Connecting Curriculum and Instruction to National Teaching Standards

Abstract Meeting the requirement for highly qualified teachers as outlined in the No Child Left Behind Act has left school districts in a quandary, especially those that serve a population of students deemed “at-risk” and where attracting and retaining highly qualified teachers is difficult. One professional development program based on recognized strategies for exemplary teaching—the National Board for Professional Teaching Standard's five core propositions — is being tested in one school district in Illinois. This article presents preliminary data regarding the effectiveness of this program.