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Teachers and Leaders
Effective teachers and leaders are the most important school-related factors in student achievement.
CCSSO supports states in encouraging innovation, learning from other sectors, and applying new principles to transform the educational landscape.
Our goal is to create systems that provide high-quality instruction and educational support and continuously improve schools for each student.
Building and supporting a stellar education workforce cannot happen by chance, by staying the course, or by entrusting a small cadre of "stars" to make all the difference. Developing a large pool of highly effective educators requires building aligned human resource and development systems for attracting, preparing, developing and retaining educators so that all kids have access to effective teachers and leaders.
Teachers
Research shows that teachers are the single most important, school-related factor leading to strong student outcomes.
We are committed to providing high-quality instruction and educational support to all teachers.
Our members approach this work across all areas of the pipeline:
- Our members have identified 6 key actions states can take to address their pipeline challenges. These actions maintain rigorous standards and incentivize teachers to remain in the profession.
- The release of Our Responsibility, Our Promise in 2012 led inspired improvements in educator preparation in every state. Further, 15 states participated in the Network for Transforming Educator Preparation to transform their educator preparation systems and better prepare teachers to be learner-ready on day one.
- We support our members to develop systems that promote a culture of high-quality feedback, continuous improvement, and career advancement for teachers
School Leaders
School leaders are second only to teachers among school-related factors that impact student achievement.
CCSSO believes that school leaders have a key role to play in the success of a school. An effective principal has as a “multiplier effect” of good practice- creating and maintaining a high-quality staff and promoting a positive culture within the school. We support our states in developing aligned and coherent workforce pipelines that re-conceptualize the ways school leaders are attracted, prepared, developed and retained.
Member states are working closely with us as part of the School Leadership Development and Supports workgroup within the Teaching Leading and Learning Collaborative on creating policies that promote improved principal preparation, professional learning, mentorship and supervision.
Since 2000, CCSSO has worked in partnership with The Wallace Foundation on elevating the role of school leaders in education policy.
Teaching and Leading Standards
Our standards are a cornerstone for members as they promote high expectations for teachers and leaders.
In partnership with national education organizations representing teachers and leaders throughout the education system, we have developed multiple documents, which articulate standards for these professions. They are:
- InTASC - Model Core Teaching Standards
- Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL)
- Leadership Competencies for Learner-Centered, Personalized Education
- PSEL 2015 and Promoting Principal Leadership for the Success of Students With Disabilities
- National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) Standards
- Model Principal Supervisor Standards
Equity in Teaching and Leading
CCSSO and our members value people. This starts with recognizing and celebrating teachers and leaders.
Commitments 8 and 9 of Leading for Equity: Opportunities for State Education Chiefs, identify actions to support teachers and leaders.
State chiefs are working to ensure that low-income students and students of color will no longer be disproportionately taught by ineffective, inexperienced, or out-of-field teachers. Additionally, states are taking steps to ensure equitable access to effective teachers by identifying equity gaps and implementing innovative programs to recruit a diverse workforce.
Further, principals influence the culture of a school, including whether students feels safe and valued. Our members are working to connect principals with high-quality professional learning opportunities focused on building schools and supporting teachers that prioritize the whole child.
Innovation in Teaching and Leading
We are dedicated to supporting our members in creating a culture of innovation in teaching and leading.
We support innovation in education from the development of teacher and leader pipelines that promote high-quality and diverse workforces to the creation of micro-credentials that serve as a flexible way to demonstrate professional growth and proficiency.
Some of our work includes:
- Microcredentials: Our members are using micro-credentials to demonstrate professional learning, certification and licensure, and compliance with the standards.
- Competencies for Personalized, Learner-Centered Teaching and Leading: We created resources to identify the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to elevate personalized, learner-centered schools.
- Elevating School Leaders: We work closely with states interested in promoting school leadership as a means of encouraging continuous improvement.