Reinvent teacher preparation and professional development. American teachers spend only three to five hours weekly planning and working jointly on lessons, unlike their peers in Europe and Asia, who have 15 to 20 hours. The report suggests 1 percent of state and local education funding be set aside to support professional development, in addition to matching funds for school districts that want to do more. It also advocates sweeping reforms in teacher education, including adding a fifth year to undergraduate training, instituting mentoring programs, and forming school-university partnerships. Teachers take part in professors' research, mentor graduate and undergraduate students, and in turn receive rich training and co-teaching opportunities.
Time needs to be made, and time is money.
Overhaul teacher recruitment, and put qualified teachers in every classroom. In addition, more than 12 percent of new hires enter the classroom without any formal training at all, and another 14 percent have not fully met state standards. The Commission recommends incentive programs, including scholarships and premium pay, for high-need subject areas and locations, in addition to more stringent certification and licensing. Encourage and reward knowledge and skill. Few other professions allow novices to take on the same kind of work as 30-year veterans.