A Statement from the American Federation of Teachers
on Quality Counts 2003

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The link between teacher quality and student achievement is well-documented. Nonetheless, there are far too many classrooms with teachers who are underprepared, uncertified, or teaching a subject without the proper content expertise. Quality Counts 2003 makes clear that this is occurring every day in schools across the country. Teacher quality is no place to cut corners when you are working to improve schools.

Common sense, and now federal law, both dictate that all children should have teachers who meet a high standard. Yet we are far from realizing that goal. The scattershot approaches states are taking to improve teacher quality reflect a nation unprepared to ensure that every child receives a high-quality education. And nowhere do we fail to miss the mark more shamefully than in low-performing schools where students could most benefit from outstanding teachers.

School districts that have chosen to invest in highly qualified teachers have seen their efforts pay off. Last year, New York City offered higher salaries for starting teachers and was able to hire certified teachers to end its persistent shortage. Professional wages and working conditions would go a long way in attracting and retaining the highly qualified professionals we need to teach our children.

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The AFT represents more than 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.