Press & News - National Council on Teacher Quality

49 Results

Plagued by teacher shortages, some states turn to fast-track credentialing

USA Today

As states turn to for-profit online teacher credentialing companies to address teacher shortages, critics question whether these fast-track programs provide adequate preparation. NCTQ President Heather Peske questions how these programs ensure teachers receive necessary clinical practice and content knowledge, particularly for specialized positions like special education.

August 3, 2023

Many teachers not equipped to teach elementary schoolers how to read, report says

ABC 13 News

A new NCTQ report reveals that only 25% of U.S. teacher prep programs cover all five components of scientifically based reading instruction. Our evaluation of nearly 700 programs found significant gaps in teacher training for dyslexia and English learners.

June 15, 2023

Only 25% of teacher prep programs cover all five core reading instruction areas, national report finds

The Philadelphia Inquirer

NCTQ data reveals that only one-quarter of teacher preparation programs adequately cover all five core components of reading instruction. Aspiring teachers and their students "deserve far better," says NCTQ President Heather Peske, as more than a third of fourth grade students can't read at a basic level.

June 13, 2023

Chicago Public Schools staff to get 12 weeks paid parental leave

Chalkbeat Chicago

Chicago Public Schools announced plans to offer 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave for all employees, putting the district ahead of most school systems nationally. According to NCTQ data, less than a quarter of nearly 150 large school districts offer paid parental leave, with most providing fewer than 30 days.

June 8, 2023

Why do teachers pay for school supplies with their own money?

Marketplace/MPR

Teachers nationwide spend hundreds of dollars annually on classroom supplies. NCTQ President Heather Peske notes that while some schools offer supply budgets or receive parent support, teachers in high-poverty districts typically bear these costs themselves.

April 7, 2023

It Could Get a Whole Lot Easier to Teach in a Different State

Education Week

A new compact hopes to create full teacher-license reciprocity among states, easing mobility barriers for qualified educators. NCTQ's Shannon Holston emphasizes that limiting eligibility to fully licensed teachers is key to maintaining quality while keeping experienced educators in the profession.

March 27, 2023

How Schools and Programs Around the Country Are Making Teaching More Diverse

The 74

When students of color have teachers of color, they experience better attendance, fewer disciplinary issues, and higher academic achievement. NCTQ identified nearly 90 programs that successfully support candidates of color in navigating teacher licensure exams, key guardrails that help gauge whether teachers are prepared to enter the classroom.

February 22, 2023

Teachers are leaving, forcing this school to cancel classes. Lowering professional qualifications does not fix shortage, educators say

CNN

Over the last two years, 23 states have lowered teacher qualification requirements for beginning teachers, according to an NCTQ analysis. NCTQ President Heather Peske warns that lowering qualifications is harmful to students and insulting to the teaching profession.

February 3, 2023

Are Illinois schools teaching reading all wrong?

Chicago Sun Times

In Illinois, the momentum for changing how elementary students learn to read is growing. This article highlights NCTQ's Teacher Prep Review: Program Performance in Early Reading Instruction, which points out that many educator preparation programs still do not provide sufficient preparation in early reading for aspiring elementary teachers.

December 25, 2022

Overworked, underpaid? The toll of burnout is contributing to teacher shortages nationwide

USA Today

A nuanced analysis of where teacher shortages exist across the country, the contributing factors, and discussion of how students are being affected. This brief uses NCTQ data on which states publicly report key information about their teacher workforce needs.

December 21, 2022

Uncertified teachers filling holes in schools across the South

The Dallas Morning News

Southern states increasingly rely on emergency-certified teachers and those teaching outside their certification areas to fill classroom vacancies across all grade levels. NCTQ's Chief of Policy and Programs Shannon Holston warns that shortsighted hiring practices could negatively impact students for years to come.

October 13, 2022

NC teachers would prove they are effective educators under proposed licensure program

WRAL News

A synopsis of North Carolina's proposed new teacher licensure and compensation system, which would require newly licensed teachers and experienced teachers seeking to renew their licenses to prove they are effective. The piece includes NCTQ data highlighting other states that have implemented similar policies.

October 10, 2022

One Way to Ease the Teacher Shortage: Pay More, Some Districts Say

The New York Times

Expert insight on how school districts can effectively address teacher shortages in hard-to-staff subjects and schools. NCTQ President Heather Peske urges aspiring teachers to examine teacher supply and demand in their local job market before entering the workforce.

October 6, 2022

Fact Check Team: Teacher shortage continues to threaten US education system

The National Desk

States continue to address teacher shortages by lowering or eliminating licensure requirements as a quick fix. NCTQ President Heather Peske warns this short-term solution creates lasting negative consequences for both the teaching profession and student learning outcomes.

October 5, 2022

Pa. waived the basic skills requirement for educators. Will it work to attract more teachers?

