A Busy Day and NYT: Do Teachers Need Education Degrees?

Today is a busy day for NorwalkNet. I have an interview with Dr. Papallo in the morning and the BOE meeting this evening. A big thank you to readers who sent in questions for Dr. Papallo. I will do my best to get answers to your questions. Tonight's BOE meeting agenda includes further discussion of the reinstatement of the Assistant Principal and the HR Assistant positions, as well as the creation of a Board Search Committee for the Superintendant.

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This weekend, I read an interesting opinion piece in the New York Times: Do Teachers Need Education Degrees? Nine education experts address the questions:

Should the public schools reduce the weight they give to education school credentials in pay and promotion decisions? Is this happening already, and, if so, what is replacing the traditional system for compensating teachers?

The Obama administration officials support a shift away from using masters degrees for pay raises, and a shift toward compensating teachers based on student performance. In fact, "Race to the Top" funding favors states that have alternate routes for teacher certification and the ability to link teacher performance to student test scores.

In Connecticut, the legislature passed a bill in special session in June that will broaden some of the state's certification requirements.

According to an editorial in the Hartford Courant, this bill almost didn't make it to Gov. Rell's desk.

The bill will expand the Teach For America program in the state, allow teachers of math and science to take content tests rather than coursework in order to receive state certification, and streamline the process so that qualified teachers from other states can easily come to work in CT.

The nine experts in the Times' "Room for Debate" blog have a range of opinions on programs like Teach for America and the need for higher education for Education.