The report, developed by a task force of AFT leaders from K-12 and higher education, responds to a growing debate among lawmakers and educators on the need to improve the training and quality of the nation's teaching force. According to AFT, a third of teachers lack a major or minor in the subjects they teach, and districts with severe shortages are relying on emergency teacher certifications to put bodies in the classroom. AFT's call for tougher tests for prospective teachers is a break from the traditional union stance on the issue. The tests would be administered by an independent organization, such as the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or the Education Testing Service. The report has received mixed reviews.
Some critics claim the report's ideas are already being discussed.
And state educators are saying they see no need for a national test. The report was unflinching in its insistence that standards for teachers need to be raised. For folks outside the schools to talk about the problems of teacher quality, there's always a kind of hesitation . . . Teacher candidates should be required to major in an academic subject in addition to completing the course work in the college of education. College freshmen and sophomores seeking admission to teacher education programs should be required to take a core curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences.