Biden's proposals would strengthen teacher quality and support students, Penn GSE experts say

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Dean Grossman: This puts prepared teachers in classrooms where they are most needed

 "This proposal acknowledges something research has shown for a long time: Teacher quality matters. If we want our children to maximize their potential — to tackle climate change, cure cancer, and create beautiful art — we can’t keep increasing the number of underprepared teachers in schools. 

"By doubling federal scholarships for teacher training and increasing the number of paid teacher residencies, Biden’s plan lowers the upfront cost to starting a teaching career without sacrificing the training time needed to master skills to succeed in the classroom. Teacher residency programs like the ones proposed have a strong track record of recruiting teachers of color and preparing them for long careers."

     — Dean Pam Grossman, Dean, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education 

Credentials:

• Pam Grossman is a nationally recognized expert in teacher preparation, teacher quality, and teacher professional development.
• A former high school English teacher, she is at the forefront of rethinking how teachers are educated and studying the connections between the support they receive, the quality of their classroom practice, the likelihood they remain in teaching, and student learning.
• Grossman is the co-author of Core Practices for Practice-Based Learning, which will be published in June by Harvard Education Press. 

Sexton: Supporting specialized teachers will keep teachers in schools 

“Supporting 100,000+ teachers to better serve English language learners, neuro-diverse students and other high-need areas will have two major impacts on millions of students.

“First, there will be direct improvement educational opportunities and outcomes for the country's most vulnerable students and underserved communities. The second major impact is in teacher retention. We know that teachers who feel more effective and better able to support student learning stay in the profession. This will multiply the federal investment be increasing the likelihood that teachers stay in the classroom for more years and impact more students.”

     — Patrick Sexton, Executive Director of Teacher Education Programs, Penn GSE

Credentials:

• Patrick Sexton is an expert on teacher education, and teacher preparation, with a focus on creating a more anti-racist and just educational system.
• He has specialized in arts education, particularly theater arts.