Leadership Opportunities: New York
Retaining Effective Teachers Policy
Analysis of New York's policies
State Support for Teacher Leadership: New York does not have state policy supporting teacher leadership. The state offers a master teacher program for those who are National Board certified and work full-time in a low-performing school. However, this certificate does not appear linked to any career advancement initiative or leadership opportunities.
New York also makes funding available to support eligible public school teachers seeking their first National Board Certification, which provides teachers with opportunities to engage in leadership roles in their schools and/or districts. In addition, eligible candidates who have National Board Certification may obtain an initial certificate in a comparable title.
Further, through the Teachers of Tomorrow program, funding for school districts is available for the New York State Master Teacher Program, which provides "funds for Master Teacher Awards in order to attract highly qualified, experienced, expert teachers to teach in low-performing schools. Teacher applicants for the award must be Nationally Board Certified and employed full-time in a low-performing public school."
Recommendations for New York
Support teacher leadership opportunities.
New York should initiate policy that encourages teachers to assume leadership or advanced career positions while allowing them to remain in the classroom. This will enable teachers to aspire for professional growth opportunities and increased involvement in educational decisions for their school and community and may ultimately result in a more confident, empowered, and professionally satisfied teaching force.
Base criteria for leadership roles on effectiveness and content knowledge.
New York should ensure that teachers selected for leadership roles have a record of effectiveness in the classroom and bring substantial teaching experience and subject-matter knowledge.
Offer incentives or supports to teachers who assume leadership roles.
New York should offer—or encourage districts to offer—either financial incentives or nonmonetary supports to assist teacher leaders. To allow effective teacher leaders to remain in the classroom, New York should ensure that principals provide time and space for the tasks of both teacher of record and teacher leadership roles, which may be accomplished, for example, through a reduction of class loads.
State response to our analysis
New York was helpful in providing NCTQ with facts that enhanced this analysis. The state also noted that its Career Ladder Pathways align with most of NCTQ's goals. Teachers who hold the professional certificate are required to successfully complete 100 clock hours of acceptable Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) requirements during each five-year registration period. Acceptable CTLE must be taken from a department-approved sponsor and must be conducted through activities designed to improve the teacher or leader's pedagogical and/or leadership skills and targeted at improving student performance, including but not limited to formal CTLE activities. Such activities must promote the professionalization of teaching and be closely aligned with district goals for student performance. Acceptable CTLE must also include study in the content area of any certificate title held by the individual or in pedagogy and include any required study in language acquisition addressing the needs of English language learners as described in section 80-6.3 of Commissioner's Regulations.
Updated: December 2017
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New York
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How we graded
9C: Leadership Opportunities
- Policy or Initiative: The state should support, through a specific policy or initiative, opportunities for teachers to assume leadership roles and/or advanced career positions that allow them to continue teaching.
- Strategic Selection: The state should require that teachers are strategically selected for leadership roles based on specific criteria, including content knowledge and classroom effectiveness.
- Incentives or Supports: The state should offer, or encourage districts to offer, financial incentives or nonmonetary supports (e.g., reduced class loads) for teachers who assume leadership roles.
One-half of the total goal score is earned based on the following:
- One-half credit: The state will earn one-half of a point if there is a specific policy or initiative for teachers to assume leadership roles or advanced career positions that allow them to continue teaching in the classroom for at least some of their work time.
- One-quarter credit: The state will earn one-quarter of a point if it supports teachers in assuming leadership roles or advanced career positions but does not do so in a manner that is explicit and widely available (e.g., pilot programs).
One-quarter of the total goal score is earned based on the following:
- One-quarter credit: The state will earn one-quarter of a point if it requires teachers to be strategically selected for leadership roles based on specific criteria, including content knowledge and effectiveness.
One-quarter of the total goal score is earned based on the following:
- One-quarter credit: The state will earn one quarter of a point if it offers or encourages financial incentives or nonmonetary supports for teachers who assume leadership roles.
