Whereas, All students benefit from high-quality teachers; the more challenging student populations are disproportionately taught by less experienced educators; and teachers will need to be qualified, diverse, and well prepared to meet the needs of today’s students; and

Whereas, Standards regarding teacher education, licensing, hiring, and professional development make an important difference in the qualifications and capacities that teachers bring to their work and thus contribute to enhancing quality and equity in public education; and

Whereas, To fulfill the national goal to close the achievement gap, low-income and diverse students must no longer be denied a fair share of the learning opportunities that ensure their success in school, such as resources and the best teachers; and

Whereas, A strong, balanced accountability system leads to more effective teaching and higher student achievement; therefore be it

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations support programs and policies that promote equitable distribution of high-quality teachers, thereby encouraging the academic achievement of all students; and

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations support programs and policies for the recruitment and retention of talented and committed educators, with special emphasis placed on ensuring teacher diversity and addressing the special needs of rural and urban areas; and

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations support high standards for teacher preparation, licensing, hiring, and professional development for educators, particularly for beginning teachers, to promote the achievement of all students; and be it further

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations support a balanced accountability system that uses multiple measures in order to improve academic achievement for all students.