Dive Brief:

• José Vilson, author of “This Is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and the Future of Education,” says teachers don’t have enough say in the profession or education policy at all levels and they are not respected with good enough working conditions or pay.
• In a Q&A with District Administration, Vilson says schools and districts are doing a good job recruiting more teachers of color to diversify the ranks, but they need to be focusing more on retention, and he believes teacher training needs to include preparation for serving high concentrations of students of color.
• Vilson, who served for a time as a math coach, found he got a larger worldview from the supervisory position but that he was limited in his ability to challenge his colleagues on best-serving their students when he was supposed to be a liaison and support person for these adults.

Dive Insight:

The top-down approach to education reform that started with No Child Left Behind has taken a lot of power away from teachers. They have had to adapt to demands to focus on test prep and have often been left out of school improvement discussions as their expertise has been ignored. Surveys show teachers that do not feel like they have a say in school-level decision-making are more likely to have low morale and be searching for other jobs.

Importantly, many schools are figuring out ways to make room in their organizational hierarchies for teacher leaders. Many good teachers don’t want to leave the classroom, but they do want to take on more responsibility in their schools. Providing opportunities for this is important. It is also important to create feedback loops for teachers, like Vilson, who want to be able to focus on their classroom but still have a voice in the school.