The 19-member board brought together classroom teachers, higher education, school administrators, school board members, and business people to discuss the relationship between licensing, accreditation, and what colleges of education need to provide teacher candidates. Illinois is also pursuing a closer alignment between its recently adopted Learning Standards and professional standards for teachers and administrators. Time for professional development is embedded into the work day in Japan and Germany. In contrast, American teachers are assigned administrative and custodial duties during the school day. Second, state funding for ongoing and sustained professional development for teachers has been a frequent target for budget cuts.
Researchers increasingly illustrate the critical link between student outcomes and teacher quality.
In addition to targeted state funding for professional development, schools and districts should be encouraged to promote flexible scheduling that allows teachers time to interact with each other, develop curriculum, and work with expert teachers. All rights reserved. Disclaimer and copyright information.