Research & Insights

Our classrooms haven’t kept pace with the changing world. The Ford Model T represented breakthrough technology in its day—more than 100 years ago—but it wouldn’t serve us well today. Likewise, our traditional classroom model from the same era doesn’t work well for far too many students and teachers. In fact, as a result of this outdated model, it is more difficult for schools to find and keep great teachers, which ultimately hurts student learning.

This interactive resource answers questions and provides guidance about reimagining teaching based on your leadership role. It contains a scan of state policies that impact whether districts can make strategic staffing a reality, case studies from innovative states and districts that are leading the way, and advice for leaders on how to get started.

Districts miss an opportunity to improve teacher effectiveness and strengthen their hiring pipelines if they don’t support strong student teaching experiences. New NCTQ data identifies which large U.S. school districts use smart policies to get the best ROI on clinical practice.

A strong clinical practice (or student teaching) experience can make a new teacher as effective as one in their second or third year in the classroom—a big gain for those teachers and, more importantly, their students. Providing every aspiring teacher with a strong clinical practice experience requires collaboration from prep programs and districts, often supported by their state.

In this action guide, you can review the six essential focus areas of a strong clinical practice experience; use the self-assessment tool to help you identify where to start; and read case studies from prep programs, school districts, and states that are getting it right.

Some suggest that teachers are “lured” out of the profession into more lucrative fields. But a new study of pre-pandemic data paints a more complex picture of who leaves the classroom and how much they earn afterward.

In the past four years, almost every state has lowered its standards for entry into teaching. I know this all too well, as I was a policymaker in one of those states.

Classes are shrinking, but student performance is stagnant. NCTQ examines class size policy changes in the largest U.S. districts to see how the landscape has changed in recent years.

Teachers improve rapidly in their first years in the classroom. New research seeks to identify strategies that can move more of this growth to their pre-service training.

As districts face impending fiscal cuts and teacher layoffs, states and districts should take this opportunity to reexamine their approaches to attracting and retaining teachers—especially those who do the most good for students.

New research examining ESSER’s impact on school district hiring in Washington state confirms potential teacher layoffs as the funding wanes.

District incentives to recruit and retain teachers will likely fall short if they lack specific attention to the needs of hard-to-staff subjects and schools. In this District Trendline, we examine how large U.S. districts pay teachers differently based on district needs to fill these critical gaps.

New research suggests that targeted and timely AI feedback on teachers’ instruction is possible and can improve instruction—but teachers still have their doubts.

This reading teacher wasn’t prepared to teach students who struggled to read. Thanks to a training program that taught her structured literacy, she can now help all students become strong readers. She describes why teachers need support in implementing scientifically based reading instruction.

Here’s how state education agency (SEA) leaders in seven states are monitoring the classroom-level implementation of their literacy policies.

The proportion of individuals in educator-support roles (paraprofessionals, counselors, etc.) has consistently grown over the last decade. Compare state and national changes in school staffing across support and teaching roles.

A working paper reveals a commonly held assumption that teachers frequently miss work compared to other professionals is wrong.

As ESSER funding depletes and teacher layoffs set in, school districts should consider teacher performance and other alternatives to last-in-first-out.

Researchers say Chicago Public Schools ultimately assigns students to teachers known to be low-performing and unlikely to improve.

We explore the research behind five key factors of effective high-impact tutoring programs.

As increasing numbers of schools, districts, and states embrace and invest in a scientifically based approach to teaching reading, some are bound to wonder about the efficacy of their efforts.

In March 2023, Arkansas passed the Literacy, Empowerment, Accountability, Readiness, Networking and School Safety Act (LEARNS). A recent research brief from the University of Arkansas analyzes how LEARNS has influenced teacher salaries statewide in its first year of enactment.

Teacher preparation isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. And just like preparing for a long race, it requires well-planned practice, feedback, and the guidance of experts.

Download our research rationale for more information about the research supporting strong clinical practice experiences.

This District Trendline looks at the 2023-2024 calendar for large school districts in the United States to explore the makeup of academic years.

This framework details the six areas of clinical practice—backed by research and supported by the field—that lead to a strong clinical practice experience.