Ringing the Bell for K-12 Teacher Tenure Reform

A number of states have instituted new policies on teacher quality since the 1990s, and the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 mandated that all classrooms be staffed with a “highly qualified teacher.” Yet much of the political and scholarly attention to the area of teacher quality has, to date, focused on the issues of teacher recruitment, preparation, compensation and distribution. Teacher tenure has received less attention despite its potential importance to efforts to improve teacher quality.

This report, produced by the Center for American Progress, seeks to fill the void in the scholarly literature and direct researchers to lines of future investigation. It provides an overview and history of teacher tenure in the United States, as well as case studies of reform efforts in a sample of six states. It analyzes the variation of reform across states, offers a brief assessment of the reforms where they have been enacted and highlights recommendations for federal and state policy.

Read the report.