[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 137 (Friday, October 12, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1865]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 11, 2001

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, today I had planned to offer an amendment 
to strengthen teacher quality. However, I withdraw this amendment out 
of respect for the hard work of Chairman Young, Chairman Regula, and 
Ranking Member Obey in crafting a strong, bipartisan bill.
  Mr. Speaker, before I withdraw my amendment, I want to address the 
importance of training not only our teachers, but our substitutes as 
well.
  Substitute teachers are critical to our children's education, yet 
less than 15 percent of them participate in any type of professional 
development. On average, students will spend the equivalent of 1 full 
year with a substitute teacher before high school graduation. America's 
substitutes have become an integral part of our teacher workforce, yet 
in all but 1 State, substitutes need no teaching certification, and in 
28 States principals may hire anyone with a high school diploma or a 
GED who is over 17. In addition, over half of the school districts in 
this country do not require face-to-face interviews or reference checks 
for potential substitutes, and almost one-third of districts do not 
conduct background checks. Moreover, many substitutes want to become 
full-time teachers. But without training, few pursue this ambition.
  Most substitutes cite a lack of discipline among students as one of 
the most significant reasons they leave the profession. It is no 
surprise that they are unable to maintain discipline when they have not 
been trained in basic classroom management. With skills and content 
training, substitutes would be more inclined to stay and to take on 
full-time teaching responsibilities.
  In the spring, I conducted a survey of all the public schools in my 
congressional district. Among the many issues revealed, these surveys 
illuminated the great shortage of qualified substitutes and the desire 
for more professional development programs for teachers and principals 
in Rhode Island. These problems are not unique to Rhode Island. They 
exist nationwide and are likely to be exacerbated in the coming decade 
as growing levels of teacher attrition and retirement and increased 
school enrollment combine to create a massive teacher shortage. Indeed, 
the National Center for Education Statistics estimates that we will 
need 2.4 million additional teachers over the next 11 years.
  Encouraging States and local educational agencies to include 
substitute training in a comprehensive teacher quality program will 
improve the work of substitutes, the ability of teachers to attend 
professional development programs, and ultimately will improve 
education for our children.
  I urge my colleagues to work with me to find innovative ways to help 
our substitutes as well as our full-time teachers be better prepared 
for our classrooms and better teachers for our children.
  Mr. Speaker, I respectfully withdraw my amendment.

                          ____________________