Time for America to Test the Teacher!

Depending on the state, teacher policies for licensure can vary a great deal.

Missouri teachers, for example, are on probation for the first five years before they are allotted job security. In North Dakota, on the other hand, it is only 1 year.

Policies within the realm of education can also vary from school district to school district depending on several different factors. Some of these factors include socio-economic status and public funding.

The Federal mandate of the No Child Left Behind is currently being rewritten on Capitol Hill, much to the relief of teachers across the United States.

The current system involves a mix of broken and counterproductive policies that are in need of a lot of revamping, if not an overhaul.

The current system includes vast differences I how teachers are evaluated, prepared, licensed and compensated. Each of these factors can dramatically impact the quality of teachers and teaching in any given area.

The president of the National Council on Teacher Quality has reported that the variation in the policies across the nation makes little sense. She, however, unlike many national educators, is not pushing for national standards in the nation.

Teacher evaluations also vary dramatically across the nation. Annual reviews may not occur for up to five years in the states of Hawaii, Missouri and Tennessee. Many states require formal reviews of teachers on a yearly basis.

Only half the states currently require classroom observation to be part of the review. This is an unfortunate factor in many school districts. Without adequate observations and evaluations, teachers are not only allowed a little sliding room, they are not benefiting from constructive feedback. While reviews may require a little extra work for administrators and teachers, they are necessary in order to ensure the highest quality of education in any given district.

In class observations also allow teachers to gain valuable feedback for improvement as well.