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Ryan Hunter-Reay goes from worst to almost first at Pocono Raceway

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Will Power wins ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway

<p>Would it be a good idea to &#8230;</p><p>&#8230; toughen standards for public school teachers?</p><p>Admittedly, the notion might seem counterintuitive when the state faces a decline in college students taking the teaching career path. But that may be exactly why this is a good time to try.</p><p>The teaching profession has been demeaned for years, most often by &#8220;reformers&#8221; who claim to be pushing for students, but are often pushing for special interests profiting from privatization and corporatization of education.</p><p>In a world where faith in public school teachers is, at best, ebbing, is it logical to suspect tighter qualifications could reverse that trend, convincing a skeptical public that public education is serious about regaining public confidence?</p><p>The goal of tougher demands on those hoping to teach has been embraced for years by education historian Diane Ravitch, once a strong proponent of high-stakes testing who now derides the act of judging students &#8212; and teachers &#8212; by standardized exams.</p><p>In her book &#8220;Reign of Error,&#8221; Ravitch cites Finland, an annual success story when comparing education outcomes. In the 1970s, the country raised admission standards for teacher colleges so much that today only 10 percent of applicants are accepted. A teacher needs at least five years of college and a master&#8217;s degree to start.</p><p>The upshot, according to Ravitch: Teachers are highly regarded, given wide latitude in the classroom and producing success. They are paid quite well, but gripes are few because of results. Oh, and there is no standardized test until students apply for college.</p><p>The change could be done wholesale, with Harrisburg revamping requirements completely, raising the grades an undergraduate must attain in order to get a state license, increasing the rigor of the tests teachers take for their certifications, or increasing the level of education necessary to teach.</p><p>But it could also be done in a variety of smaller ways, more as pilot programs:</p><p>&#8226; The state could create a higher level of certification that requires said rigor but is not mandatory, something teachers may pursue and school districts embrace in the relentless quest for excellence.</p><p>&#8226; Similarly, a local college could create a second track for those seeking teacher certification, one that goes straight to a master&#8217;s and requires higher performance to graduate.</p><p>&#8226; School districts, individually or collectively (say, all 11 of Luzerne County&#8217;s districts at once) could raise the requirements for job applicants. Contracts already reward newcomers who have higher levels of education with better pay. Why not add incentives for those who have higher GPAs and/or other evidence of commitment and success?</p><p>Give us your feedback by sending a letter to the editor or posting comments to this editorial at timesleader.com.</p><p>Likewise, tell us your ideas for improving the community. Maybe we&#8217;ll spotlight your suggestion in a future editorial and ask readers, &#8220;Would it be a good idea to &#8230;&#8221;</p><style>
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Our Opinion: Consider higher standards for future school teachers