Re-Imagining the Teaching Profession for the 21st Century

New iNACOL Issue Brief Outlines Recommendations for State Policymakers

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 10, 2019) — State education policymakers have five key opportunities to transform the teaching profession to make it better able to support the paradigm shift toward student-centered learning models in K-12 education. In a new issue brief, iNACOL (@nacol) called on state leaders to use these levers to better align the teaching workforce with the 21st-century demands on learners.

Modernizing the Teaching Workforce for Learner-Centered, Competency-Based, Equity-Oriented Education: State Policy Recommendations outlines steps to catalyze change in the teaching profession and frame the role of state policymakers in this transformation. Urgent policy shifts are needed in the way professionals prepare for teaching, instructional approaches, and licensing and credentialing. In addition, as education systems around the nation increasingly seek to innovate learning environments inside and outside of school walls, teachers must be prepared to re-orient their thinking around how students demonstrate mastery through performance and evidence.

“As we work to shift education from its Industrial Age roots and create multiple pathways to student success, it is critical to consider how we transform professional learning and build capacity for educators as part of that process,” said iNACOL President and CEO Susan Patrick (@SusanDPatrick). “Education is a democratic institution, and every part of our society plays a role in ensuring it is fit for purpose. State policymakers play a leading role in the effort by enacting and updating policies, practices, and regulations that drive the new vision outlined in this issue brief.”

At the state level, teaching is touched by interrelated policies, regulations, and practices overseen by multiple entities: policymakers, state departments of education, higher education and boards of regents, professional standards and certification boards, local superintendents, labor leaders, and others. Policymakers seeking to modernize the profession must recognize these interdependencies by fostering collaboration and phasing implementation. Although state policymakers alone cannot drive all changes necessary to shift the conditions for teaching and learning, they can initiate and coordinate collaborative approaches and enact targeted policies.

The newly published issue brief builds off a vision set in a larger report, Moving Toward Mastery: Growing, Developing and Sustaining Educators for Competency-Based Education. iNACOL is publishing a series of issue briefs that expand on the actions needed by stakeholders in the K-12 system. In addition to this new issue brief for state policymakers, another issue brief describes a role for federal policymakers.

Download a full copy of Modernizing the Teaching Workforce for Learner-Centered, Competency-Based, Equity-Oriented Education: State Policy Recommendations here.

About iNACOL

The mission of iNACOL is to drive the transformation of education systems and accelerate the advancement of breakthrough policies and practices to ensure high-quality learning for all. Visit our website, like us on Facebook, connect with us on Linkedin, and follow us on Twitter.