Research rationale
Research from the past four decades widely supports leadership roles for teachers.[1] Teachers aspire to engage in leadership and professional growth opportunities,[2] and desire more participation in decisions about instruction.[3] Research suggests teacher leaders should be involved in policy and decision-making at some level.[4]
Research has not found a relationship between teacher leadership and student achievement;[5] however, the presence of teacher leadership opportunities in schools has benefits for individual teacher leaders, as well as the school-wide teacher community. Teacher leaders feel more confident, empowered, and professionally satisfied;[6] they also feel that leadership roles allowed them to grow professionally.[7] Teachers in schools with teacher leadership opportunities report that such opportunities contribute to greater teacher empowerment, professional community, and collective responsibility.[8] For their school community, teachers in leadership roles have the capacity to increase teacher collaboration, spread best practices, encourage teacher professional learning, and focus on content-specific issues.[9] Teacher leaders support professional learning communities by conducting formal professional development or assisting other teachers in classrooms.[10] By concurrently serving as teachers, teacher leaders are likely to be more effective in both roles.[11]
Teacher leaders selected for these roles should bring substantial teaching experience and knowledge of the curriculum,[12] as well as effective instruction.[13] Insofar as strong teacher leadership systems should ensure that teacher leaders also remain in the classroom as teachers, principals should provide time and space for the tasks of both teacher of record and teacher leadership roles, such as reducing class loads.
[1] Werner, J. A., & Campbell, T. (2017). The theoretical and empirical basis of teacher leadership: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 87(1), 134-171.; York-Barr, J., & Duke, K. (2004). What do we know about teacher leadership? Findings from two decades of scholarship. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 255-316.
[2] Behrstock, E., & Clifford, M. (2009). Leading Gen Y teachers: Emerging strategies for school leaders (TQ Research & Policy Brief). National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality.; Coggshall, J. G., Behrstock-Sherratt, E., & Drill, K. (2011). Workplaces that support high-performing teaching and learning: Insights from Generation Y teachers. American Institutes for Research.; Conley, S. (1991). Review of research on teacher participation in school decision-making. In G. Grant (Ed.), Review of research in education (Vol. 17, pp. 225-265). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.; Markow, D., & Pieters, A. (2012). The MetLife survey of the American teacher: Teachers, parents and the economy. New York, NY: MetLife.
[3] Conley, S. (1991). Review of research on teacher participation in school decision-making. In G. Grant (Ed.), Review of research in education (Vol. 17, pp. 225-265). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.
[4] Can, N. (2009). The leadership behaviours of teachers in primary schools in Turkey. Education, 129(3), 436-448.; Carpenter, B. D., & Sherretz, C. E. (2012). Professional development school partnerships: An instrument for teacher leadership. School-University Partnerships, 5(1), 89-101.; Durias, R. F. (2010). Teacher leaders of color: The impact of professional development on their leadership. University of California, Santa Barbara.; Gonzales, L. D., & Behar-Horenstein, L. S. (2004). Sustaining teacher leadership in enabling to inchoate cultures. Journal of School Leadership, 14(2), 128-152.
[5] Lieberman, A., Saxl, E. R., & Miles, M. B. (1988). Teacher leadership: Ideology and practice. In A. Lieberman (Ed.), Building a professional culture in schools (pp. 148-166). New York: Teachers College Press.; York-Barr, J., & Duke, K. (2004). What do we know about teacher leadership? Findings from two decades of scholarship. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 255-316.
[6] Beachum, F., & Dentith, A. M. (2004). Teacher leaders creating cultures of school renewal and transformation. In The Educational Forum (Vol. 68, No. 3, pp. 276-286). Abingdon, UK: Taylor & Francis Group.
[7] Hofstein, A., Carmeli, M., & Shore, R. (2004). The professional development of high school chemistry coordinators. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 15(1), 3-24.; Singh, A., Yager, S. O., Yutakom, N., Yager, R. E., & Ali, M. M. (2012). Constructivist teaching practices used by five teacher leaders for the Iowa Chautauqua Professional Development Program. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 7(2), 197-216.
