NEA Committed to Improving Teacher Quality

Since the NEA's establishment in 1857, strengthening the quality of classroom teaching has been at the center of its organizational mission. The Association works with researchers, educators, and policymakers to assure a qualified, competent, caring educator in every American classroom. NEA's commitment to teacher quality manifests itself in each critical component of the teacher development continuum, including:

Teacher Education Programs

The NEA was one of five founding organizations that established the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) back in 1954. NCATE is the teaching profession's recognized accrediting body that, over the decades, has dramatically increased the standards for the colleges and universities that prepare teachers.

NEA has also worked to create partnerships between universities that prepare teachers and the school districts that employ them. Since 1995, the NEA has created and supported 17 such partnerships, which have produced thousands of new teachers who are well equipped to begin teaching. The partnership project has now expanded into the NEA Professional Development Schools Network. The goal of this partnership is for all teacher preparation programs to produce high-quality beginning teachers.

The NEA also works to assure that aspiring teachers can meet rigorous state-level standards established to protect the interests of students and the teaching profession. The Association contributed to the dramatic improvement of state licensing systems that effectively gauge the knowledge and skill of prospective teachers.

Beginning Teachers

What's the No. 1 problem new teachers face? While salaries are a big issue, the fact is that new teachers cite "lack of support" as their top concern. As the teacher shortage worsens, the problem for school districts is increasingly one of retention rather than recruitment. School districts are struggling with high turnover rates, as teachers flee the profession, in large part due to the lack of assistance on the job.

Teaching is the only profession that expects its novices to fly solo. New teachers need practical, ongoing support in the classroom. NEA supports mentoring programs for beginning teachers.

Experienced Teachers

Every professional needs time to think, learn and strengthen skills-and teachers are no exception. Good staff development programs can reinvigorate teachers. Poor ones can demoralize them.

High quality professional development requires a commitment of money and time. NEA believes school districts must provide time during the regular workday and work year for study, research, reflection and collaboration with colleagues.

The NEA and its foundation — the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education  (NFIE) — develop and broadly disseminate standards for the continuing development of practicing classroom teachers. NEA's cutting-edge standards for high-quality teacher professional development are being implemented nationwide. The NEA also maintains an active partnership with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development to jointly promote staff development programs for experienced teachers that assure their skill and knowledge across all curriculum areas.

National Board Certification may be the most powerful professional development experience available to teachers. National Board Certification is an advanced credentialing process, with its certificate signifying that the holder has met the highest standards established for the teaching profession. NEA sees advanced, voluntary certification as an important part of its long-standing efforts to enhance standards for the teaching profession. The Association is the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) most active supporter and promoter of its high standards for accomplished teaching. NEA invests nearly $1 million a year in programs that advance the National Board's vision of accomplished practice, operating a network of 30 state organizations that provide support to teachers seeking National Board Certification and producing nationally acclaimed materials that encourage and support teacher participation.

NEA is one of approximately 25 organizations with representatives serving on the NBPTS board of directors. There are 30 NEA members on the NBPTS board, including NEA President Reg Weaver.

References

National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education

NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education 

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

Related Content

What Are Future Teachers Programs? - A new brochure explains available secondary school programs for future teachers and how NEA affiliates can start one.

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Study Critical of NCLB's Teacher Quality Provisions - NCLB Doesn't Help Keep Quality Teachers says a report released by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University shows that the NCLB teacher quality provisions do little to attract and retain quality teachers serving low-income and minority students.