Editorial Staff

NCTQ’s Kate Walsh on the Crisis in K-12 Teacher Prep, Quality, & Evaluation

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by Editorial Staff
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

This week on “The Learning Curve,” Cara and Gerard are joined by Kate Walsh, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality. They discuss the factors contributing to the decline in qualifications of those who enter the teaching profession, including a general lowering of academic expectations within graduate schools of education and across higher education. They explore the importance of liberal arts content knowledge and subject-area expertise in teacher preparation, and what research shows about the impact of teachers obtaining advanced degrees on student outcomes. Kate describes some of the key differences between teacher preparation, accreditation, and job prospects in the U.S. and other countries, including Canada. They speculate about what a Biden presidency might mean for K-12 education policymaking, delving into the politics of education reform, and the role of trade associations and special interest groups, such as teachers’ unions, the Council of Chief State School Officers, and the National Governors Association, in impeding necessary changes. Lastly, Kate shares insights on how to diversify the teaching pipeline, at a time when people of color make up half of public school students, but only 20 percent of their teachers.

Stories of the Week: The governing board of NAEP, or the Nation’s Report Card, is considering changing the framework of the reading section to account for differences in students’ sociocultural backgrounds – will such a shift undermine the reliability of this important barometer of school district performance? An analysis from EducationNext shows that the number of K-12 administrative staff employed in U.S. public school districts has increased by 75 percent over the last two decades, but only 7 percent for teachers. Is this trend sustainable as resources become scarcer?

The next episode will air on Wednesday, October 28th, 2020 at 12 pm ET with Andrew Burstein, the Charles P. Manship Professor of History at Louisiana State University and the author of The Original Knickerbocker: The Life of Washington Irving, and with Nancy Isenberg, The Problem of Democracy: The Presidents Adams Confront the Cult of Personality.

Tweet of the Week:

Interview Guest

Kate Walsh has served as the president of the National Council on Teacher Quality since 2003, leading work to ensure that every child has equal access to effective teachers. At NCTQ, Walsh has spearheaded efforts to instill greater transparency and higher standards among those institutions that exert influence and authority over teachers. Notably, she launched the first-ever review and rankings of the nation’s teacher preparation programs. Previously, Walsh worked at The Abell Foundation in Baltimore, the Baltimore City Public Schools, and the Core Knowledge Foundation. Among her accomplishments, she: started and ran a boarding school located in Kenya, East Africa, in order to educate at-risk boys from Baltimore; founded one of the nation’s premier STEM programs, yielding numerous Intel Talent Search winners for Baltimore City; and, started the first alternative certification program for teachers in Maryland. A long-time resident of Baltimore, Walsh has also served on the Maryland State School Board.

News Links

Growth in Administrative Staff, Assistant Principals Far Outpaces Teacher Hiring

https://www.educationnext.org/growth-administrative-staff-assistant-principals-far-outpaces-teacher-hiring/

City Journal: A Feel-Good Report Card Won’t Help Children

https://www.city-journal.org/naep-proposes-changes-to-reading-tests

Get Updates on Our Education Research

Recent Episodes

UK’s John Suchet, OBE, on Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker, & Ballets

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Dr. Jocelyn Chadwick interview distinguished British television journalist, author, and Classic FM presenter, John Suchet, OBE. Mr. Suchet explores the life and legacy of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, one of Russia's greatest composers. He shares insights into Tchaikovsky’s upbringing, his late start in composing, and the emotional challenges that shaped his career and music.

U-OK’s Dan Hamlin on Emerging School Models & Learning Loss

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Dan Hamlin, an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Prof. Hamlin offers his insights on the state of K-12 education policy and reform. He shares how his academic experiences and research shaped his philosophy on education and informed his work with Harvard PEPG’s “Emerging School Models” conference.

NYT #1 Bestseller Dava Sobel on Marie Curie & Women in Science

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Dava Sobel, acclaimed author of The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science. Sobel delves into the life of Marie Curie, the “scientific Joan of Arc,” exploring her extraordinary journey from clandestine education in Tsarist-controlled Poland to becoming the first woman to win two Nobel Prizes in different scientific disciplines.

Becket Fund’s Eric Rassbach on Loffman v. CA DOE, Religious Liberty, & Schooling

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Eric Rassbach, Vice President and Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Mr. Rassbach discusses the Loffman v. California Department of Education case, where Becket successfully secured a unanimous Ninth Circuit decision ensuring equal access to special education funding for religious school students.

CUNY’s Carl Rollyson on William Faulkner & Southern Literature

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Carl Rollyson, CUNY professor, and acclaimed biographer of William Faulkner. Prof. Rollyson offers an in-depth exploration of Faulkner’s life, work, and enduring legacy.

