There are few areas where American teachers are as united as they are in their dissatisfaction with their professional learning and advancement opportunities. The lack of meaningful offerings affects states' ability to attract, develop, and retain strong teachers, which in turn impedes schools' ability to help students fulfill their potential.…

Few things in the professional life of university faculty are more important than the tenure process. Achieving tenure provides the faculty member with the confidence that his or her position with the university will be secure for life. Politicians often criticize the tenure of teachers at all educational levels (Flaherty, 2017; Money, 2015).…

Hiring alternative certified teachers has been a plausible solution to meeting the growing needs for highly qualified teachers in the classroom. Not only is there a need for teachers, there is also a need for strong leadership in education. Newly hired teachers must not only be prepared to tackle the everyday issues and responsibilities of the…

In their pursuit of tenure and promotion, African American female faculty members continue to prevail over workplace adversities such as ridicule, marginalization, alienation, isolation, and lack of information. In this descriptive phenomenological study, the lived experiences of five African American female professors who successfully navigated…

This policy primer is designed to provide base-line information about new forms of teacher pay that are emerging around the country, to support the local conversations and negotiations that will lead to the development of innovative compensation systems. It identifies reasons why teacher compensation is high on local, state, and federal policy…

This article profiles Stephanie Hirsh, executive director of the National Staff Development Council (NSDC). Hirsh joined NSDC in 1988 as associate program executive director. She had previously been director of program and staff development at Richardson Independent School District (RISD) in suburban Dallas, Texas. She began her career as a…

This study was conducted to determine the most effective means of implementing career ladder level assignments that are made on the basis of student achievement and other bases required by law in Texas. Part one consists of a research study focusing on research in teacher effectiveness, accountability, measurement and implementation concerns, and…

Statewide career ladder programs may be unable to match local needs. Alternative models, like the Professional Incentive Plan described in this article, should be provided for local school districts. A study of 170 Texas teachers suggests Texas' career ladder program goals (teacher motivation, career advancement) are not being realized. (IAH)

This study examined Texas school district spending on staff development and analyzes characteristics of district staff development programs. The study reviewed two statewide programs that provide extended staff development opportunities to participating schools to see if gains in student learning could be documented. The report also looked at both…

The purpose of this publication is to focus attention upon a rapidly growing development in public school administration--the increasing interest in personnel administration as a process which can be identified through a description of certain formal functions which every school district must perform. The existence of adequate personnel policies…