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For the last 4 years, 10 leading education organizations have collaborated on a study series that includes teacher voice in conversations and research about educator effectiveness. Initially conceptualized by teacher leaders from the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) and with their continued input, the "From Good to Great" study series has asked exemplary teachers to share which professional supports and experiences helped them to increase their effectiveness as educators as they progressed through the various stages of their careers. There are multiple reasons why exemplary teachers' perspectives provide key insights for researchers and policy makers, including: (1) The need for smart investments in teacher development; and (2) The need for teacher voice in policy. This report (the third in the study series) summarizes the findings from a 2016 survey of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) and builds on the results of a similar survey of State and National Teachers of the Year in 2013-2014. Namely: (1) At the preservice stage, once again respondents ranked a high quality clinical practicum as by far the most important experience; (2) This study again confirmed that an effective school principal and mentors (both assigned and informal) rose to the top of the list, with appropriate school placements and common planning time following close behind; (3) National Board Certification and other ongoing formal education (such as graduate coursework) were seen as the most important experiences, followed by self-chosen professional development outside of the school district and collaboration with peers; and (4) At the teacher leader stage, as with the 2013-14 survey, the National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) surveyed thought serving as a mentor or coach was most important for helping them continue to improve their practice, even after they had already been established as effective teachers. These findings call attention to the need for applied learning opportunities for early-career teachers, opportunities for collaboration across the career continuum, and teacher leadership. Other themes that emerged from this survey included the importance of a full-year final clinical practicum and teacher choice in ongoing professional development options, including teacher leadership roles.

This study continues the work that National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) and its partners, Clowder Consulting and Education-Counsel, began with their "Right Trajectory" study (see ED581172), released in 2015, and continued in their "Still the Right Trajectory" study (see ED581173) released in early 2017. In addition to these studies examining the prior 5th grade state tests and the consortium assessments, this research includes analysis of the 11th grade Smarter Balanced assessment. Although the research is based on the same survey used for the 5th grade study, the design for the 11th grade research was fundamentally different because reviewers only examined the Smarter Balanced test, without using a prior test as a basis for comparison. Twelve expert teachers from Department of Defense, Idaho, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah and Washington participated in the panel, and each panelist evaluated either the reading/English language arts (ELA) or mathematics portion of the assessment. Despite the limitations imposed by the lack of context from prior tests, the impressions of outstanding educators about the strengths and areas for improvement of the 11th grade assessment provide an important contribution to the ongoing conversation about the value of standardized assessments. This analysis presents both positive and constructive feedback for consideration as test developers and states reflect and engage in continuous improvement.

As part of state transitions to college- and career-ready (CCR) standards, including the Common Core State Standards in more than 40 states (NGA & CCSSO, 2010), states are for the first time administering new summative assessments aligned to those standards and aiming for a higher bar in assessment quality. For a majority of states, this means the "consortia assessments"--the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) or Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced). In this supplement to the original "Right Trajectory" study, the authors evaluate only the Smarter Balanced consortium assessment. To do this, they assembled a group of former State Teachers of the Year (STOYs) from multiple states, each of whom has been recognized at local and state levels for their teaching excellence. The panel reviewed the 5th grade Smarter Balanced and two prior state assessments: OAKS from Oregon and the Nevada state assessments (both states currently use Smarter Balanced). The results were clear: There was consensus across participating teachers that the new consortium assessment--Smarter Balanced--is an improvement and still the right trajectory. [For "The Right Trajectory," see ED581172. For "Beginning a Higher Trajectory: Grade 11 Study," see ED581170.]

"The Right Trajectory" brings to the forefront an often-overlooked voice in the debate about new state assessments developed in consortia: that of the best teachers in the country. This research suggests, despite challenges still to overcome, that these front-line experts believe that the new consortia tests are an improvement on the former assessments and so represent movement in the right direction for students and for education in their states. What do great teachers think of the new assessments compared to the previous ones? As part of state transitions to college and career ready (CCR) standards, including the Common Core State Standards in more than 40 states (NGA & CCSSO, 2010), states are for the first time administering new summative assessments aligned to those standards and aiming for a higher bar in assessment quality. For a majority of states, this means the "consortia assessments"--the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) or Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced). To better understand what excellent teachers--given the opportunity to closely examine new and former tests side by side--would think about these new consortia assessments, the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) sought to answer the following questions: Do the new assessments better reflect what great teachers are doing in their classrooms? Do they reflect higher quality than former state tests? Do these assessments represent movement in the right direction? To do this, they assembled a group of former State Teachers of the Year (STOYs) from multiple states, each of whom has been recognized at the local and state levels for their teaching excellence. One panel reviewed PARCC and two prior state assessments: Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT), and New Jersey's Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJASK) (both states currently use PARCC). The second panel reviewed Smarter Balanced and two prior state assessments: Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS), and New Hampshire's New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) (both states currently use Smarter Balanced). All assessments were for fifth grade reading and math because it is on the cusp between elementary and middle school, making assessments at that grade relevant to elementary and middle teachers and students. What they found was clear: There was consensus across participating teachers that the new consortia assessments--both PARCC and Smarter Balanced--represent an improvement and the right trajectory. [For "Still on the Right Trajectory," see ED581173. For "Beginning a Higher Trajectory," see ED581170.]

In recent years, there has been a focus on what constitutes effective teaching and how to measure teacher performance. Efforts to more rigorously evaluate teachers, to hold them accountable for student learning, and to help them improve practice have been initiated at the district, state, and federal levels. However, many teachers believe that additional accountability, in the absence of efforts to improve the conditions in which teachers work, is a step in the wrong direction. The National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) has identified five critical structures that is lacking in education: (1) professional career continuums; (2) distributed leadership models; (3) collaborative practice; (4) actionable feedback to inform practice; and (5) guiding professional principles developed by educators, for educators. In this white paper, the authors examine the five critical structures, with educators' perspectives, and advocates for the inclusion of these critical structures for two primary reasons: (1) educators are the best suited and best situated to determine what the profession should look like internally and externally; and (2) the inclusion of these structures in the profession creates an educator-developed framework around which district, state, and federal policies can be developed to support what educators have determined is needed most in their profession.