Blueprint for Change in Pennsylvania: State Teacher Policy Yearbook, 2010
Author: National Council on Teacher Quality
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Teaching (Occupation),Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Policy,Teacher Evaluation,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Improvement,Tenure,Teacher Dismissal,State Government,State Regulation,Academic Achievement,Educational Improvement,Teacher Certification,Alternative Teacher Certification,Needs Assessment,Yearbooks,Retirement Benefits,Educational Change,Teacher Education,Special Education Teachers,Elementary School Teachers,Middle School Teachers,Educational Objectives,Comparative Analysis,Public Schools

The 2009 &quot;State Teacher Policy Yearbook&quot; provided a comprehensive review of states' policies that impact the teaching profession. As a companion to last year's comprehensive state-by-state analysis, the 2010 edition provides each state with an individualized &quot;Blueprint for Change,&quot; building off last year's &quot;Yearbook&quot; goals and recommendations. State teacher policy addresses a great many areas, including teacher preparation, certification, evaluation and compensation. With so many moving parts, it may be difficult for states to find a starting point on the road to reform. To this end, this paper provides a state-specific roadmap, organized in three main sections. Section 1 identifies policy concerns that need critical attention, the areas of highest priority for state policymakers. Section 2 outlines &quot;low-hanging fruit,&quot; policy changes that can be implemented in relatively short order. Section 3 offers a short discussion of some longer-term systemic issues that states need to make sure stay on the radar. In the 2009 &quot;State Teacher Policy Yearbook&quot;, Pennsylvania had the following grades: (1) Delivering Well Prepared Teachers (D+); (2) Expanding the Teaching Pool (C-); (3) Identifying Effective Teachers (D); (4) Retaining Effective Teachers (D+); and (5) Exiting Ineffective Teachers (D-). Pennsylvania has an overall grade of D for 2009. In the last year, many states made significant changes to their teacher policies, spurred in many cases by the Race to the Top competition. Based on a review of state legislation, rules and regulations, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has identified no recent policy changes in Pennsylvania. In response to NCTQ's policy update, Pennsylvania noted that it plans to introduce new content certification tests for elementary teachers beginning September 2011 and that candidates must pass each of the three modules that will comprise the assessment. Pennsylvania is also redesigning its process for reviewing educator preparation programs, which will include collecting data on college admissions and test scores for all candidates. The state added that its current review process examines the qualifications of the faculty responsible for the material and emphasizes the need for involvement of arts and sciences faculty. This process will continue in the new full review process, which includes an online data program. In addition, Pennsylvania pointed out that it is working toward including post-secondary education candidates in the state's longitudinal data system (PIMS), which will allow Pennsylvania to track and study a large group of candidates from high school into their teaching careers. Pennsylvania also noted that out-of-state candidates are no longer required to complete six credits of mathematics and English, stating that &quot;this policy allows all applicants to be evaluated equitably through the same requirements.&quot; Individual sections contain footnotes. (Contains 5 figures.) [For the related reports, see &quot;Blueprint for Change: National Summary. State Teacher Policy Yearbook, 2010&quot; (ED515614) and &quot;State Teacher Policy Yearbook, 2009. Pennsylvania&quot; (ED511924).]