Research Library
Teaching All of California's Children Well - Policy Brief
Author: Maxwell-Jolly, J. & Gándara, P.
Publisher: CDE & CAP-Ed
Publication Date: 2008, April
Summary or Abstract: Meeting the needs of diverse students is clearly a major challenge for California's educators, and understanding the ways that diversity affects classroom learning and students' adaptation to school are key aspects of this challenge. This paper examines the importance of teacher expertise in the instruction of diverse students, challenges to measuring teacher effectiveness, the unequal distribution of high quality teachers, and the challenges of preparing effective teachers to meet the needs of all students in California. The authors conclude with recommendations for the recruitment, preparation and distribution of qualified teachers to make a difference in the academic outcomes for groups of students who currently underperform at significant levels.