What You Can Do

Teacher quality is an issue that affects everyone. The students in our nation's classrooms are the leaders of tomorrow. We know the value of high-quality teaching. We owe it to the future to guarantee that today's students have access to the high-quality teachers, teaching and resources they need to be successful.

It's important to educate yourself and your community about the educational equity that exists in the school district. This information can be used to support teacher-quality initiatives. Begin with some of the basic information below and build from there.

1. Engage your superintendent in discussions about PAR programs in your state or in other states.
2. Invite a leader from another AFT affiliate that has a PAR program to talk to your governing board, negotiations team and/or building representatives. The AFT can help you find a speaker.
3. Use the AFT's Web-based resources to find examples of contract language you can use as you develop proposals for a PAR program.
4. Learn about other locals that have developed successful induction and mentoring programs through the AFT's Web-based resources.
5. Develop contract language that guarantees union participation in the design of the mentoring programs, and in the training and selection of mentors.
6. Develop contract language that provides union participation in the PAR design and implementation.
7. Consider starting with a new-teacher mentorship program where novices are supported by carefully selected colleagues-but the mentor does not make a recommendation regarding continued employment.
8. Develop a pilot PAR program in which only a few teachers receive PAR supports-make it an optional program or start it in only a few schools.
9. Ask state leaders to invite a local leader who has developed and implemented a successful PAR program to make a presentation at a convention or conference.
10. Ask state leaders to seek legislation that supports locally negotiated PAR programs.