For Better Teachers, Build Better Personnel Practices

By Tim Pawlenty & James B. Hunt Jr.

Imagine this: You are a smart, idealistic 23-year-old with a bachelor’s degree from a top university, two years of successful on-the-job training, and a heartfelt commitment to becoming a highly successful educator in a school district that’s been making headlines over its dire shortage of qualified teachers.

Now imagine that you waited months to learn whether or not you would be hired. Every other paycheck arrives late, and they’re often for the wrong amount. Your visits to the personnel office feel like a foray into chaos and, after a year at the front of the classroom, you still have absolutely no idea exactly how your performance is being measured.

This is the situation facing thousands of teachers. It has a major impact on efforts to address the nation’s severe teacher shortage—particularly in high-need fields such as mathematics and science—and it could prove to be a real obstacle to those who answer President Barack Obama’s call to become teachers in this...