A review of recent literature examines the growing shortage of qualified teachers, related to rising enrollments and high teacher turnover; various recruitment strategies; the needs of novice teachers; and well-designed induction and mentoring programs to support and retain new teachers. Sidebars describe efforts to recruit and train new teachers…

In an initiative called Sustaining and Strengthening Teachers, the University of Washington College of Education is partnering with other institutions and with school districts in four states to develop a "more coherent continuum of support" for new teachers. The program includes mentoring and continuing professional development through the fifth…

In rural Alaska villages, Native students benefit from having Native teachers who share their culture. Past and present efforts to increase the number of fully certified Native teachers include distance education courses, often taken by Native teacher aides; a fifth-year rural teacher internship for college graduates; and campus-based and…

Describes a 30-year-old new teacher's first year in an Oregon fourth-grade classroom, as he grapples with his students' diverse learning needs, inadequate textbooks, the isolation of being a rookie, and the pressures of simultaneously engaging his students' interest and meeting state standards. Lists four helpful books for new teachers. (SV)

Nontraditional teacher candidates often must make Herculean efforts and financial sacrifices to prepare for new classroom careers. The Portland (Oregon) Teachers Program is addressing the shortage of minority teachers by recruiting minority students, many beginning second careers, and providing tuition wavers and mentoring support. Three other…

In Walla Walla (Washington), an award-winning teacher mentoring program has boosted the new-teacher retention rate to 93 percent. With state funding, the program assigns each new teacher a "peer coach" and a "peer mentor," then provides training and support for all concerned. The program has become a good recruitment and retention tool. (SV)

The standards movement has caught on in most states, but critics point to a shortage of support for teachers and overreliance on high-stakes testing, which can lead to teaching to the test. Developments in Northwestern states are discussed, as well as criteria for determining how well tests align with standards, and change strategies observed in…

Bucking a longstanding tradition of local control, the Idaho Legislature launched mandatory statewide standards in reading in 1999. The Idaho Reading Indicator now monitors the progress of early readers three times a year. Innovative local strategies to help struggling readers are described, and the importance of a systemic approach to reform and…

Despite an increasingly diverse student population with many English language learners, Reynolds School District (Oregon) has successfully implemented rigorous academic standards. At Glenfair Elementary School, a schoolwide improvement model helps teachers and administrators use educational research to guide decision making about the best ways to…

Although high academic standards are widely accepted in concept, there is little consensus on the practical matter of testing. Examples from Northwestern states illustrate critical questions related to narrowing of curriculum and overemphasis on test preparation, the validity of standardized tests, effects on minority students and those with…

In 2001, Oregon was far out in front of most other states in implementing state academic standards and accountability. Certificates of initial and advanced mastery are awarded for higher levels of achievement than those required for a high school diploma. Stages in Oregon's implementation of standards-based education are described, along with…

A small isolated school district and a large urban district, both in Washington, demonstrate the pivotal role of the district central office in implementing standards-based reform and making it work. District administrators set expectations; establish accountability measures; and provide key support for schools in the areas of curriculum…

This document contains the four issues of Northwest Education published from fall 1999 through summer 2000. Issue themes are: (1) "Sea Change: Meeting the Challenge of Schoolwide Reform" (Fall 1999); (2) "City Kids: What Helps Them Thrive" (Winter 1999); (3) "The New Principal" (Spring 2000); and (4) "Growing Great Teachers: Professional…

Recent school improvement trends, notably the emphasis on accountability and academic standards, are changing the school principal's role. Developing a school vision for teaching and learning is becoming the top priority for principals. Leadership skills that help accomplish this include collaboration, participative decision making, and listening.…

A visit to Trail Wind Elementary School in Boise (Idaho) reveals the qualities that earned Debbie Toy Idaho's Distinguished Principal of the Year award: creative commitment to student needs, the ability to bring in outside resources, dedication to a school vision, community and parent participation, team building among staff, and participatory…