Experts believe that an effective teacher is the key to raising test scores and improving academic achievement. Studies show that inexperienced teachers tend to be less effective, especially in their first two years, when they are still learning the best techniques for managing the classroom, preparing lesson plans, and grading assignments "without working through dinner."
Yet some disadvantaged students can spend years in classrooms led by untested recruits. While a teacher need not be experienced to be effective (and there are plenty of ineffective veterans), the fact remains that low-income communities have a difficult time retaining experienced teachers. According to University of Virginia economist James Wyckoff, the concentration of new teachers in low-income communities is "remarkably consistent" across the nation, and "many teachers leave jobs in low-income communities after a short period of time, usually a year or two." Their departure leaves openings in these struggling schools, which are then filled by another set of teachers with little to no experience. Federal laws that have tried to curb this cycle have met with uneven results.
"We can't afford to take risks with our most vulnerable kids," said Kati Haycock, president of the Education Trust, an advocate for disadvantaged students. "Yet that's exactly what we do."
To read the full article from the April 30, 2009, edition of The Washington Post, click here.
