2003 Virginia Teacher Quality Forum: Developing a Proposed Multi-Tiered Licensure system for Virginia

With funding from a federal Teacher Quality Enhancement grant, the Virginia Department of Education hosted the Virginia Teacher Quality Forum: Developing a Proposed Multi-Tiered Licensure System for Virginia on March 20-21, 2003. The Forum sought the input of exemplary teachers and other stakeholders as a first step in developing a plan for a possible multi-tiered licensure system to establish standards of what teachers should know and be able to do at different stages of their professional careers.

Prior to the Forum, the Center for Teacher Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education prepared a briefing paper on the Committee’s initial thoughts on a multi-tiered licensure system and conducted extensive interviews with experts from states that have or are in the processing of developing multi-tiered, performance based licensure systems. In collaboration with the Education Commission of the States, a briefing paper was prepared on the licensure systems in Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Wisconsin. These states were chosen because they differed in their approach and philosophy to a multi-tiered, performance-based licensure system. Forum participants received both briefing papers in advance, along with questions that would form the basis of discussions during the two-day forum.

During the Forum, more than 100 of the state’s most recognized teachers – Teachers of the Year, Milken Educators, and National Board Certified Teachers – and other stakeholders discussed the rationale and assumptions underlying a multi-tiered, performance-based licensure system, identified the benefits and potential challenges of such a system, proposed a framework for the system, and identified guiding principles for developing professional assessments to determine an individual’s progression from one tier to another. Discussions with experts from Arkansas, Connecticut, and Wisconsin, where such performance-based systems are already in use, further shaped the Forum participants’ thinking.

Briefing documents from the 2003 Teacher Quality Forum:

• Stepping Up to the Plate. . . Virginia ’s Commitment to a Highly Qualified Teacher in Every Classroom
• Developing a Multi-Tiered Licensure System: The Virginia Context
• Multi-Tiered, Performance-Based Licensure: Four State Profiles

Proceedings from the 2003 Teacher Quality Forum:

Report on the 2003 Teacher Quality Forum

Let CTL know what you think:

After reading the report on the March 2003 Teacher Quality Forum, CTL invites you to answer questions that will help inform the recommendations CTL will give to the Virginia Department of Education as it seeks to clarify the purpose and goals of Tier 3 of a proposed new licensure system.

Proceedings from the 2002 Teacher quality Forum:

2002 Teacher As Leader Forum