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania is among many states removing certification requirements, including basic skills tests for admission to preparation programs. NCTQ data provides a comparison of states' policies regarding basic skills tests, and NCTQ President Heather Peske emphasizes the need to collect data on how these decisions affect aspiring teachers and their future students.

September 17, 2022

Wanted: Teachers. No Training Necessary.

The Washington Post

States are lowering standard requirements for entry into teaching—including eliminating licensure content tests—to address staffing challenges. NCTQ President Heather Peske warns these changes will harm student outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations.

September 13, 2022

Distance learning affected disadvantaged students most. The teacher shortages are just piling on.

USA Today

NCTQ policy analysis on states' teacher workforce data reporting helps illuminate the dearth of information on teacher shortages. NCTQ President Heather Peske weighs in on why education leaders must reconsider the recent trend of lowering requirements for entry into the teaching profession.

August 28, 2022

As the start of the school year looms, teacher vacancies remain. One Philly-area district may farm out its students to community college.

The Philadelphia Inquirer

As some Philadelphia-area school districts are faced with teacher staffing challenges heading into the 2022-23 school year, district leaders consider alternative ways to help keep students in the classroom. NCTQ President Heather Peske weighs in on

August 8, 2022

States Relax Teacher Certification Rules to Combat Shortages

Education Week

In anticipation of teacher shortages, several states have opted to lower requirements for aspiring teachers to become fully licensed–including eliminating some licensure tests. NCTQ President Heather Peske offers insight on why states need data systems to better track potential teacher shortage areas rather than making blunt policy responses.

June 28, 2022

A Trio of Upstate colleges uncovered the secret to teaching children math

The Post and Courier

Highlights three South Carolina-based educator prep programs that received top grades in NCTQ's Teacher Prep Review: Preparation for Teaching Elementary Mathematics report (2022), ensuring that their aspiring elementary teachers get the math content knowledge and pedagogy they'll need to be successful in the classroom.

May 20, 2022

Texas’ ‘wild west’ teacher prep landscape could make teacher shortage worse

Dallas Morning News

An in-depth look at Texas's loose rules governing educator preparation programs. Former NCTQ President Kate Walsh shares her concerns that the large-scale, for-profit alternative teacher preparation model in Texas does not function in the interest of teachers, as it is more about getting teachers in classrooms quickly than about ensuring they have the knowledge and skills they need to teach.

April 20, 2022

Cardona urges state, district momentum on teacher shortages

K-12 Dive

This article examines Secretary Cardona's plan to use pandemic relief funds for teacher recruitment, citing NCTQ data on states lowering academic requirements for teacher preparation programs. Former NCTQ President Kate Walsh offers alternative approaches to address teacher shortages rather than simply reducing licensure standards.

March 28, 2022

OPINION: Why the Chicago Teachers Union Always Gets What It Wants

The Wall Street Journal

Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner from the Illinois policy organization Wirepoints dissect the Chicago Teachers Union's history of teacher strikes in recent years, pulling in data on how teacher salaries in Chicago Public Schools compare to salaries in other large school districts across the country from NCTQ's Teacher Contract Database.

January 14, 2022

Georgia teachers hope Kemp fulfills pay raise promise

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Insight on the progression of state legislation favoring long-promised pay raises for Georgia teachers, including data from NCTQ's Smart Money 2.0 on teachers' lifetime earnings in Gwinnett County Public School and Atlanta Public Schools, two of the state's largest school districts.

January 5, 2022

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Plagued by teacher shortages, some states turn to fast-track credentialing

Many teachers not equipped to teach elementary schoolers how to read, report says

Only 25% of teacher prep programs cover all five core reading instruction areas, national report finds

Chicago Public Schools staff to get 12 weeks paid parental leave

Why do teachers pay for school supplies with their own money?

It Could Get a Whole Lot Easier to Teach in a Different State

How Schools and Programs Around the Country Are Making Teaching More Diverse

Teachers are leaving, forcing this school to cancel classes. Lowering professional qualifications does not fix shortage, educators say

Are Illinois schools teaching reading all wrong?

Overworked, underpaid? The toll of burnout is contributing to teacher shortages nationwide

Uncertified teachers filling holes in schools across the South

NC teachers would prove they are effective educators under proposed licensure program

One Way to Ease the Teacher Shortage: Pay More, Some Districts Say

Fact Check Team: Teacher shortage continues to threaten US education system

Pa. waived the basic skills requirement for educators. Will it work to attract more teachers?

Wanted: Teachers. No Training Necessary.

Distance learning affected disadvantaged students most. The teacher shortages are just piling on.

As the start of the school year looms, teacher vacancies remain. One Philly-area district may farm out its students to community college.

States Relax Teacher Certification Rules to Combat Shortages

A Trio of Upstate colleges uncovered the secret to teaching children math

Texas’ ‘wild west’ teacher prep landscape could make teacher shortage worse

Cardona urges state, district momentum on teacher shortages

OPINION: Why the Chicago Teachers Union Always Gets What It Wants

Georgia teachers hope Kemp fulfills pay raise promise

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