Quality Now , from PEN and Public Agenda, reports on the conversations on education and race held in cities around the United States. The reports are in remarkable agreement about what educators think works in schools and what parents and communities want for their children. Both studies point to the importance of holding high aspirations for all students, using data to drive change, and working closely with parents, to name just a few central tenets. Both studies conclude that improving the quality of instruction is key to raising achievement. Improving the quality of instruction is the only way to improve overall student achievement.
Teacher quality is the single most accurate indicator of a student's performance in school.
Teacher qualifications matter. Parents are concerned with how and where teachers get assigned. They also want to see how well teachers know their subject matter and whether they can provide role models for their children. Meanwhile, the Business Round Table, in conjunction with other business groups, declared that what is needed is a renaissance for educators. . . . Without high-quality teachers, our efforts to improve student achievement are destined to fail.