SACRAMENTO – The California Teachers Association will present two policy briefs containing recommendations to promote teacher quality and improve the state’s school finance system at the “Getting from Facts to Policy” forum convened by EdSource today.
The two CTA reports represent a thoughtful and well-researched response by teachers to “Getting Down to Facts,” a comprehensive review of California school finance and governance structures that was conducted by Stanford University at the request of the governor and other state leaders and released earlier this year.
“California’s educators are on the frontlines everyday. We see firsthand what works in the classroom as well as what resources are needed to continue to improve California’s public schools,” said CTA President David A. Sanchez, who represents 340,000 educators in California schools.
Among the recommendations in the CTA reports:
- Protect Proposition 98, that guarantees minimum funding for education, and treat it like a floor rather than a ceiling;
- Expand the Quality Education Investment Act to all Decile 1 and 2 schools;
- Provide professional development that is teacher-led and meets the needs of local schools;
- Provide time in the school day for teachers to collaborate with colleagues;
- Develop a professional practice model that recognizes teachers as leaders in local schools, provides mentors to new teachers and peer assistance.
“The recommendations in these two reports on teacher quality and school finance will work together to improve student achievement and ensure quality teachers in California’s classrooms," Sanchez said.
The CTA policy briefings can be reviewed and downloaded on the CTA website at www.cta.org. They are among more than 47 reports from 40 organizations that will be presented at the Sacramento forum today as a follow-up to the Stanford studies.