Yesterday the U.S. Department of Education released a blueprint for RESPECT (Recognizing Educational Success, Professional Excellence, and Collaborative Teaching), representing a critical first step in ensuring quality schools for our students.
NEA President Dennis Van Roekel said the Obama Administration’s blueprint for RESPECT offers a positive agenda for change by elevating and transforming the teaching profession.
The National Education Association applauds the Administration for stepping up and offering an agenda for change. By focusing on teacher quality at the front door of the profession, increasing professional development and keeping student learning central to all that we do, we can implement great change for our students. We believe that the approach outlined in RESPECT represents the kind of thinking that’s going to improve our public schools, making them all exceptional institutions of learning for all students.
Recruiting talented candidates and providing substantive, high-quality preparation is essential in ensuring quality schools. The department’s blueprint represents a critical first-step in ensuring that all students have access to a range of high-quality resources, including qualified and licensed teachers who are empowered to innovate and inspired to take on ever-growing challenges.
