The following is a list of recent resources for those focused on the professional improvement of teachers, principals, and other educational leaders.

The Effects of Differential Pay on Teacher Recruitment and Retention  Traditionally, teacher salaries have been determined solely by experience and educational attainment. This has led to chronic shortages of teachers in particular subject areas, such as math, science and special education. We study the first long-running statewide program to differentiate teacher pay based on subject area, Georgia’s bonus system for math and science teachers. Using a difference-in-differences strategy, we find the bonuses reduce teacher attrition by 18 to 28 percent. However, we find no evidence the program increases the probability that education majors become secondary math or science teachers upon graduation or alters specific major choices within the education field.

New Video Series: Universities Revamp Principal Prep Research confirms that principals influence student learning—but many district and university leaders agree that most university-based leadership programs aren’t preparing principals for the challenges of today’s schools. There are exceptions, however, including the universities and school districts profiled in a new four-part video series, Principal Preparation: A Roadmap for Reform. The videos explore why and how universities and local school districts are working together to better prepare principals for the rigors of the job, illustrating the early steps in a complex process that requires fundamental change.

Principal Pipelines: A Tool to Improve Student Achievement  “In a time of limited resources, when we have to make tough financial decisions, we have substantial data that investment in a principal pipeline, when done well, has a direct impact on student achievement.”—Sonja Santelises, CEO Baltimore Public Schools, Maryland. Santelises was speaking at a Wallace Foundation event.

What Do Teachers Really Want From Professional Development? Respect  Too often, training sessions fail to account for teachers’ experience, ignore their expertise, and use tactics that are counter to instructional best practices. Find out what good PD should look like instead. (Education Week)

The Content of Thinking  A hard truth: before entering the classroom, beginning teachers cannot possibly know all of the content they will be called upon to teach. Yet there’s a tremendous amount programs can do to prepare future teachers to teach challenging academic content, as Deans for Impact explores in their newest digital publication. (Deans for Impact)

Webinar series for community systems leaders  Please join the Ounce of Prevention Fund’s Illinois Policy Team, in partnership with Illinois Action for Children, the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development and the Illinois State Board of Education, for a free webinar series for early childhood community systems leaders.
Four webinar sessions will be held throughout June on the following topics:

  • Systems integration and alignment (June 14)
  • Infant and early childhood mental health (June 19)
  • Child Find developmental screening data (June 19)
  • Immigration and early childhood (June 26)