Supporting
Quality Teachers
Helping
States Ensure All Children Have the Chance to Learn from Highly Qualified
Teachers
We’re asking a lot of our nation’s school
teachers, and they deserve our full support. The No Child Left
Behind Act (NCLB) asks states to have a highly qualified teacher in every
classroom by the end of the 2005-2006 school year, and the federal
government has dramatically increased teacher quality programs to help
states pay for this effort. While
prohibiting a national teacher test, NCLB allows states to design
individual plans to ensure this goal is achieved.
In
recent years, Republicans have taken numerous steps to support school
teachers and help states reach the goal of placing a highly qualified
teacher in every public school classroom. This includes a tax
deduction for teachers' out-of-pocket classroom expenses, dubbed the
"Crayola Credit," a dramatic expansion of loan forgiveness for
teachers of key subjects who serve in needy schools, and greater clarity
and flexibility for states in determining how teachers can become highly
qualified, including guidance for special education teachers. The
109th Congress will continue support teachers through initiatives such as
stronger teacher education programs under the Higher Education Act,
rewarding teachers and principals with demonstrated success in improving
student achievement through recognition pay, and
continued support for student loan relief for teachers.
Issue
Brief: Supporting
High Quality Teachers
