Teacher Quality Cited as Key to Education Success

Wisconsin educators agree with the American people who said in a recent survey that teacher quality is the most important element of education improvement, according to the chair of WEAC’s Instruction and Professional Development Committee.

“WEAC members have long advocated – and continue to advocate – strong teacher education programs and reduced class size as essential elements of school reform,” said Bob Nerad, a Milwaukee teacher.

The Louis Harris survey, released by Recruiting New Teachers, found that nine out of 10 Americans believe the way to raise student achievement is to ensure a qualified teacher in every classroom. Teacher quality was picked over all other reform measures including standards, tests, vouchers, and privatization.

At WEAC’s urging, the Legislature passed and the governor signed a bill earlier this year creating a Professional Standards Council for teachers. The council will create a system for continuous review of the quality of teacher training, the standards for achieving and maintaining certification, and the review of effective classroom practices.

The full survey results are available at www.rnt.org in a report titled “The Essential Profession.”

Posted November 20, 1998