A leading Democrat in Congress has announced legislation to attract and retain highly qualified teachers, including provisions that would offer higher pay for exemplary educators who transfer into hard-to-staff schools.
The bill from Rep. George Miller of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, would help create what a press release says are “true” career ladders by augmenting salaries for teachers who advance their professional development and mentor new colleagues. It would provide college aid for high-achieving undergraduates who commit to teaching in high-need fields like mathematics and science. Also, the legislation would underwrite state-of-the-art” induction programs, help veteran teachers improve their skills through peer mentoring and review programs, and help states overhaul and upgrade their principal certification and professional-development programs.
