What We've Learned

In 2007 teaching and learning conditions data from states across the nation have been assembled. Our data from Arizona, Mississippi, Ohio, and Clark County (Las Vegas), Nevada have surfaced some important initial findings:

1. Most teachers want to remain in teaching and are committed to their students.

2. Teachers who intend to leave their schools and teaching are more likely to have grave concerns about their lack of empowerment, poor school leadership, and the low levels of trust and respect inside their buildings.

3. Teachers and administrators view teaching and learning conditions differently — and often quite dramatically so.

4. New teachers who have quality support are more likely to report they will remain in teaching.

5. Teachers report relatively low levels of satisfaction with their professional development and often they do not have access to kinds of training they believe they need.

6. States and districts need to invest more in helping administrators, teachers, and community leaders use teaching and learning conditions data.

7.  States and districts need to develop teacher, student, and administrator data systems that can track teacher and administrator teaching and learning conditions survey responses longitudinally and link these data with actual teacher turnover figures and robust measures of student achievement.

8. While in some studies direct links between teaching and learning and student achievement can be found, caution needs to be used in making direct causal claims between the two. (Watch for the forthcoming CTQ Spencer-supported white paper on this issue!)