Teacher Beat
From changes to teacher evaluation to the inner workings of the teachers’ unions, reporter Madeline Will kept you up to date on the biggest issues shaping the teaching profession. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: teaching profession.
Recruitment & Retention
States Should Use Data to Curb Teacher Shortages, Report Says
Too few states are using data to determine if their supply of teachers is meeting the demand of school districts, according to the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Teaching Profession
West Virginia Teacher Strike Ends After Four Days, Governor Announces Pay Raise
Teachers will receive a 5 percent raise, pending a vote by the state legislature. School will resume Thursday.
Teaching Profession
The Next Court Case Against Teachers' Unions Attacks Opt-Out Rules
Yohn v. California Teachers Association argues that teachers who disagree with their union should affirmatively opt in, rather than have to opt out.
Teaching Profession
Demonstrators, Including Educators, Turn Out as High Court Hears Union-Fees Case
Hundreds of demonstrators, including some educators, gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices heard arguments in a case that could get rid of certain fees paid by nonmembers.
Teaching Profession
West Virginia Teacher Strike Will Continue Into Day 4
Union leaders announced on Monday that the statewide teacher strike for higher wages and better benefits will continue for a fourth day.
Teaching Profession
Fed Up With Low Pay, Oklahoma Teachers Consider a Walkout
Defeat of a bill that would have given Oklahoma teachers their first raise in a decade has prompted more drastic measures.
Teaching Profession
West Virginia Teachers' Strike for Higher Pay Has Shut Down Schools Across State
In West Virginia, teacher strikes and work stoppages are illegal, with possible punishments including suspensions, firings, and denial of pay.
Education
Educators Say 'No Way' to Trump's Suggestion of Arming Teachers
President Donald Trump suggested that arming 20 percent of teachers would prevent school shootings like the one in Parkland, Fla. But many teachers are fiercely opposed to such a measure.
Teaching Profession
Teacher-Evaluation Efforts Haven't Shown Results, Say Bill and Melinda Gates
The Gates Foundation is redirecting its financial backing away from teacher evaluation overhaul efforts to more "locally-driven solutions."
Education
In Wake of Parkland Shooting, Proposals for Arming Teachers Likely to Resurface
Policymakers have weighed arming teachers at school and training them to shoot back in case of emergency in the aftermath of school shootings like at Sandy Hook and now, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Teaching Profession
In Tennessee, Will Teacher Leadership Lead to Increased Student Achievement?
The group Chiefs for Change has released a report detailing Tennessee's district-based teacher-leadership model.
Professional Development
What Works in Teacher Induction? The New Teacher Center Releases Its Standards
This is the first time that the New Teacher Center is releasing its standards to the public, instead of just its partner districts.
Education
Critics of Betsy DeVos Rally on Education Department's Turf
A group of union and other activists criticized the education secretary on the occasion of her first anniversary in office, carrying boxes of report cards giving her a failing grade.
Teaching Profession
Chicago Public School Teachers Vote to Include Charter Teachers in Union
But not everyone is happy with the historic merger of the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff.