Quality where it's essential

I made a comment earlier about both of the most recent teacher dismissal's coming out of District 5 and wondered if that was coincidence or the result of our District being a dumping ground for difficult teachers. Someone else wondered something similar and it's reported in this morning's Chicago Sun-Times.

The Washington, D.C.-based Education Trust looked at all states and found most wanting -- both in documentation of the problem of poor and minority students being concentrated with the weakest teachers and in proposed solutions.
(snip)
Only 10 states analyzed whether minority students were taught disproportionately by teachers who weren't highly qualified.Only 10 states analyzed whether minority students were taught disproportionately by teachers who weren't highly qualified.

Only four looked at whether low-income students were taught by inexperienced teachers more than other students.

The Trust says the law requires all states to submit this data.

Though plans have been mandated since 2002, this is the first year the U.S. Department of Education made states submit them. The Trust criticized the feds for failing to give states enough guidance in drafting their reports.

This will get you to the Ed Trust's press release and here's a .pdf of their report.