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Home How We Help Supporting and Sustaining the Teacher Workforce 

Improving Teacher Workforce Policies and Systems

Partnering with education leaders to build and scale aligned, sustainable teacher workforce systems

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The research is clear that teachers are the number one in-school factor influencing student outcomes, yet school systems face enduring challenges with ensuring every student is taught by a well-prepared educator.  

We work with preK–12 and educator preparation program leaders at the state and local levels to design, implement, and improve teacher workforce policies that address teacher shortages and improve access to quality instruction. 

Our Capacities

We provide formative and summative evaluations of educator preparation programs and other teacher workforce programs and practices to help ensure high-quality implementation and to understand whether teacher workforce goals are being met. 

Featured Service

Evaluation of Teacher Preparation and Support Initiatives

Understand the progress and outcomes of your current teacher workforce programming and new initiatives through high-quality evaluation.

Featured Project

Formative Evaluation of the California Teacher Residency Grant Program 

WestEd, with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, is conducting the external formative evaluation of the Teacher Residency Grant Program, a statewide initiative designed to support and expand teacher residency programs. 

We partner with preK–12 and educator preparation program leaders to build sustainable funding models that maximize the affordability of high-quality programs for aspiring teachers through strategic budgeting and resource allocation practices. 

Featured Project

Improving Access and Affordability of High-Quality Teacher Preparation 

Ensuring that teachers have access to high-quality teacher preparation requires collaboration between preK–12 and educator preparation program leaders to create funding models that are financially sustainable and maximize candidate affordability. This infographic shares four resource-planning strategies to support sustainable funding approaches, with links to resources, tools, and guidance.  

Featured Project

Educator Registered Apprenticeship Intermediary 

WestEd served as a technical assistance partner to support states, districts, and educator preparation programs in launching, promoting, and expanding Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Programs, with a focus on building financially sustainable funding models through strategic budgeting practices. 

We build meaningful cross-sector partnerships and data sharing and collaboration practices that strategically align teacher recruitment, preparation, placement, and retention to address teacher shortages and improve access to high-quality instruction. 

Featured Project

California’s State Educator Workforce Collaborative

The California State Educator Workforce Collaborative brings together leaders from state agencies and institutions implementing the state’s educator workforce initiatives to improve onetime investments in the educator workforce and establish sustainable cross-agency collaboration to address policy challenges. The Collaborative provides a replicable model for statewide collaboration between state agencies and institutions of higher education with the shared goal of strengthening the educator workforce.

Featured Project

The State’s Role in Addressing Teacher Shortages Today to Sustain the Profession in the Future

In the wake of the pandemic, teacher shortages continue to present challenges for school districts as they work to find qualified and prepared teachers to fill K–12 classrooms. States are uniquely suited to tackle this at the systems level because states are funders, policy developers, and capacity builders for districts and schools.

We partner with district and state leaders to make teacher certification more seamless and remove unintentional barriers to the profession within and across states, while maintaining quality standards. 

Featured Project

Guide on Teacher Workforce Credentialing: A Look Into the Initial License Requirements, Diverse Pathways Into the Teaching Profession, and Reciprocity Policies 

We created a detailed guide of teacher licensure requirements, alternative pathways, and reciprocity policies across all 50 states and Washington, DC. The guide serves as a resource for educators, policymakers, and educational institutions aiming to improve recruitment, retention, and the overall quality of the teaching workforce. 

Featured Project

Supporting Qualified Educator Reciprocity in Connecticut

WestEd supported the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) with developing the state’s Teacher Certification Reciprocity Tool, which compares certification requirements among the region’s states and territories. The tool streamlined the state’s approval process, significantly reducing the time required for CSDE analysts to approve out-of-state candidates for certification. 

We support education leaders with navigating complex policy and fiscal contexts to improve teacher compensation and incentives.  

Featured Project

Guidance on Teacher Compensation Reform  

WestEd created a guide to help state and district leaders plan and collaborate to improve teacher compensation by facilitating a structured conversation about vision, community engagement, data, effective processes, and finance concerns. 

Featured Project

Teacher Compensation: Busting the Myths and Generating Dialogue 

Conversations about teacher compensation must be grounded in research and evidence. This brief outlines five common myths about teacher compensation and provides the research that dispels them and ways to generate constructive dialogue about teacher compensation. 

