I get the opportunity to visit schools across the country, and without fail, one of the things that teachers share is how unprepared they felt on their first day in the classroom.
The state education leaders we represent through the Council of Chief State School Officers have acknowledged this challenge, and two years ago released a series of state actions to make sure all teachers are prepared on Day One.
This is incredibly important work, and we can't do it alone. We need our partners in higher education, local school districts, teaching organizations and many more to give our teachers the preparation they deserve before walking into the classroom.
States have made great progress since we released our recommendations three years ago.
In Georgia, the state worked closely with teachers, leaders in higher education and local schools to create a new teacher licensure model that recognizes the needs of new teachers and then gives all educators room to advance in their careers while remaining in the classroom.
Louisiana is piloting a program where individuals who want to become teachers have a yearlong apprenticeship in a school. While there, they are paired with more experienced mentor teachers to offer one-on-one support. This creates a unique collaboration between the new teacher and the school to ensure every teacher gains the experience they need before entering the classroom on day one.
Massachusetts changed how the state approves and supports the programs tasked with preparing teachers to enter the classroom. Now, the state makes sure every program meets certain criteria and is held accountable for results.
All of this progress and the ongoing work in states has led our organization to support the TeachStrong campaign. CCSSO joined nearly 50 other organizations to create a set of principles on how we as a country can better invest in and support our teachers.
Here are the principles that TeachStrong is built on:
1-Identify and recruit more diverse teacher candidates with great potential to succeed, with a deliberate emphasis on diversifying the teacher workforce.
2-Reimagine teacher preparation to make it more rooted in classroom practice and a professional knowledge base, with universal high standards for all candidates.
3-Raise the bar for licensure so it is a meaningful measure of readiness to teach.
4-Increase compensation in order to attract and reward teachers as professionals.
5-Provide support for new teachers through induction or residency programs.
6-Ensure tenure is a meaningful signal of professional accomplishment.
7-Provide significantly more time, tools, and support for teachers to succeed, including through planning, collaboration, and development.
8-Design professional learning to better address student and teacher needs, and to foster feedback and improvement.
9-Create career pathways that give teachers opportunities to lead and grow professionally.
In reading these, you can understand why such a strong coalition, including the teachers unions, supports them. By working toward these goals, we can finally offer support to every teacher.
This work is not controversial. It is what needs to be done. Yet we recognize that getting the principles on paper was the easy part. Getting them to the field to effect real change will be more difficult. It will require changing systems, changing state policy and changing how the teaching profession is perceived.
I am frustrated to hear some groups criticize our efforts. There is not more important work today than making sure we invest in and prepare our teachers to meet the needs of all kids.
I am excited for our continued support of TeachStrong and how this campaign can build on the current progress states are making to honor teachers and elevate the profession.