The New Teacher Project's determined battle to improve the often deplorable and counterproductive ways in which big urban districts hire teachers appears to be gaining some ground. The New York-based organization recently issued a report on the hiring practices of Milwaukee Public Schools--noting a need for reform. As a result of collaboration among The New Teacher Project, the local teachers union and Milwaukee schools, the latest collective bargaining agreement contains two big changes that should help the city improve teacher quality--seismic shifts for a city that has seemed at times to be immune to any suggestions of reform.

First, Milwaukee's new contract allows principals in under-performing schools to interview external applicants from the start of the hiring period, eliminating the period in which internal applicants are given preference--common practice in most school districts. In addition, any school in the system needing to fill positions in high shortage areas such as math, science and special ed gets the same leeway. Second, the agreement would push the hiring timeline back two months--allowing schools to begin interviewing for openings as early as March 1st.

Most districts in the nation still require principals to hire a teacher already employed by the system, prohibiting a principal from even considering an external hire until so late that better prospects have long since gone elsewhere. In Florida's Dade County, for example, the field does not open to external hires until the end of June. (see www.nctq.org/cb)