The most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 2002 required that states provide assurances and develop plans to "ensure that poor and minority children are not taught at higher rates than other children by inexperienced, unqualified, or out of field teachers" (Section 1111 (b)(8)(C)). In 2009, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) requirements reinforced the focus on equitable distribution of teachers by requiring states applying for education stimulus funds to provide updated assurances and to publicize their most recent "equity plans." ARRA also establishes competitive grants to help states build their pool of effective teachers and address inequities in the distribution of teachers. In addition to their focus on the equitable distribution of teacher quality, federal programs also have been promoting shifts in how teacher quality is measured, away from teacher qualifications and toward measures of instructional practice and effectiveness at raising student achievement. Federal programs such as the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) and Race to the Top (RttT) have provided incentives for states and districts to move in this direction, including funds to support some of the technical aspects of development.
Federal policymakers need to know whether the policies and programs they sponsor under these laws contribute to teacher quality for disadvantaged students. Hence, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) requires a study documenting the state and local actions to (a) develop new measures of teacher quality, (b) analyze the distribution of teacher quality, and (c) develop and implement plans to ensure teacher quality for disadvantaged students. To inform federal policymakers, the study will examine the implementation of these activities with attention to implementation challenges, the role of state and local context, and the roles of the federal programs designed to foster these activities.
The planned data collections will serve four objectives:
1. To examine how states and districts analyze the distribution of teacher quality, plan actions to address inequities, and monitor progress.
2. To examine how states and districts are changing their measures of teacher quality, and to understand their experiences in doing so.
3. To examine state and local actions to improve teacher quality for disadvantaged students (i.e., students in high-poverty or high-minority schools).
4. To describe the perceived contributions of federal programs to state and local actions aimed at improving the quality of teachers for disadvantaged students, and how state and local contexts mediate these contributions.
To address these objectives, our design includes telephone interviews with state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs).
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
RE OMB comments on Equitable Distribution of Effective Teacher Aid study.htm
State Notification Letter7 28 11 (2).docx
hpPDFMay-24-2011.pdf
LEA Interviews