Van Roekel Announces Plan to Strengthen Teaching Profession
By Tim Walker
National Education Association (NEA) President Dennis Van Roekel today laid out a new action agenda for the nation’s largest organization of educators that will help transform the teaching profession and accelerate student learning.Speaking at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C., Van Roekel detailed three major strategies that will guide the NEA’s efforts. The net effect of these initiatives will be to increase the quality of teacher candidates, make sure that teachers remain at the top of their game throughout their careers, and to improve student learning by helping educators become leaders in their schools.
“NEA aims to ensure that every student has a qualified, caring and effective teacher,” Van Roekel said. “We will support a stronger profession of teaching and I will put the full weight of our national organization behind this effort.”
The action plan incorporates proven best practices from thousands of leading teachers from around the country, and input from the independent Commission on Effective Teachers and Teaching.
“This agenda takes up some key recommendations of the commission and addresses long-neglected