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Featured Services and Projects

Evaluation of Teacher Preparation and Support Initiatives

WestEd can serve as an impartial evaluation partner for teacher preparation initiatives to help ensure high-quality implementation and determine whether you’re meeting your teacher workforce goals.
Service

California’s State Educator Workforce Collaborative

Facilitated by WestEd, the California State Educator Workforce Collaborative brings together key staff from major state agencies and institutions to strengthen the educator workforce and address teacher shortages.
Project

Formative Evaluation of the California Teacher Residency Grant Program

With the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, WestEd is conducting the external formative evaluation of the Teacher Residency Grant Program, a statewide initiative designed to support and expand teacher residency programs.
Project

Educator Registered Apprenticeship (ERA) Intermediary

The Educator Registered Apprenticeship project aims to diversify the educator workforce through sustainable apprenticeship programs, enhancing access and support for teacher candidates.
Project

External Formative Evaluation of California’s Statewide Residency Technical Assistance Center (SRTAC)

SRTAC was established to support leaders and participants in California residency programs by offering tailored, differentiated technical assistance to residency programs across the state.
Project
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Insights & Impact

A teacher assisting a young student who sits at a desk

BlogArticles

Expanding Opportunity, Sustaining Quality: Lessons From One State’s Teacher Licensure Reforms

A teacher assists a student in a classroom

BlogArticles

Leading the Way: Building Schools Where Teachers Thrive

Teacher in a classroom

BlogArticles

Addressing Teacher Shortages Through In-House English as a Second Language Certification 

WestEd News

BlogArticles

Newly Released Guide Offers Insights Into Teacher Licensure Requirements Nationwide

Diverse educators

BlogArticles

Connecticut Experiences Influx of Teacher Talent, Moves to Double Number of States With Qualified Educator Reciprocity

BlogNews Releases

WestEd Names Director to Oversee Efforts to Grow and Strengthen the Teacher Workforce

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Resources

Browse our high-quality publications and resources designed to inform and engage professionals in a variety of fields including K–12 education, early childhood, and health and justice.

BTS Collections Page

Building a Brighter Future: WestEd Resource Collection for Thriving Learners, Empowered Communities
Teacher Workforce

Strengthening California’s Teacher Workforce: Toward a Statewide Strategic Framework
Educator Registered Apprenticeships resource image

Educator Registered Apprenticeships: Funding Profiles for Five Programs
Webinar cover image

Strengthening Funding Resilience for Educator Preparation Program Grantees: Lessons from Program Leaders
Emerging Insights from Early Implementation of California resource image

Emerging Insights from Early Implementation of California’s Statewide Residency Technical Assistance Center 
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Featured Experts

Dana Grayson

Dana Grayson

Dana Grayson, Director of WestEd's Teacher Workforce team, is an expert in educator workforce development, leading initiatives to enhance teacher quality and diversity through data-driven policies and partnerships.
Expert
Reino Makkonen

Reino Makkonen

Reino Makkonen is an expert in educator workforce issues who studies educator mobility patterns and evaluates educator development programs via quasi-experimental research designs and...
Expert
Gretchen Weber

Gretchen Weber

As Director of Learning and Development, Gretchen Weber leads organization wide learning and talent development initiatives that build and support the capacity of and commitment...
Expert
Melissa White

Melissa Eiler White

Melissa Eiler White guides research, evaluation, and technical assistance projects focused on strengthening teacher workforce systems. She has designed and led formative evaluation and...
Expert
Jaclyn Tejwani

Jaclyn Jagdish Tejwani

Jaclyn Jagdish Tejwani is a program evaluator with more than 20 years of experience. Her specific expertise is in studying teacher residencies and preparation...
Expert
Saroja Warner

Saroja Warner

Saroja Warner is a national expert in increasing the diversity of the educator workforce and in culturally responsive, sustaining, and equitable teaching, leading, and...
Expert

Sarah Barzee

Sarah Barzee brings 40 years of experience in education and serves as a senior director of State Education Services at WestEd. In her former role as Director of the Region 2 Comprehensive Center, Barzee led a team providing intensive capacity-building technical assistance to SEAs in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island. In addition, for the past 2 years she has provided support to the Delaware Department of Education.
Expert

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