Chapter 6: Struggling to Improve Teacher Quality in Difficult-to-Staff Schools: NCLB and Teacher Policy

This chapter draws on case studies of teacher policy in three states (Maryland, New York, and Connecticut) to better understand local staffing policies in the context of the No Child Left Behind Act. Of particular interest are chronically low-performing and difficult-to-staff schools and districts that face the greatest staffing challenges. We use multilevel case study data that includes information on teacher policy at the state, district, and school levels. Findings from these case studies have implications for policies involving the identification of quality teachers, teacher compensation and economic incentives, leadership and working conditions, and preparation and professional development. In general, we find that while numerous policies are aimed at meeting the highly qualified teacher provisions of NCLB, the investments being made are not well coordinated, are not targeted to the areas that need them most, and are not likely to have a meaningful effect on the quality of teachers in schools serving economically and educationally disadvantaged communities. The chapter concludes with a set of recommendations for federal policymakers as they consider investments to support staffing in low-performing schools.