Improving Teacher Effectiveness in Washington State

The New Teacher Project’s Washington Report Release Proves Well-Timed for Race to the Top
Standing Strong on Math and Science Graduation Requirements

The New Teacher Project’s Washington Report Release Proves Well-Timed for Race to the Top

Last week, Partnership for Learning hosted national leaders from the U.S. Department of Education and The New Teacher Project (TNTP) for the release of our report, “Boosting the Supply and Effectiveness of Washington’s STEM Teachers.” Originally commissioned to inform the work of the Washington STEM Center, the timing of this release could not have been better. Earlier in the week, the governor introduced a series of bills (SB 6696 and HB 3035) geared toward addressing teacher effectiveness policies for Washington’s Race to the Top application. TNTP staff were on hand to answer questions about the legislation and if the proposals would increase Washington’s competitiveness for Race to the Top.

Together, we sent the strong message that, while this legislation represents a step in the right direction, it isn’t nearly as bold or innovative as the reforms other states are enacting. In particular, we are advocating for our state lawmakers to strengthen provisions related to teacher and principal evaluation, compensation and tenure.

Teachers are the most important influence on student learning and voters across the state support revising evaluation and compensation systems to be based on a teacher's ability to drive student achievement. According to the state’s recent diagnostic, Washington is starting behind many states in the Race to the Top and other states--including Illinois and Tennessee--that have implemented these crucial reforms are now better positioned for federal dollars. Reforms improving teacher and principal effectiveness, however, are worth the most in the grant competition and, if passed this legislative session, could bring us to the forefront.

In the report, TNTP offered four key recommendations to boost the supply and effectiveness of Washington's STEM teachers, accelerate student achievement in math and science and close the achievement gap. These recommendations also align with the reforms needed to make Washington more competitive for Race to the Top:

Increase the supply of effective STEM teachers: Enact policies that will raise the number of graduates from both traditional and alternative preparation programs, and hold programs accountable for the effectiveness of the teachers they produce.
Boost the effectiveness of all teachers through rigorous evaluation and targeted professional development: Amend state law to require annual evaluations for all teachers based primarily on their contribution to student academic growth. Provide funding for and require districts to give customized professional development to teachers based on their evaluations. Help districts hold administrators accountable for differentiating the effectiveness of their teachers, providing personalized professional development and career growth opportunities, improving or removing poor performers and retaining top performers.
Retain and reward the most effective teachers and ensure that they teach the highest-need students: Fund programs that give recognition and bonuses to effective teachers in shortage-area subjects, including math and science. Set goals for districts to increase retention of effective STEM teachers and decrease retention of ineffective teachers who do not improve, especially in schools with high-need students.
Improve or remove persistently less effective teachers, and replace them with more effective teachers: Require that non-provisional status be awarded only to teachers who demonstrate and ability to promote student achievement.

States and their unions across the country are forging new ground by tackling tough conversations and committing to make these necessary changes. At the end of the day, these reforms are needed to ensure all Washington students receive a quality education that prepares them to succeed in college and work, and are worth implementing even if Washington did not win a single Race to the Top dollar.

To learn more, please view the following resources:

Standing Strong on Math and Science Graduation Requirements

This week, the legislature is holding hearings on a proposal that would further weaken and delay the math and science high school assessment as graduation requirement (HB 2915 and SB 6553).

In 2007, the legislature delayed the implementation of the math and science high school assessment as a graduation requirement until the class of 2013. This proposal would further delay the requirement to the class of 2015 in math and the class of 2017 in science. Additionally, the proposal allows for a dual track system for fulfilling the graduation requirements. Students scoring “proficient” or above on the exams would pass. Students scoring “basic” on the tests could still graduate if they passed an additional course, which means a fourth course of math or third course of science given current course requirements.

The result of this proposal is clear: More students would be allowed to graduate without the critical math and science skills they will need to succeed in the information-based economy.

Our state has made the commitment to Washington students that attaining a high school diploma means they will be ready to meet the challenges that lie ahead—be it in a job, apprenticeship training or college classroom. Further delay of the math and science assessment as a graduation requirement would renege on this commitment—and hurt our chances for federal Race to the Top funding.

To learn more about why math and science are so important to Race to the Top and our state, please read this summary developed by Partnership for Learning and view this TVW Impact special.