Chapter 13: Teacher Quality Key for School Reform

Editor’s Note: The following op-ed was published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on August 30, 2005.

The entire nation should closely monitor the path-breaking $86 million K-12 school reform called Quality Compensation for Teachers, or Q Comp, that recently was signed into law in Minnesota.

Govenor Tim Pawlenty’s rigorous, systemic program is modeled in part after the Teacher Advancement Program, a powerful system to attract, develop, motivate, and retain high-quality people for the teaching profession.

Research shows that high-quality teachers are the most important school-related factor influencing student achievement. Q Comp focuses new education funding on making teachers more effective.