Add as a preferred source on Google

NASBE Policy Update Urges States to Pay Attention to Teacher Equity Plans

  • 05/19/15

Alexandria, Va. – According to the US Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection, nearly 96 percent of our nation’s public school teachers are licensed and certified. So why are over a half a million low-income and minority students still being taught in schools with the highest percentages of unqualified and inexperienced teachers? A new NASBE Policy Update explores teacher equity and why state policymakers need to start paying closer attention.

In “Will New Teacher Equity Plans Get Closer to the Mark?,” NASBE Director of School Discipline and Equity Kimberly D. Charis urges state, district, and local leaders to “get serious about upholding America’s core value of equal opportunity” by ensuring the all students have equal access to qualified and experienced teachers. The US Department of Education issued new guidance in 2014 requiring states to devise plans by June 1 for how states will ensure all their students have equitable access to excellent educators.

Most states “missed the mark” on their state plans when the department issued similar guidelines back in 2006, Charis says. So the new guidance presents an opportunity for states to close the teacher equity gap. Charis reviews what state teacher equity plans are to include and makes recommendations for how state boards of education can ensure successful implementation. She notes that annually reviewing state data will help uncover where teacher equity gaps exist. State boards of education can also work with school leaders and serve as a convener of discussions about how to promote more equitable teacher distribution practices. “As unbiased brokers for evidence-based policymaking, centered on the best interest of students and the public, state boards of education are a vital partner in every state and local effort to eliminate inequities and close achievement gaps,” writes Charis.

Download and read “Will New Teacher Equity Plans Get Closer to the Mark?”

Learn more at www.nasbe.org.

Featured

  • University of Southern Mississippi Starts Construction on Oyster Hatchery

    The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) recently announced that construction has begun on a new oyster hatchery at its Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC) Cedar Point campus in Ocean Springs, Miss., according to a news release.

  • Construction Begins on East Austin CTE-Focused High School

    The Del Valle Independent School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new CTE-focused high school in Austin, Texas, according to a news release. Del Valle High School will measure in at 473,338 square feet and have the capacity for 2,400 students.

  • ed tech conference calendar

    Upcoming Awards, Events & Webinars

  • KI Launches K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

    Contract furniture company KI recently announced the launch of its fourth-annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway, which awards $50,000 each to four K–12 educators across the U.S., according to a news release. The goal is to address decreasing student engagement and increasing teacher burnout numbers by updating learning spaces to accommodate modern needs.

Digital Edition