Teachers Want What Students Need
By Edward J. McElroy

Like you, I have a keen interest in understanding exactly which factors most improve student achievement – and in making sure those conditions are in place in our schools. A recent report from the Southeast Center for Teaching Quality (SECTQ) puts some meat on the common sense assumption that teacher working conditions directly affect student achievement.

The school environment
The SECTQ report, Teacher Working Conditions are Student Learning Conditions, surveyed 32,000 teachers in North Carolina on their perceptions of numerous factors affecting the school environment. Teachers responded that the most important factors affecting school success were (in this order): having time both for students and for professional growth, teacher involvement in important school decisions, adequate facilities and resources, supportive and effective school leadership and high quality, ongoing professional development. The results showed that not only did better working conditions correlate to higher student achievement, but also to improved teacher retention.

The teachers surveyed believed that having sufficient time is the most important factor in improving student achievement. They felt they lack adequate time to meet the educational needs of all their students, and to plan and meet with their colleagues during the school day. The report reveals that teachers are "solving" the time dilemma by spending considerable time working on school-related activities outside of the school day.

Respondents also indicated they often feel shut out of important school decisions concerning hiring, budgeting, scheduling, textbook and technology selections, professional development and curriculum. The report wisely recommends that teacher involvement in school decisions "should be meaningful while still respecting the need for teachers to expend the greatest amount of time and energy in the classroom with their students."

A climate conducive to learning
Teachers cited the importance of adequate facilities and resources to creating a climate conducive to learning. They also placed a high premium on ensuring schools have strong and supportive leadership from administrators and access to high quality professional development so that staff can continually enhance their knowledge and skills.

The report recommends actions that states, districts and schools can take to assess teacher working and student learning conditions and to make improvements where necessary. But many teachers and their unions have already taken matters into their own hands.

Teacher unions across the country have successfully negotiated planning time, non-student contact time, and duty-free lunch periods for teachers. This enables teachers more time for classroom preparation, collaborating with their peers and discussing and observing best educational practices.

Great strides
Teachers and their unions have also made great strides in securing the right of teachers to be involved in decisions affecting students and staff. The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers bargained contract language that formalizes teacher involvement in decisions related to staff development, instructional leadership, budget and staffing. The MFT also negotiated instructional leadership teams at every Minneapolis school, one half of whom must be school employees. These teams are responsible for aligning curriculum, instruction and assessment to state standards and to district and school improvement plans.

Teachers must be supported to do their best work, and one way to do that is to listen to their concerns and respond accordingly. The results will be evident in both student performance and teacher satisfaction and retention. After all, teachers want what students need.

The full SECTQ report is available at www.teachingquality.org.

Edward J. McElroy is the President of the American Federation of Teachers.