State Teacher Policy Yearbook, 2009. Mississippi

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Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Daniels Fund
Derek and Candace Fisher Family Foundation
Gleason Family Foundation
George Gund Foundation
Houston Endowment Inc.
Joyce Foundation

Policymakers

Teaching (Occupation); Teacher Education; Elementary School Teachers; Middle School Teachers; Teacher Supply and Demand; Teacher Recruitment; Beginning Teacher Induction; Teacher Effectiveness; Labor Turnover; Salary Wage Differentials; Teacher Dismissal; State Government; State Standards; Government School Relationship; Educational Policy; Teacher Certification; Compensation (Remuneration); Elementary Secondary Education; Teacher Evaluation; Accountability; Educational Improvement; Academic Achievement; Accreditation (Institutions); Tenure; Guidelines; Yearbooks; Retirement Benefits; Best Practices; Teacher Competencies; Special Education Teachers; Special Education; Science Instruction; Mathematics Instruction; Reading Instruction

This Mississippi edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) 2009 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the third annual look at state policies impacting the teaching profession. It is hoped that this report will help focus attention on areas where state policymakers can make changes that will have a positive impact on teacher quality and student achievement. The 2009 "Yearbook" presents a comprehensive analysis of state teacher policies. This evaluation is organized in five areas encompassing 33 goals. Broadly, these goals examine the impact of state policy on: (1) delivering well-prepared teachers; (2) expanding the teaching pool; (3) identifying effective teachers; (4) retaining those deemed effective; and (5) exiting those deemed ineffective. Mississippi has an overall "Yearbook" grade of D+ for 2009. Mississippi's major policy strengths include: (1) Requiring that all new teachers pass subject-matter licensure tests prior to entering the classroom, earning the state a "best practice" designation; (2) Ensuring that middle school teachers are prepared to teach appropriate grade-level content; and (3) Maintaining full authority to approve teacher preparation programs. Mississippi's major policy weakness include: (1) Awarding tenure virtually automatically; (2) Failing to make evidence of student learning the preponderant criterion in teacher evaluations; (3) Lacking an efficient termination process for ineffective teachers; and (4) Not ensuring that special education teachers have subject-matter knowledge. Goals for each area are appended. (Contains 124 figures.) [For the national summary, see ED511872.]

ERIC

2010

ED511916