Everyone wants better teachers in U.S. schools, but what is the surest way to get them?

Many well-established education groups recommend tighter regulation of entry into careers of public school teaching, increased standardization of teacher-preparation programs, and greater deference to professional organizations in setting and enforcing standards, including standards for the evaluation of individual teachers through peer review. Other groups urge the opposite: the deregulation of entry into teaching, increased authority within individual schools over their personnel, and a much greater degree of school-level accountability, with the effectiveness of teachers judged by the academic achievement of their students, above all else. This forum will consider the pros and cons of the two very different strategies.