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We know that from the moment students enter a school, the most important factor in 

their success is not the color of their skin or the income of their parents— it is the teacher 

standing at the front of the classroom.

—President Barack Obama

Of all the work that occurs at every level of our education system, the interaction between teacher and student is the primary determinant of student success. A 

great teacher can make the difference between a student who achieves at high levels and 

a student who slips through the cracks, and a great principal can help teachers succeed as 

part of a strong, well-supported instructional team. Research shows that top-performing 

teachers can make a dramatic difference in the achievement of their students and 

suggests that the impact of being assigned to top-performing teachers year after year is 

enough to significantly narrow achievement gaps. 

Yet our education system doesn’t give teachers the respect and support that professionals 

deserve. Many prospective teachers attend preparation programs that aren’t relevant 

to the work they’ll be doing in the classroom. Once they start teaching, they don’t 

receive meaningful feedback or professional development that allows them to grow as 

professionals. When they succeed, they aren’t given adequate recognition or respect. 

Schools often aren’t structured or led in a way that allows teachers to share their expertise 

and learn from each other. Across the education system the contributions that teachers 

make to their students’ learning and to their school communities too often isn’t properly 

recognized.

Supporting Teachers

Reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Supporting Teachers
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The Obama administration’s plan for reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary 

Education Act addresses these critical issues that affect America’s students by attending to three areas of teaching in particular: treating teachers as professionals, 

rewarding excellence in teaching, and giving teachers adequate time and support 

to develop themselves and their lessons.

Our Plan Treats Teachers as Professionals by:

▶ Increasing funding. Our proposal contains the largest request for ESEA 

funding ever—both overall and for funds targeted towards teachers and 

leaders. It requests historic funding for teachers and principals—a 10-percent increase over the 2009–10 budget, to $3.9 billion. 

▶ Responding to teachers’ voices. We’ll require annual surveys of teachers 

and require districts to report the results. Teachers will collaborate in the 

design of new evaluation systems.

▶ Sharing responsibility. The responsibility for improving student outcomes 

won’t fall on the teachers alone. States, districts, and school leaders will 

share that responsibility. Districts that are not supporting their schools, 

principals, and teachers will face interventions.
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▶ Improving evaluations. Working with teachers, principals, and other stakeholders, districts will improve evaluation systems for teachers and principals. These systems will consider student learning and other measures and 

will provide educators with better information to improve their practice.

Our Plan Rewards Excellence by:

▶ Rewarding success. Great teachers will have advancement opportunities 

and additional compensation.

▶ Focusing on growth. Teachers will get credit for accelerating the learning of 

students of all abilities. They won’t be judged simply by their students’ meeting absolute benchmarks.

▶ Supporting teachers in closing gaps. Schools and their teachers will not be 

labeled as failing if one group of students is not meeting targets. Instead, we 

will put in place supports to help them focus on closing achievement gaps, 

giving local officials the flexibility to choose how to do so.

▶ Improving achievement through flexibility. In the vast majority of schools, 

districts, school leaders, and teachers will have the flexibility to decide how 

best to improve their schools and raise student achievement. They won’t be 

required to offer tutoring or school choice. 

Our Plan Gives Teachers Time and Support by:

▶ Increasing collaboration time. There will be more support for time for 

teachers to collaborate, mentor, and work together to improve their practice.

▶ Holding preparation programs accountable. We will make sure teacher and 

leader preparation programs are accountable for preparing their graduates 

to be successful in classrooms. We will increase the investment in preparation.

▶ Funding relevant professional development. We will provide districts with 

support to implement professional development that is proven to give teachers knowledge and skills that help them improve their classroom practice.

▶ Improving principal leadership. More focus will be put on principal development and improving the quality of school leadership, including holding 

principals to the same effectiveness standards as teachers.

This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced in whole or in 

part. It comprises excerpts from A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of 

the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, U.S. Department of Education, 

March 2010. To read the full text, visit www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/blueprint.

For more information, go to www.ed.gov or call 1-800-USA-LEARN.

May 2010
 The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for 

global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

www.ed.gov