EdQuest Georgia
Overview
Policies must be in place to provide quality teaching to students by providing supports for teachers in areas such as recruitment, retention, and professional development and learning.
High-quality teaching has long been touted as the most important in-school factor that can improve student achievement. Studies reveal that student performance is correlated with the quality of a student’s teachers. Students exposed to consistent high-quality teaching are more likely to attend college, are less likely to become teenage parents, and have higher earnings in adulthood. However,student performance lags when children are taught by low-quality teachers — an effect that compounds over time. Given the critical importance of teacher quality, it is essential that states have policies in place that attract and retain the highest quality teachers possible.
Benchmarks
Nationally , Georgia ranks 9th in the quality of policies that govern the teaching profession according to the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Georgia Compared to Top Five Performing States - Overall State Grade 2015
National Council on Teacher Quality. (2015).
National Council on Teacher Quality 2015 State Teacher Policy Yearbook State Rankings
Georgia was ranked 9th overall for the United States with an overall letter grade
of B-. Ratings are compiled across a variety of measures which were given letter grades as stated:
1. Delivering well-prepared teachers. C+
This area focuses on teacher preparation, such as program admission requirements, elementary, middle and high school preparation, assessing professional knowledge and student teaching.
2. Expanding the teacher pool. B-
This area examines alternative certification pathways.
3. Identifying effective teachers. C+
This area is related to teacher evaluations, licensure and equity.
4. Retaining effective teachers. C+
This area focuses on issues of induction, professional development, and compensation.
5. Exiting Ineffective teachers. B
This area examines procedures related to dismissals and reduction of force.
Georgia Compared to Southern Neighbors- 2015 NCTQ State Teacher Policy Yearbook State Rankings
National Council on Teacher Quality. (2015).
Resources
International and National Benchmarking
- Center on International Education Benchmarking – High-Quality Teachers and Principals
This site contains policy briefs based on best practice research of the world’s top-performing education systems. - National Council on Teacher Quality: State Yearbook DashboardThe State Teacher Policy Yearbook dashboard provides an accessible way to navigate through the 360-degree analysis of every state law, rule, and regulation that shapes the teaching profession- from teacher preparation, licensing and evaluation to compensation, professional development and dismissal policy.
- Council of Chief State School Officers: The National Network for Transforming Educator Preparation (NTEP) is composed of 13 states, including Georgia, that collaborate and support one another with the shared goal of improving the quality of educator preparation.
- Education First – Education First is a national, mission-driven strategy and policy organization with unique and deep expertise in education improvement. They work closely with policymakers, practitioners, funders and advocates to design and accelerate policies and plans that support strong systems, outstanding educators, engaged students and effective investments.
Georgia Resources
- Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)
- Georgia Department of Education
- State ESSA Plan
- Georgia’s Equity Plan
- Teacher and Leader Support and Development
- Real Teachers. Real Voices. (videos from Governor’s Office of Student Achievement)
- Teacher Keys Assessment System
Georgia Resources
- Governor Nathan Deal – Education Reform Commission – Website
Opportunities
Keep moving forward;
strong policies in place:
Teacher Preparation – Continue the rigorous teacher preparation program requirements.
Career Ladder – Continue the tiered certification ladder.
Proceed with caution;
policies need some work:
Teacher Preparation – Refine the performance measures for teacher preparation programs.
Teacher Preparation – Strengthen induction programs.
Teacher Preparation – Transition to a full-year clinical model for student teaching.
Teacher evaluation – Allow time to evaluate the teacher effectiveness system.
Alert! Policy missing
or needs immediate attention:
Recognize teachers as professionals.
Examine teacher compensation.
Address teacher equity.