Elevating Teacher Quality: Teacher Tenure Reform Applying Lessons from Other Fields

The increased pressure of changing how teacher evaluations are conducted and increasing the level of teacher quality are pushing schools to reform. Due to changes in state mandates and federal laws, schools are required to demonstrate teacher effectiveness and student growth in teacher evaluations to assure students are receiving top quality education. Some districts in the state of Missouri have begun to reform their process to address 21 st century teaching approaches and strategies. While examining and applying lessons from civil service and institutions of higher learning, aspects of tenure and post-tenure review can be applied to public k-12 school districts tenure process. This literature review has helped me identify the history and processes of tenure in conjunction with various viewpoints of the pros and cons of the current tenure systems in America. I was able to identify several recommendations to reform the current public k-12 school districts tenure process for Missouri to elevate teacher quality. When teachers and administrators along with colleagues work collaboratively through a teacher evaluation process, individuals involved from all stakeholder groups can have positive perceptions towards evaluations and tenure. By reforming the current tenure system in Missouri, it can assure we elevate teacher quality while increasing the needed skills for our students to be successful in today's global competitive market.