Ensuring Equitable Access to Effective Teachers and Leaders

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Effective teachers and leaders are critically important to the effort to raise achievement and close longstanding gaps between groups. Abundant research evidence now makes it absolutely clear: Children who have three or four strong teachers in a row will soar academically regardless of their racial or economic background, while those who have a sequence of weak teachers in a row simply fall further and further behind.

America has many wonderful teachers. But they are not evenly distributed across different schools and districts. Low-income and minority students—the very students who could benefit most from our very best teachers—are typically taught by a disproportionate share of our least able teachers. This teacher quality gap contributes mightily to our achievement gap.

Read more in this Fact Sheet about why ensuring equitable access to strong teachers is essential, especially in our high-poverty schools.