Teachers Are The Essential Ingredient.
We Need A System That Allows Them To Do Their Job.
Mission Statement
Teachers are the foundation blocks of any educational system. The quality of the system will be defined by the quality of their teachers. Our mission is to foster a system wide education reform movement that will make it clear that the only path to system improvement is to improve the quality and the environment of the teaching professionals.
AMERICAN K-12 EDUCATION IS IN NEED OF A MAJOR OVERHAUL
Who We Are
Elevate Teachers is a growing community of citizens, parents, and voters who believe teachers are public servants who deserve our support and respect. Unique among organizations for teachers, we actively seek opportunities to participate in the national conversation about public education. Our goal is to illuminate the work our teachers are doing, and the challenges they are facing. Teachers are the front-line workers in the area of social development, serving our communities, struggling to meet obligations of the government and expectations of parents. We believe that education reform and improvement can only begin when we realize and respect the efforts of our educators. As our name suggests, it is our mission to improve the American education system by raising the status of our teachers in our communities, our culture, and our politics.
Why Is Action Needed?
Teacher status in American schools is slipping and fueling a growing teacher crisis.
Teacher satisfaction has dropped 15 points to its lowest level in over 20 years, while teacher stress levels have increased.
US teachers’ status lags far behind their counterparts in China, South Korea, Turkey, Egypt, and Greece
Enrollment in teacher education programs has decreased dramatically and will lead to a significant US teacher shortage and a tremendous strain on the public education system.
Mainstream press coverage of educational research focuses on testing outcomes and often blames teachers for poor test results and the so-called dumbing down of America.
If You Knew What I Knew, You’d Be Worried Too
People ask, “Why is public education failing?” We believe the more pressing question is, “Why is the public failing its teachers?” We believe it’s time for grownups to get an education about American schools; to realize what teachers are facing, recognize what teachers are accomplishing (despite the challenges!), and respect the role these heroes play in the future of our children and our country.
LEARN THROUGH PICTURES
Local artist, Audwynn Jermaine Newman, provides another way to look at our education system through these cartoons.
LEARN THROUGH VIDEOS
Where does one begin to develop an understanding of the many facets of our public schools? One way to begin is through these “lessons”. These lessons are like chapters of a book about education and its problems. You’ll learn about the many aspects that make up our education system, success stories, and how to make improvements.
In this section, we gather together past social media posts so you can read them in a less cluttered space. We’d love your support in sharing these messages with your own networks.