The following is a list of recent resources for those focused on the professional improvement of teachers, principals, and other educational leaders.
Master Teacher Fellowship Improves Retention Among NYC’s Best Teachers — The master teacher fellowship through Math for America has about 850 teachers per cohort, and it has reached a significant portion of the city’s math and science teachers overall. Master teachers take and lead sessions throughout the year, with about half of courses being taught by teachers and the other half being taught by experts in the field. (Education Week, Dec. 23)
CA – State Awards $20 Million in Grants to Help More School Employees Become Teachers — The funding from the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program is aimed at helping classified employees, or those in jobs that don’t require teaching licenses, earn bachelor’s degrees and teaching credentials by providing aid for their tuition and other costs. (EdSource, Dec. 20)
Teachers Are Stressed, and That Should Stress Us All — We all experience stress at work, no matter the job. But for teachers, the work seems to be getting harder and the stress harder to shake. (NPR, Dec. 30)
New Law Aimed at Reducing Illinois’ Teacher Shortage — The new law will make it easier for teachers who move to Illinois to transfer a teaching license, provided the state they move from has comparable licensing requirements. The bill unanimously passed both chambers of the General Assembly in November. (Associated Press, Jan. 6)
5 Education Stories To Watch In 2017 — Claudio Sanchez discusses the biggest open question for education in 2017: how the money is distributed and who gets it. The new administration is likely to encourage more private, for-profit groups to compete with public schools for that money. Sanchez predicts a significant disruption in 2017 as states try to figure out how the Education Department under Trump will move forward, especially on education funding and government-sponsored vouchers. (NPR Ed, Jan. 3)
Education Panel Recommends Boosting Funding by $3,000 per Pupil — Illinois’ Education Funding Advisory Board says state-set basic school funding levels are shorting students by more than $3,000 each year. The committee’s report, released once every two years to the legislature, recommends increasing the per-pupil foundation level — the basic amount that should be spent through state and local funds on educating each student — from its current $6,119 to $9,204 for the upcoming fiscal year. (Daily Herald, Dec. 27)
State Nearly 6 Months Behind in Education Funding — Illinois is almost six months behind in its obligation to give millions of dollars to school districts statewide for transportation, special education and other expenses.The stopgap spending deal Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Legislature struck over the summer authorized a full year’s funding for elementary and secondary education, intending to spare public schools from the uncertainty plaguing other state operations, but districts are still waiting for payments.
The State We’re In 2016-2017 — On Tuesday, January 17 Advance Illinois will present to the Forefront Education Group on The State We’re In 2016-17, our biennial report on Illinois’ public education system. The recently released report, provides an update on Illinois’ performance from preschool to postsecondary and a snapshot of how the state compares nationally in terms of delivering a top-notch education to all students.
