Teacher Workforce Data Released

The Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd has posted new teacher workforce data from the 2010-11 school year.  The content, platform and format for the site were designed especially for use by policymakers, academic researchers, philanthropic organizations, journalists and others interested in public education in California.

This important resource provides access to data that has been compiled and analyzed for the Center by SRI International. These analyses, which are not found elsewhere, are available free of charge.

The new analyses allow users to examine the distribution of novice teachers by school characteristics such as academic performance or percentage of minority students, as well as examine the differences in teacher experience by core subject areas. Some of the data is also available on a county-by-county basis.

Funding for the Center’s Web-based data resource was provided by the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation. It can be accessed online at www.cftl.org/data

Untapped Potential: The Status of Middle School Science Education in California

Untapped Potential: The Status of Middle School Science Education in California finds that the state's middle schools have the potential to provide students with high quality science education, but significant challenges limit opportunities for science learning, leaving that potential unfulfilled.  This statewide study of science education shows that middle schools offer dedicated time for science, access to facilities and a teaching force that is fairly well prepared for teaching the subject. But students often lack access to science instruction in earlier grades and arrive at middle school unprepared and uninterested. Systemic support for science has eroded and overcrowded classrooms, insufficient time for instruction and inadequate resources limit access to high quality learning opportunities.

The research shows that:

• nearly 40 percent of teachers view students' lack of interest as a major or moderate challenge to science instruction.
• nearly half (47%) of principals report students' lack of preparation as a major or moderate challenge.
• nearly one-quarter of middle school teachers may not have an adequate background or preparation for teaching the subject.
• nearly 60 percent of surveyed teachers identified insufficient professional development as a barrier to high-quality science instruction.
• just 14 percent of middle school teachers provide a pattern of classroom practices that support regular engagement of students in the practices of science.

Untapped Potential: The Status of Middle School Science Education in California – Release Date: Mar 22, 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Press Release Full Report Presenter's Kit

Willing but Not Yet Ready: A glimpse of California teachers’ preparedness for the Common Core State Standards

With California on the precipice of implementing the Common Core State Standards, teachers are reporting that they are not ready for the transition.

This issue of CenterView presents key findings from six focus groups, held throughout California. The focus groups explored:

• Teachers' familiarity with the CCSS
• Teachers' beliefs about their own expertise and ability to teach their subject matter under the CCSS
• The changes in practice they think will be necessary to satisfy the new standards.

The CenterView also includes recommendations for districts, schools, institutions of higher education, and state leaders.

CenterView: Willing but Not Yet Ready: A glimpse of California teachers’ preparedness for the Common Core State Standards – Release Date: Feb 22, 2012

The Status of the Teaching Profession 2011

The Status of the Teaching Profession 2011 finds that the state's historic budget cutbacks present significant challenges to classroom teachers and school site leaders are struggling to find the time, resources and capacity they need to meet the dual challenges of effective school management and ensuring quality instruction for California's students. The report also provides new information on key issues impacting the teaching workforce, including more than $100 million in cutbacks to teacher professional development, a dramatic decline of more than 50% in the enrollment of prospective teachers in preparation programs, a 40% drop in the production of newly credentialed teachers, and escalating educator retirements.

Amid an increasing state and national focus on teaching quality, the report also examines the capacity of principals to conduct teacher evaluations. While a majority of principals have prior experience in key areas of evaluation, more than one third of principals say they had no or minimal experience in formally evaluating teachers prior to becoming a principal. One quarter report they had no or minimal experience in conducting classroom observations. Once on the job, about one third of principals say they receive minimal or no professional development in these areas of teacher evaluation.

The report includes recommendations for strengthening teaching and leadership in California's schools focused on improving the state's system of teacher development and evaluation in ways that strengthen the quality of classroom practice and address the challenge of preparing for the implementation of the new Common Core State Standards.

The Status of the Teaching Profession 2011 – Release Date: Dec 13, 2011                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Full Report Summary Report Presenter's Kit Press Release

High Hopes – Few Opportunities

High Hopes – Few Opportunities: The Status of Elementary Science Education in California reveals that intense pressure to meet accountability goals in mathematics and English has limited time for science, and teachers and schools do not have the infrastructure support needed to consistently provide students with quality science learning opportunities.  Among the findings:

• 40 percent of elementary teachers say they spend 60 minutes or less teaching science each week.
• One-third of elementary teachers say they feel prepared to teach science.
• 85 percent of teachers say they have not received any professional development in science during the last three years.
• Nine in ten principals say science education is very important and should start early.
• Less than half of principals (44%) believe it is likely that a student would receive high-quality science instruction in his or her school.

The report includes recommendations to assist educators and policymakers in efforts to strengthen science education in California. The recommendations call for an immediate review and revision of the state’s educational accountability systems, the restoration of a full and balanced curriculum, including science, for every student, and the establishment of adequate resource allocation and support systems needed to ensure high quality science learning experiences.  The recommendations also encourage local school districts to make quality science education a priority.

High Hopes – Few Opportunities: The Status of Elementary Science Education in California – Release Date: Oct 25, 2011                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Press Release Summary Report Full Report Presenter's Kit

Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning has Joined WestEd

The Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning is now operating within WestEd. Renamed the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd, we will continue to focus our work on strengthening the quality of the teaching workforce. Both organizations have a long history of providing exemplary education service, and we believe that operating the Center within WestEd will be of significant benefit to educators, policy makers, and the public – both in California and beyond.

With the move to WestEd, two important personnel changes also take effect. Margaret Gaston, Center founder and president, assumes the new position of Senior Policy Advisor for the Center, and will be based in Washington, D.C. Holly Jacobson, formerly assistant executive director of the California School Boards Association, is the Center's new Director.

This transition is designed to enhance our collective ability to provide the high quality products and services on which our two organizations' reputations have been built. The Center's joining with WestEd broadens the reach of both organizations and deepen our commitment to strengthening the teaching profession. That work will include the conduct of rigorous research, the dissemination of needed information, and the assistance with state and national policy development. 

Teacher Workforce Data Released

The Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd has posted new teacher workforce data from the 2009-10 school year.  The content, platform and format for the site were designed especially for use by policymakers, academic researchers, philanthropic organizations, journalists and others interested in public education in California.

This important resource provides access to data that has been compiled and analyzed in unique ways for the Center by SRI International. These data sets, which are not found elsewhere, are available free of charge.

The new data allow users to examine the distribution of novice and underprepared teachers by school characteristics such as the percentage of minority students, students in poverty in the school, and API achievement quartile. All of the data are also available on a county-by-county basis.

Funding for the Center’s Web-based data resource was provided by the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation. It can be accessed online at www.cftl.org/data

School Leadership: A Key to Teaching Quality

School Leadership: A Key to Teaching Quality is a policy brief on the role of principals in strengthening classroom instruction based on the proceedings of a forum of teachers, principals, superintendents, policymakers, and researchers. The forum's charge was to build consensus on what policymakers must know about school site leadership in order to ensure an adequate pool of effective leaders capable of guiding and supporting high quality teaching practice.

Forum members recommended that any policy initiatives or new programs targeted at strengthening school leadership recognize the importance of context and equity and identified four high leverage points where policymakers could take action:

• Strengthen teacher evaluation
• Improve the system of evaluation and support for principals
• Identify models of effective school leadership teams
• Build a comprehensive data system to guide policy and practice

The policy brief concludes with a research agenda for future work that would provide members of the education and policy communities, education support organizations, philanthropy and others with information needed to provide support for school leaders.  

School Leadership: A Key to Teaching Quality – Release Date: Jan 21, 2011                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Policy Brief