Substantially more teachers are high performers

Substantially more teachers in New York state are coming to the profession with top academic qualifications, according to a new study published in the journal Educational Researcher.
The authors found that the number of new teachers with SAT scores in the top third of all test takers jumped by 13 percentage points from 1999 through 2010. In 2010, a full 42 percent of newly hired teachers came from that elite group.
The study attributed the surge to tougher teacher training and licensure policies implemented in New York starting in 1999. The researchers postulate that the more rigorous standards raised the stature of teaching as a profession and drew higher-performing students to the field.
“These findings signal a resurgence of interest in teaching in public schools as a respected and worthy career,” said Luke Miller, a research professor at the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education.

Other states have adopted elements of New York state’s reforms to licensure and training. The Education Department has proposed regulations aimed at boosting the quality of teacher training programs nationwide.