July 2005 — SETDA
Print this article | Email this articleClick here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal
Going the Distance to Hold Teachers Accountable
The potential of learning communities. Another benefit of the GLEEM online model is that it allows educators to explore the potential of learning communities-as they relate to professional development and student learning-through collaborative learning experiences. As one participant stated, "I had not been fully convinced about the benefits of online learning until participating in the GLEEM. I've had the opportunity to work supportively with colleagues from across the state through this experience, and it has been invaluable to me."
Holding Districts and States Accountable
Louisiana's efforts to improve teacher quality have recently been noted as being the best in the country, according to the Quality Counts 2005 report (Education Week, 2005, www.edweek.org/rc/index.html). The report cited Louisiana, which jumped from No. 5 in 2004 to No. 1 in 2005, as being "among the most aggressive states in holding districts and schools accountable for the quality of their teachers"-noting that the state's accountability system rates districts, in part, on the number of fully certified and out-of-field teachers they employ.
"I am proud that our accountability system is now embedded into our daily educational activities, which includes improving teacher quality, and that we are receiving national recognition," said Picard. "Now, we must look for ways to continue to improve student achievement and foster sustained education reform."
And although the GLEEM is still in its infancy, it has been successful in assisting the state with its teacher quality efforts. "Teachers throughout this state have benefited from a comprehensive vision for teacher quality," said Louisiana's State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education President Glenny Lee Buquet. "We have been able to establish programs that are recruiting, training, and supporting one of our most valuable resources: our Louisiana classroom teachers."
Nicole Honoré is assistant director of leadership and online learning for the Louisiana Center for Educational Technology, a division of the Louisiana Department of Education. E-mail: nicole.honore@la.gov
Cite this Site
copy text (above) for proper citation
