LAEP Will Use PEN Grant to Study Teacher Quality in Los Angeles

LAEP has received a $55,000 grant from the Public Education Network to form a local research collaborative to examine the effects of teacher quality on student achievement.

The work of the collaborative will focus on whether the Los Angeles region is currently attracting and retaining a sufficient number of teachers. Adequate professional development and the question of whether the region will be able to do so in the future are additional issues that are part of the effort.

Researchers will collect data, analyze which students are most likely to be taught by an under qualified teacher, what is being done to prepare teachers to be effective classroom educators and which current policies require local, state and national attention and review. Findings will be disseminated via local reports and annual conferences. The entire effort engages the public on how to measurably elevate the quality of teaching to positively impact student achievement.

"Quality teaching depends upon support from school stakeholders, the community and policy makers" said Dr. Judy Johnson, LAEP vice president. "Attaining high standards for all students requires that every student have a qualified teacher to help him or her reach those standards. Providing a competent and effective teacher for every child is the greatest challenge California and urban areas like Los Angeles face."

Because of recent legislated class size reductions in grades K-3 as well as recent retirement at all grade levels, Los Angeles, like many other urban school districts, is experiencing a shortage of experienced, credentialed teachers. The California Department of Education estimates that in Los Angeles County more than 7,000 new teachers are needed this year alone. According to Johnson, this constant change is not only expensive for school districts, but is devastating for students whose learning opportunities are diminished by such turnover.

LAEP is a non-profit education fund that works with educators, business leaders and community members to foster and support improvements in public education in the Los Angeles area.

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