The present manifesto results from that group's work. Here's a brief version of the manifesto's argument. The bad news is that most policymakers have turned away from this commonsensical approach when trying to increase the pool of well-qualified teachers. Instead of focusing on results, many states are demanding ever more regulation of inputs and processes. The signers of the manifesto conclude that the regulatory approach is seriously flawed.
Research finds no reliable link between pedagogical training and classroom success.
The time has come to consider radically different policies to boost the quality of teaching in U.S. schools. The teaching profession should be deregulated, entry into it should be widened, and personnel decisions should be decentralized to the school level. The entry and hiring process should be greatly simplified. Instead of requiring a long list of courses and degrees, we should test future teachers for their knowledge and skills and allow principals to hire the teachers they need. Freeing up those decisions only makes sense, however, when schools are held accountable for their performance-truly accountable, with real consequences for success and failure.