Tech is one of few tools left in worsening teacher crunch

Technology—used to enhance teacher recruitment, aid certification
preparation, and assist professional development—is one of the few
tools school leaders still can use in the worsening shortage of qualified
teachers. New federal regulations are highlighting the long-anticipated
problem.

By Cara Branigan, Associate Editor, eSchool News

Starting now, according to the Improving Teacher Quality component of
the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), school districts that receive Title I
funds must hire only “highly qualified” teachers—meaning those who are
certified in the subjects they’re teaching. By the end of 2005-06 school
year, all teachers will have to meet the same requirement.

Although educators applaud the federal government’s effort to improve
teacher quality, they say meeting these requirements puts an extra
burden on school systems already plagued by a shortage of teachers,
particularly in science and math.

“The requirement doesn’t take into consideration the market pressure
that schools are under,” said Paul Houston, executive director of the
American Association of School Administrators (AASA). “There are very
few school systems that try to put unqualified teachers in classrooms
on purpose.”

Cash-strapped state budgets, private sector competition, and a
reduced ability to retain qualified teachers leave school leaders little
room to maneuver. Technology is one of the few tools still available.

States have limited resources to devote to the problem, but many are
using technology and the internet to aid districts in the recruiting
process.

Carol Whelan, assistant superintendent for the office of high-quality
educators at the Louisiana Department of Education, said 15.6 percent
of Louisiana teachers are not certified or are teaching outside of their
areas of expertise.

“Recruiting and retaining [are processes that] take time. There’s a lot
of competition. Every [other] state is recruiting as well,” Whelan said.

To address the requirements, Louisiana has developed a plan to get
teachers certified, set up regional computer labs where teachers can
practice for certification exams, and started a teacher cadet program
that targets students in high school who might be interested in
becoming teachers.

The state also built a web page, called Teach Louisiana, that shows
teachers what they need to do to get certified, lists jobs teachers can
apply for, and shows parents what credentials their child’s teacher has.

School districts compete with corporate America for highly skilled math,
science, and technology professionals, yet because of budget
constraints, they can’t offer the same lucrative salaries and
opportunities. To make matters worse, school districts also are stealing
high-quality teachers from each other.

“When you are in a poorer school district, you have a hard time even
competing with wealthier school districts,” said Bill Krugler, deputy
superintendent of the East Side Union School District in San Jose, Calif.
Although Krugler’s district is fully staffed for the start of the new school
year, 13 percent of its 8,000 teachers have only emergency
credentials—a situation reflected in districts across the country.

Unqualified and emergency-credentialed teachers fill classrooms
nationwide. One in four high school instructors teaches out of his or her
area of expertise, according to U.S. Department of Education (ED)
data. This average increases to 34 percent if only high-poverty schools
are counted.

Many experts say the nation’s teacher quality problem is a result of low
wages, scant professional development and support, and a lack of
prestige. They also say high-quality teachers are hard to retain.

Research shows that high-quality teachers lead to higher academic
achievement, but 15 percent of teachers leave the profession while
only seven percent enter, said Johnny Lott, president of the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Critics say although NCLB requires skilled, high-quality teachers to help
improve student achievement, it does little to address the roots of the
problem.

“The problem is a result of a lack of resources, and we still have a lack
of resources,” said Arnold Fege, director of public engagement and
advocacy for the Public Education Network. “The politicians are only
meeting us halfway. They provided the bill and the legislation, but they
haven’t provided the resources.”

NCLB recommended $3.175 billion for Improving Teacher Quality for
fiscal year 2002, but President Bush requested only $2.6 billion for the
program in his 2002 budget, and Congress funded it at $2.85 billion. For
2003, Bush requested $2.85 billion, but in July the Senate
appropriations committee recommended $3.1 billion. The House has yet
to take up its education spending bill for 2003.

Rob Weil, deputy director of educational issues for the American
Federation of Teachers (AFT), said the legislation doesn’t provide
enough governance to make a significant impact on issues such as
teacher salaries, retention, or professional development, which are the
main causes of the problem to begin with.

“[ED] would argue with you, but no, there are not enough things in the
bill to [address those needs],” Weil said.

Weil agrees that more money could help. “It’s not all about salary, but
teachers want to have families too,” Weil said. “We’re talking about
raising a family and having a comfortable living, and it’s very difficult to
do on a teacher’s salary.”

In San Jose, the starting salary for teachers is $40,000 but the median
price for houses is $420,000, said East Side’s Krugler. Because wages
can’t keep up with the city’s high cost of living, teachers are forced to
commute 60 or 70 miles or find roommates, he said.

Houston’s organization, AASA, has recommended to Congress that it
authorize a financial incentive—such as a $5,000 to $6,000 tax
credit—for qualified teachers who work in urban, disadvantaged school
districts. So far, no such action has been taken.

Krugler noted that many state governments aren’t in a position to help
financially, either. “We can’t depend on the federal or state government
to solve this dilemma,” he said. “In California [as in many other states],
we are facing a huge budget deficit.”

The Improving Teacher Quality requirements of NCLB have prompted
Krugler’s district to refine its teacher training and retention programs.
The district also is looking to increase local taxes to raise more money.

Innovative solutions like those in Louisiana may help, but AFT’s Weil
points out there are no strong federal penalties for failing to comply
with the new teacher quality requirements.

“Unlike schools that don’t make Adequate Yearly Progress, there are
very few sanctions if you don’t make your [Improving Teacher Quality]
goals,” he said.

This means the overall impact of the program’s requirements will be
determined by educators. “It’s going to be as effective as how serious
different people across the country take it,” Weil said of the program.

Improving Teacher Quality requirements

Beginning with the first day back to school, the Improving Teacher
Quality component of NCLB requires that school districts hire only
“highly qualified” teachers. Districts also must devise a plan to ensure
that all teachers are teaching in their core subjects and meet the
“highly qualified” requirements by the end of the 2005-06 school year.

According to NCLB, a highly qualified teacher must hold a bachelor’s
degree and have either a state certification or license to teach in that
state. Charter school teachers must meet the certification requirements
of their state’s charter school law.

NCLB has additional requirements depending on what grade teachers
teach and if the teacher is new to the profession.

For example, new elementary school teachers must demonstrate their
knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, math, and other areas
by passing a rigorous state test. Middle or high school teachers must
pass a rigorous state test in the subjects they will teach, and they
should essentially have earned their undergraduate degree in those
subjects.

Like school districts, states also have to devise a plan to ensure that
all teachers are teaching in their field and that they meet these
requirements by the end of the 2005-06 school year. State plans must
have an annual measurable objective for each district and school to
increase the percentage of teachers meeting these goals each year.

NCLB requires paraprofessionals to have obtained an associate’s degree
and demonstrate the ability to help teach reading, writing, and math.

School districts can use part of the Title I funds for ongoing training
and professional development to help teachers and paraprofessionals
meet these new requirements.

Links:

ED’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Look under “NCLB Regulations”)
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/asst.html

Public Education Network
http://www.publiceducation.org

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
http://www.nctm.org

American Federation of Teachers
http://www.aft.org

National Science Teachers Association
http://www.nsta.org

Teach Louisiana
http://www.teachlouisiana.net

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=3934&ref=wo