NH Gov. Chris Sununu on School Choice

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview New Hampshire Governor Christopher Sununu. Gov. Sununu discusses his upbringing in a well-known political family and how the influence of his father, a former governor and White House chief of staff, and his brother, a former U.S. senator, has shaped his public service.

Dr. Helen Baxendale on Great Hearts Classical Liberal Arts Charter Schools

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Dr. Helen Baxendale, the chief of staff and vice president of strategy at Great Hearts Academies. Dr. Baxendale discusses how her global educational experiences inform her perspective on K-12 policy and Great Hearts’ mission to integrate the humanities, math, and science for intellectual and character development.

Jeffrey Meyers on Edgar Allan Poe, Gothic Horror, & Halloween

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and Dr. Jocelyn Chadwick interview Jeffrey Meyers, acclaimed literary biographer, about his comprehensive exploration of Edgar Allan Poe’s life and work.

U-TX at SA’s Catherine Clinton on Harriet Tubman & the Underground Railroad

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and Dr. Jocelyn Chadwick interview Catherine Clinton, Denman Professor of American History at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and author of Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom. Prof. Clinton discusses her definitive biography of Harriet Tubman, the renowned abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor.

Award-Winner Tom Segev on Israel’s Founding Father, David Ben-Gurion

Dr. Segev delves into the life and legacy of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's founding father. He shares insights into Ben-Gurion’s early years in Poland, his involvement in Zionist politics, and immigration to Palestine in 1906, which set the stage for his leadership during pivotal moments in history. Segev covers Ben-Gurion's rise to prominence, his role in forming the Zionist Labor Federation, and the strategies he employed during the 1936-39 Arab revolt. Additionally, Segev examines Ben-Gurion's historic leadership in declaring Israel's independence in 1948, the unification of Jewish militias into the Israeli Defense Forces, and the implications of the Arab-Israeli War.

Lynch Foundation’s Katie Everett on School Finance Model for Catholic Schools & School Choice

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Mike Goldstein interview Katie Everett, the Executive Director of the Lynch Foundation. Ms. Everett shares her journey into K-12 education reform and discusses the influential vision of Carolyn and Peter Lynch, and their foundation's role in shaping education policy in Massachusetts and beyond.

MA Teacher James Conway & High School Grad Ela Gardiner on MCAS Testing

The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Meredith Coolidge of DFER - MA interview James Conway, a World History and Psychology teacher at Revere High School, and Ela Gardiner, a freshman at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Wellesley High School alumna.

Edward Achorn on Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, & Slavery

This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Charlie Chieppo and Ret. MN Justice Barry Anderson interview Edward Achorn, a noted writer, historian, and author of "Every Drop of Blood: The Momentous Second Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln" and "The Lincoln Miracle: Inside the Republican Convention That Changed History". Achorn shares insights into Lincoln's improbable political rise and the critical events leading to his 1860 Republican presidential nomination, including his strategic maneuvering following his defeat in the 1858 Illinois Senate race.

PRI’s Lance Izumi on The Great Classroom Collapse

Lance Izumi delves into his latest book, "The Great Classroom Collapse: Teachers, Students, and Parents Expose the Collapse of Learning in America's Schools". He discusses why, despite decades of education reforms and vast spending, many American students remain underprepared in critical subjects like reading and math.

AFC’s Denisha Allen on School Choice & Black Minds Matter

Denisha shares her journey and the motivations behind founding Black Minds Matter, a national movement dedicated to celebrating Black excellence and promoting high-quality educational options for Black students. She delves into the politics of urban school reform, highlighting the challenges posed by race and class-based achievement gaps and the political influence of teachers' unions.

UK’s Prof. Richard Holmes on Coleridge, the Ancient Mariner, & Poetry

Prof. Holmes delves into the life and literary legacy of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, one of the most significant poets of the Romantic era. Holmes offers a comprehensive overview of Coleridge's early education, highlighting how classical learning deeply influenced his worldview and writings.

NYT’s Anupreeta Das on Bill Gates, Microsoft, & Tech Billionaires

NYT’s South Asia correspondent, Anupreeta Das discusses how she became interested in writing her acclaimed biography, Billionaire, Nerd, Savior, King: Bill Gates and His Quest to Shape Our World, emphasizing Gates’ corporate and philanthropic influence on our era.

National Alliance’s Starlee Coleman on Public Charter Schools

Starlee Coleman discusses her role as CEO of the Texas Public Charter Schools Association, highlighting the growth of charter schools in Texas, as well as the broader efforts to expand school choice.