NEA Releases Teacher Effectiveness Guidelines

Liana Heitin writes at the Education Week (12/9) "Teaching Now" blog, "A National Education Association commission issued a report today with specific recommendations for upping pre-service requirements, establishing career paths for teachers, and developing new evaluation systems. The commission, assembled last summer by NEA President Dennis Van Roekel, was charged with examining options and making recommendations about how to help the union promote effective teaching practices." Heitin notes that Van Roekel "promised that his union would begin a number of new initiatives based on the commission's findings-though how much sway the pronouncement will have on state and local affiliates has yet to be determined."