacher Quality Bulletin (TQB) is an online newsletter published by NCTQ for the

purpose of fostering public understanding of teacher quality issues. Each issue provides

analyses of the current news, studies, and reports concerned with such important topics

as teacher compensation strategies, alternative routes to certification, teacher retention,

and teacher preparation reform. TQB is currently published biweekly and available free

of charge.

From time to time, NCTQ also publishes briefing reports, memos, and other material

that offer a more in depth treatment of key teacher quality policies, issues, and

programs. Last year, it published a detailed analysis of the then-proposed Elementary

and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization. NCTQ will also release, "A

Consumer's Guide to Teacher Quality: Opportunity and Challenge in the No Child Left

Behind Act of 2001," and another publication, "Moving Towards Excellence: Exemplary

Teacher Preparation Programs."

ONLINE INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE

NCTQ believes that the condition of American public education should be transparent to

the American public. As a result, NCTQ has developed an online information

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Quality Discussion. ERIC Digest.
clearinghouse that people may access via the Worldwide Web. Plans are being

considered to expand the clearinghouse to include an archive of the latest teacher

quality research.

CONSULTING

In addition to promoting public awareness of teacher quality issues, NCTQ provides

technical assistance to states, school districts, and institutions of higher learning

committed to improving teacher quality. NCTQ makes available a wide variety of

services ranging from legislative and standards analysis to program development and

evaluation.

AMERICAN BOARD CERTIFICATION

The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) represents a new

approach to teacher certification. There are two levels of certification--Passport and

Master Teacher--both of which provide superintendents and principals with a reliable

measure of assurance that the holder (regardless of geographical origin) is competent

in his or her subject-area.

Passport certification, which is designed for licensing prospective teachers whether right

out of college or after having spent years at another career, also recognizes that the

holder has a fundamental understanding of effective instructional and assessment

strategies, including basic classroom management. Master Teacher certification, which

is designed for the veteran teacher, carries the added distinction of recognizing teacher

effectiveness as measured by documented success in bolstering student achievement.

Like the Passport, Master Teacher certification will be nationally-recognized, allowing

teachers to have their certification recognized in other states.

In addition, a series of studies will be conducted to examine the predictive validity of

both certification programs, and an online preparation program for taking the certifying

exams developed.

CONCLUSION

Current research suggests what most people have long-known--the key to student

success in the classroom is the teacher. The process for preparing teachers, however,

is largely based on requirements that have little relevance to improving student learning.

Until the teaching community is willing to align teacher preparation with student

achievement, we will be unable to offer each student the education s/he deserves.

For more information about NCTQ, contact:

ERIC Resource Center www.eric.ed.gov

ED477730 2002-12-00 The National Council on Teacher Quality: Expanding the Teacher

Quality Discussion. ERIC Digest.

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National Council on Teacher Quality

1225 19th St., NW, Suite 400

Washington, DC 20036

(202) 223-1813

REFERENCES

References identified with an EJ or ED number have been abstracted and are in the

ERIC database. Journal articles (EJ) should be available at most research libraries;

most documents (ED) are available in microfiche collections at more than 900 locations.

Documents can also be ordered through the ERIC Document Reproduction Service:

(800) 443-ERIC.

Braswell, J.S., Lutkus, A.D., Grigg, W.S., Santapau, S.L., Tay-Lim, B.S.-H., & Johnson,

M.S. (2001). The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2000. Washington, DC: National

Center for Education Statistics. EJ 640 226

Calsyn, C., Gonzales, P., & Frase, M. (1999). Highlights from TIMSS: The Third

International Mathematics and Science Study. Washington, DC: National Center for

Education Statistics.

Coleman, J.S., et al. (1966). Equality of educational opportunity. Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. ED 012 275

Collias, K., Pajak, E., & Rigden, D. (2000). One cannot teach what one does not know:

Training teachers in the United States who know their subjects and know how to teach

their subjects. [Available online] http://www.c-b-e.org/PDF/OneCannotTeach.pdf.

Cross, C.T. & Rigden, D.W. (2002). Improving teacher quality. American School Board

Journal, 189(4). [Available online] http://www.asbj.com/2002/04/0402coverstory2.html

EJ 642 952

Donahue, P.L., Finnegan, R.J., Lutkus, A.D., Allen, N.L., & Campbell, J.R. (2001). The

Nation's Report Card: Fourth-Grade Reading 2000. Washington, DC: National Center

for Education Statistics.

www.eric.ed.gov ERIC Custom Transformations Team

Page 6 of 8 ED477730 2002-12-00 The National Council on Teacher Quality: Expanding the Teacher

Quality Discussion. ERIC Digest.
Goldhaber, D.D. & Brewer, D.J. (1999). Teacher licensing and student achievement.

Better Teachers, Better Schools. Washington, DC: Thomas B. Fordham Foundation.

83-102.

Gonzales, P., Calsyn, C., Jocelyn, L., Mak, K., Kastberg, D., Arafeh, S., Williams, T., &

Tsen, W. (2000). Pursuing excellence: Comparisons of international eighth-grade

Mathematics and Science achievement from a U.S. perspective, 1995 and 1999.

Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. ED 457 025

Haycock, K. (1998). Good teaching matters ... A lot. Thinking K-16, 3(2), 3-14. EJ 584

784

Paige, R. (2002). Meeting the highly qualified teachers challenge: The Secretary's

annual report on teacher quality. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

Sanders, W.L. & Rivers, J.C. (1996). Cumulative and residual effects of teachers on

future student academic achievement. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee.

-----

This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U. S.

Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, under

contract number ED-99-CO-0007. The content of this publication does not necessarily

reflect the views of or policies of the U.S. Department of Education nor does mention of

trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U. S.

Government.

Title: The National Council on Teacher Quality: Expanding the Teacher Quality

Discussion. ERIC Digest.

Note: Contains small print.

Document Type: Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs)

(071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073);

Available From: ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education, American

Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, 1307 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite

300, Washington, DC 20005-4701. Tel: 202-293-2450; Tel: 800-822-9229 (Toll Free);

Fax: 202-457-8095; e-mail: query@aacte.org; Web site: http://www.ericsp.org.

Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Elementary Secondary Education, Higher

Education, Preservice Teacher Education, Teacher Certification, Teacher

Competencies, Teacher Influence, Teacher Qualifications, Teaching Skills

Identifiers: ERIC Digests, Subject Content Knowledge

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