As reported by AAE, a poll released in late summer by Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup highlighted some interesting facts about the changing public perceptions regarding teacher unions. While clearly the American people are seeing the growing disconnect between teachers and unions as evidenced by this poll, the typical American voter is also becoming more and more informed about public education reform and the need for change in our struggling system.   Continue Reading...

AAE Releases National Membership Survey

Last week, AAE released its annual member survey about key education issues. Polling member teachers from all fifty states, survey results show progressive stances toward education and labor reform, particularly with regard to school choice, technology, attracting new teachers to the workforce, and collective bargaining.

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What started in February as a battle over budget shortfalls and forced unionism has grown into a full scale ballot referendum in the key swing state of Ohio. The question known as "Issue 2" will ask voters to either accept or reject a sweeping collective bargaining law that Governor John Kasich signed in March, less than three months after his election day. Tomorrow, Ohioans will go to the polls to vote on the referendum, a case study in the near nationwide debate over union power and the sustainability of the current collective bargaining system.   Continue Reading...

Teach for America (TFA), a non-profit organization that recruits top college graduate to teach in high-need schools after an intensive training has been showing steady gains in student test scores for years in urban districts and states across the county. According to the state card on teacher training released earlier this week, Teach for America participants outperform veteran teachers in Tennessee and recent graduates from traditional colleges of education.   Continue Reading...

Since the class warfare message of the Occupy Wall Street protests started nearly two months ago, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers have taken every chance possible to align themselves in solidarity with the group of mostly underemployed college students and left-leaning activists. With AFT President Randi Weingarten joining in on protests and affiliates in Kentucky and Missouri taking part in protests of their own, the teacher unions are quick to point out that "public education, teachers and unions have increasingly come under attack from the One Percent."   Continue Reading...

Full-Scale NCLB Overhaul Clears Senate Committee

On the heels of Senator Harkin's (D-IA) decision to ax the major teacher evaluation provision from his No Child Left Behind overhaul draft, and AAE's statement of support for educator accountability, the debate over a comprehensive bill concluded last week on Capitol Hill with a draft of a NCLB re-write clearing committee.

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At a time when well-meaning teachers are working harder than ever, often dipping into their own pockets for school supplies, one would think that a $2.54 million grant for teacher bonuses would be more than welcome. Unfortunately, for the teachers in the 393-educator Oregon City School District, local union interests are saying, "Thanks, but no thanks" to a generous grant in partnership with the Oregon-based education reform charity, the Chalkboard Project, designed to reward teachers through a performance pay initiative.   Continue Reading...

One of the most debated aspects of school reform has been the issue of the traditional school schedule. Currently, most of the country operates on the traditional short, five-day school week with summers off, a system largely based on a century's old calendar that has little significance for the majority of American students. As reformers seek to find a schedule that works, many have argued for school week models that not only add instructional time, but do so based on the highest student need.   Continue Reading...

Last week Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, released a large scale bill to reauthorize the current federal education law, No Child Left Behind. Working with Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY) on a bipartisan effort to retool the controversial law, the initial proposal heavily mirrored the Obama administration's long-standing blueprint for reauthorization coupled with the NCLB waiver package released last month. However, after emergency lobbying efforts by the NEA and AFT, the bill has taken a drastic turn with regard to teacher accountability, disappointing Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and other education reform groups.   Continue Reading...

Teach for America (TFA), a non-profit organization that recruits recent college graduates and professionals to teach in high-need schools for two years, has become one of the most well known and prestigious alternative certification programs in the country since 1990. While many studies have attributed student successes to TFA members and programs, little has been compiled about TFA retention rates and their impact on the high-need schools they teach in. As TFA enters into its biggest year yet, Phi Delta Kappa this week released a comprehensive study on how long TFA participants teach, and the patterns associated with participating in this unique program.   Continue Reading...

Last week, AAE had the pleasure of attending an event headlined by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and hosted by Education Sector, which unveiled the Department of Education's proposals to reform teacher preparation programs and better prepare new teachers for the classroom. The event featured both a speech by Secretary Duncan and panel of experts discussing the state of teacher prep and the need for reform. According to the department, the proposals are to be a part of the overall effort by the administration to support educators and make government programs work better for teachers and students.   Continue Reading...

2011 is shaping up to be the year of education and labor reform nearly nationwide. In March, 48 states were considering labor reform bills on the heels of major Republican gains in state legislatures across the country. What started as legislative progress and meaningful education reform in states like Indiana, Florida, and Idaho, has yielded an unprecedented backlash from unions who are literally fighting for their very survival in long drawn out court battles that are leaving many commonsense policies in limbo.

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This week marks the second annual interactive summit, Education Nation hosted by NBC news. The weeklong conference is designed to host educators, parents, policymakers, elected officials, business leaders, students and engaged citizens in facilitating a national discussion about the challenges and potential solutions spanning today's education landscape. This year's lineup of education panels kicked off yesterday with a major teacher town hall event, and is set to include sessions on teaching and testing, the brain science behind early-learning and more.   Continue Reading...

In light of the labor battles brewing across the country, compulsory unionism has become a hot topic among education advocates and teachers nearly nationwide. Gaining national headlines lately is the traditionally union-friendly state of Michigan, and their new "Right to Teach" legislation that seeks to end forced unionism for public school teachers.   Continue Reading...

On the heels of the successful education documentary, The Cartel, filmmaker Bob Bowdon once again breaks ground with his new education reform news service, Choice Media. Launched yesterday, Choice Media is a non-profit news website aimed at covering all facets of American education reform.   Continue Reading...

One thing on which everyone in the education community can agree is the fact that effective teachers are the key to the overall success of our school system. In light of this consensus, the Department of Education has spent the past several years studying the behavior of new teachers and their career paths, of which the findings were released last week in an ongoing study. In an effort to understand the typical career journey of a new educator, the study tracks 2,000 teachers as they begin their teaching careers and follows their behavior patterns as they continue in both elementary and secondary settings.   Continue Reading...

With back-to-school season in full swing, this school year's increase in virtual education programs is noticeable almost nationwide. Currently, 40 states offer or sanction some type of online education for their students, with other states considering proposals ever legislation session. As we look forward to closing achievement gaps in the years ahead, virtual education advocates are calling online learning a solution for students and teachers alike.   Continue Reading...

The teaching profession has for years been known for low and structured pay scales. As reformers and policymakers continually champion effective teaching as the key to improving student outcomes, the prospect of attracting our nation's best and brightest to a career in teaching seems grim under our current system. In the last few weeks, several key education leaders have endorsed competitive pay for teachers. Is the answer to attracting and sustaining top professionals simply dollars and cents, or is it more complicated in an educator workforce?   Continue Reading...

One of the most debated aspects of school reform has been the issue of the traditional school schedule. Last fall, President Obama made headlines for advocating for a longer school day. Others argue a year-round environment is the best fit. While everyone has an opinion about the ideal schedule, budget shortfalls have forced a number of districts to shorten their school week, raising more questions about the perfect balance between length of school day and quality programs and curriculum.   Continue Reading...

A major reason why I began working for the "professional educator association" movement was because, as a classroom teacher, I was frustrated by the fact that the public often perceives teachers as a narrow-minded group of professionals that all hold the same, union-influenced opinion when it comes to education policy. AAE knows better, and that is one reason this organization is so valuable. AAE proved that teachers are, in fact, a diverse group of professionals that have a wide variety of intelligent opinions about what the future of education should look like.   Continue Reading...