The United States is not alone in its increasing concern about attracting and keeping the quality teachers it needs to remain economically competitive in the 21st century and to prepare the knowledge workers of the future. Shortages of qualified teachers are pervasive in all advanced industrial countries today. Like the U.S., these countries are finding it especially difficult to recruit teachers in mathematics, sciences, technology, computer science, and foreign languages. The fact that most of the advanced industrial countries are encountering many of the same problems recruiting and keeping well-qualified teachers in public school classrooms is directly attributable to the fundamental changes taking place in the global economy.
The United States and its peer nations are only beginning to realize the depth of the problem, and it is no surprise that the relatively tentative measures being taken by most nations are no match for the severity of the challenge. To address these challenges, advanced industrial countries in Europe and elsewhere are trying many of the same remedies with which the U.S. is experimenting, such as across-the-board salary adjustments for teachers and incentives targeted at attracting individuals to particular shortage areas. Though many of these actions roughly parallel developments in the United States, there are interesting and important variations on these themes, and some substantial differences, that countries have tried and that could be very useful to American policymakers.
Join us as policy leaders consider a new paper by Susan Sclafani and Marc Tucker on international experiences with teacher and principal compensation systems.
A light breakfast will be served at 9:00 AM
Featured Panelists:
Frederick M. Hess, Director of Education Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute
F. Howard Nelson, Senior Associate Director, Office of the President, American Federation of Teachers
Susan Sclafani, Managing Director, Chartwell Education Group
Marc S. Tucker, President, National Center on Education and the Economy
Moderated by:
Cynthia G. Brown, Director of Education Policy, Center for American Progress