Wednesday, March 03, 2010

America's Teachers on America's Schools

Scholastic Inc. and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today released Primary Sources: America's Teachers on America's Schools, a landmark report presenting the results of a national survey of more than 40,000 public school teachers in grades pre-K to 12.

According to the press release, the survey, which was conducted by phone and on the web from mid-March to mid-June 2009, identifies five solutions to address the challenges facing schools today and to help ensure that all students achieve at their highest levels:

1. Establish Clear Standards, Common Across States
2. Use Multiple Measures to Evaluate Student Performance
3. Innovate to Reach Today's Students
4. Accurately Measure Teacher Performance and Provide Non-Monetary Rewards
5. Bridge School & Home to Raise Student Achievement

The report contains data that can be reviewed by state and by grade level. What was considered the most important in retaining good teachers? 'Supportive leadership' and 'Time for teachers to collaborate' were rated as absolutely essential by more than half of the respondents. Important topics like differentiating instruction and means for engaging students are also discussed.

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