[8] Beachum, F., & Dentith, A. M. (2004). Teacher leaders creating cultures of school renewal and transformation. In The educational forum (Vol. 68, No. 3, pp. 276-286). Abingdon, UK: Taylor & Francis Group.; Marks, H. M., & Louis, K. S. (1997). Does teacher empowerment affect the classroom? The implications of teacher empowerment for instructional practice and student academic performance. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 19(3), 245-275.; Paulu, N., & Winters, K. (1998). Teachers leading the way: Voices from the National Teacher Forum. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.; Stone, M., Horejs, J., & Lomas, A. (1997). Commonalities and differences in teacher leadership at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Action in Teacher Education, 19(3), 49-64.
[9] Curtis, R. (2013). Finding a new way: Leveraging teacher leadership to meet unprecedented demands. Washington, DC: Aspen Institute.; Muijs, D., & Harris, A. (2003). Teacher leadership—Improvement through empowerment? An overview of the literature. Educational Management & Administration, 31(4), 437-448.; Muijs, D., & Harris, A. (2006). Teacher led school improvement: Teacher leadership in the UK. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22(8), 961-972.
[10] Can, N. (2009). The leadership behaviours of teachers in primary schools in Turkey. Education, 129(3), 436-448.; Durias, R. F. (2010). Teacher leaders of color: The impact of professional development on their leadership. University of California, Santa Barbara.; Gonzales, L. D., & Behar-Horenstein, L. S. (2004). Sustaining teacher leadership in enabling to inchoate cultures. Journal of School Leadership, 14(2), 128-152.; Gordin, L. (2010). Conceptualization and support of the role of teachers serving as team leaders in a professional learning community. Azusa, CA: Azusa Pacific University.; Margolis, J. (2012). Hybrid teacher leaders and the new professional development ecology. Professional Development in Education, 38(2), 291-315.; Margolis J., & Doring A. (2012). The fundamental dilemma of teacher leader-facilitated professional development: Do as I (kind of) say, not as I (sort of) do. Educational Administration Quarterly, 48, 859-882.; Margolis J., & Huggins K. S. (2012). Distributed but undefined: New teacher leader roles to change schools. Journal of School Leadership, 22, 953-981.; Muijs, D., & Harris, A. (2006). Teacher led school improvement: Teacher leadership in the UK. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22(8), 961-972.; Vernon-Dotson, L. J. (2008). Promoting inclusive education through teacher leadership teams: A school reform initiative. Journal of School Leadership, 18(3), 344-373.; Vernon-Dotson, L. J., & Floyd, L. O. (2012). Building leadership capacity via school partnerships and teacher teams. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 85(1), 38-49.
[11] Curtis, R. (2013). Finding a new way: Leveraging teacher leadership to meet unprecedented demands. Washington, DC: Aspen Institute.; Gonzales, L. D., & Behar-Horenstein, L. S. (2004). Sustaining teacher leadership in enabling to inchoate cultures. Journal of School Leadership, 14(2), 128-152.; Mangin M. M., & Stoelinga S. R. (2008). Teacher leadership: What it is and why it matters. In Mangin M. M., & Stoelinga S. R. (Eds.), Effective teacher leadership: Using research to inform and reform (pp. 1-9). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.; Margolis, J. (2012). Hybrid teacher leaders and the new professional development ecology. Professional Development in Education, 38(2), 291-315.; Muijs, D., & Harris, A. (2003). Teacher leadership—Improvement through empowerment? An overview of the literature. Educational Management & Administration, 31(4), 437-448.; Muijs, D., & Harris, A. (2006). Teacher led school improvement: Teacher leadership in the UK. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22(8), 961-972.; Vernon-Dotson, L. J. (2008). Promoting inclusive education through teacher leadership teams: A school reform initiative. Journal of School Leadership, 18(3), 344-373.
[12] Lieberman, A., Saxl, E. R., & Miles, M. B. (1988). Teacher leadership: Ideology and practice. In A. Lieberman (Ed.), Building a professional culture in schools (pp. 148-166). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
[13] Mangin M. M., & Stoelinga S. R. (2008). Teacher leadership: What it is and why it matters. In Mangin M. M., & Stoelinga S. R. (Eds.), Effective teacher leadership: Using research to inform and reform (pp. 1-9). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.