Hechinger Report | Q&A: Kate Walsh on improving teacher quality

Hechinger Report | Q&A: Kate Walsh on improving teacher quality

Q&A: Kate Walsh on improving teacher quality

by Susan Sawyers

Kate Walsh, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality

Teacher quality is now widely recognized as one of the most important factors in whether students succeed. As a result, policymakers have shifted their focus from teacher training and certification to student performance data as the best gauge of teacher effectiveness. Recently, Colorado passed a bill to modify teacher tenure and evaluation, joining other states — including New York and Louisiana — that have already passed or introduced legislation to bring about change.
The Hechinger Report recently spoke with Kate Walsh, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a nonprofit advocacy research organization dedicated to increasing the number of effective teachers. A