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TEACHER QUALITY |
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1. |
Having a high quality teacher in every classroom is one of the most important factors in student success. (This was the comment mentioned most often by participants.) |
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2. |
When determining whether a teacher is "highly qualified," subjective measures (student/parent feedback, teacher/peer evaluations) should be used in addition to objective measures (bachelor's degree, state certification). The difficulty of capturing "passion" and "connections with students/parents" -- both integral to teacher quality -- was noted. |
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3. |
Teacher certification programs should include more emphasis on classroom management and real-life teaching situations, communication skills, and knowledge of social or psychological resources in the community. |
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4. |
If teachers are found to be lacking in skills, schools should be held responsible for offering quality professional development in a non-punitive setting. |
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5. |
Teachers who work with at-risk students should be rewarded -- both in recognition and in salary. (It was noted that currently NCLB does not capture/reward growth in student achievement unless students cross the next threshold, which sometimes encourages educators to work with students "on the cusp" instead of those far behind.) |
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6. |
Ongoing professional development in the teacher's field of study should be required, so that students are exposed to the most current knowledge and are more prepared for the real world. |
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7. |
Federal and state government should offer more incentives (grants, funding, forgiveness of student loans) to encourage teachers to continue their education. |
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8. |
Teachers should be paid like other professionals, but also have other professional requirements. Specific ideas included: residencies/internships, cultural diversity training, ongoing re-certification. |
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TESTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY
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9. |
NCLB and standardized testing should not be eliminated -- however, significant improvements and supplementary emphases are needed. (This was repeatedly mentioned by participants.) |
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10. |
There should be less emphasis on high-stakes testing and more emphasis on educating the "whole child." A clear loss of focus on the arts, sciences, physical education, and hands-on/real-world skills was noted, as schools focus on "teaching to the tests" instead of creating lifelong learners. |
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11. |
NCLB should require states to use metrics that capture and report on individual student growth, instead of just schoolwide progress. |
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12. |
Instead of high-stakes, year-end tests, more emphasis should be placed on smaller-scale diagnostic tests that allow teachers to make productive adjustments in their teaching. |
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13. |
When evaluating students and schools, the accountability system should include additional measures. Suggestions included: student portfolios/projects and parent/community surveys. |
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14. |
There should be national standards for accountability -- specifically, more national coordination of each state's grade-level standards. It was noted repeatedly that students from Louisiana who were displaced by Katrina and ended up in Houston were often one to two grade levels behind their local peers. |
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15. |
There should be a more realistic way to capture the progress of English language learners. Many students need additional years for transition. One teacher noted: "My children are bright and eager and they can do it. But their level of English is not high enough to pass the test in English." |
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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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16. |
There should be more oversight and enforcement of the NCLB requirements that schools and school districts involve parents and the community in school-based decision-making. |
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17. |
There should be more line-item funding for schools to carry out these requirements. It was noted that "getting the word out" and building effective partnerships takes money and time. |
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18. |
There should be more "bottom-up assessment" of schools. Community/parent surveys of teachers, principals and schools should be taken seriously and factored into school report cards. |
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19. |
Reports on a school's progress -- including details on financial oversight -- should be mailed to parents and community members. |
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20. |
More resources should be directed toward translation services and outreach that encourages participation among non-English speaking parents, in order to make them feel welcome, respected and engaged in their children's education. |
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21. |
Businesses should be given tax incentives for participating in schools. Examples included: mentoring students, visiting classrooms, real-world lesson planning with teachers. |
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INTERVENTIONS FOR LOW PERFORMANCE
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22. |
The current law is perceived as negative. Interventions should not be punitive, but should come as a "rallying cry" that encourages parents/communities to pitch in. |
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23. |
There should be a high-level ombudsman in each state to oversee compliance when interventions are required. One parent noted: "It has taken me four months to get my child the tutoring that his school is required to give him under this law. At this point, who do I call?" |
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24. |
When a student transfers to a higher-performing school as allowed under NCLB, the lower-performing school should not be saddled with the financial burden, but rather should be given funds for improvement. In addition, the receiving school should be given funds needed to get the student "up to speed," assuming he/she is behind grade level proficiency. |
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25. |
There should be line-item funding for more social workers in schools at all levels -- elementary, middle and high school. |
