Teachers of the years speak on NCLB

Fifty of the 56 state teachers of the year made a statement on NCLB. (If you wonder why there are 56 state teachers of the year for the 50 states, you studied too much geography and not enough political science.) Click the link to watch a video of these teachers talking about this.

They made ten recommendations:

1. Fully fund all education and assessment programs that are federally mandated.
2. Allow all states to utilize a growth model for measuring individual student achievement over time.
3. Use multiple methods of assessment to evaluate student learning accurately and report the results to the public.
4. Include language that appropriately addresses the unique needs of students with exceptionalities (disabilities as well as gifts and talents) while continuing to set high standards for all students.
5. Provide assessment information to teachers in a timely manner and professional development in effectively utilizing such information, so that it can inform instruction that will improve teaching and learning.
6. Evaluate current sanctions for failing Adequate Yearly Progress and replace then with proven methods of enhancing achievement.
7. Develop and fund programs that promote meaningful parent and family engagement.
8. Modify assessments and set realistic goals for English Language Learners.
9. Ensure every student is taught by a Highly Effective Teacher who receives ongoing professional development.
10. Include programs for school leadership development that addresses the need for administrators to become instructional leaders who conduct regular classroom observations and provide productive feedback to teachers.

Note that they talk about highly effective teachers, not highly qualified teachers. We've noted before that several state teachers of the year were not "highly qualified" under NCLB.